Mobile website or mobile app: advantages and disadvantages of both
Here is a complete review of the advantages and disadvantages of a mobile app and a mobile website. This article should help you make a smarter decision as to which is better for your needs, or if you need both marketing tools.
Individual definitions:
* Mobile Website: A website that has been designed and created specifically for mobile devices. A user can access a mobile website through the mobile web on any mobile device.
Please note: If you have a website designed for the Internet and to be viewed on a desktop computer, it will display on a phone. However, it will be too slow to download, too difficult to read, difficult to use, and/or will not provide the information an on-the-go consumer needs.
• Mobile Application: Software that is designed to run on mobile devices. A user downloads the application to reside on a mobile device. It tends to be limited to one operating system and device.
A. Mobile applications
1. Advantages:
– Convenient: Provides quick and easy access for consumers as it resides on their mobile device.
– Fully Loaded Content: Easily handle detailed content, rich media, and user/GPS location functionality.
– Time: A user knows how much time is required to use an application after its first use.
– Analytics: You can add tracking to discover user actions.
– New idea: You can create a new concept that provides an immersive, entertaining and/or productive experience for the user.
– Generate income: You can set a price for a user to download your app.
2. Disadvantages:
– Limited scope: An app is limited in scope as different apps are required for different platforms (such as iPhone or Android).
– Development cost: the cost of creating an application can be high. Even low-priced developers list these services starting at $1,000.
– Cost of marketing: there are millions of mobile applications in the market. There is both time and financial cost to stand out from the competition.
– Lifespan: A user who downloads an app deletes an app that is not used often enough or may get lost in all the other apps that have been downloaded.
– Approval process: Even after the app is developed, it must be reviewed and approved by Apple.
– Updates: the user must download to have the latest application updated.
– Value Proposition: While the prices to build an app continue to decline, the difficulty of standing out and getting noticed has increased dramatically.
B. Mobile websites
1. Advantages:
– Wide Reach: Reaches anyone who has Internet access through a mobile device.
– Be found: It will appear in the search results.
– Featured: few companies have created a mobile site. This allows you to stand out from your competition and in your local search results.
– Consistent branding: Provides a consistent look and feel for your business.
– Check traffic: You have users accessing your current website via mobile devices today. Check your analytics and find out the number of mobile visitors.
– Longevity: it can last as long as you are in business.
– Updates: No user approvals or downloads are needed to improve or update your content.
– Marketing Integration: integrate your site into your mobile marketing promotions.
– Analytics: Learn more about who visits you through the mobile web.
– The price is low: The prices are very affordable.
2. Disadvantages:
– Doesn’t sit on a client’s desktop like an application. It needs to be marked to be found the fastest.
– It must be designed to work on all mobile devices.
– Flash doesn’t work on iPhone.
– Requires you to choose what information from your website will be included and how it should be presented.
Conclusion
Ask yourself these questions:
– What are your business goals?
– What do you want your consumers to do when they come into contact with your business from a mobile device?
– What must you provide for consumers to take that action?
– Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of a mobile application and a mobile site.
– What are the costs and benefits to your business?
Your answers to these questions will help guide your decision.