Companies are aware of the fact that they need a mobile strategy. App usage has surpassed desktop usage and their number is also increasing. Because of this shift from desktop to mobile, companies are re-arranging their mobile strategies. The main issue that they have been facing is which is better: a mobile app or a mobile website. You can read the other articles on the itmagazine to learn about the latest news and also to view other related articles.
Many believe that there is no need for a mobile app, just a website that looks good on mobile devices is all we need. Others believe that mobile apps have advantages that a website cannot provide. Nevertheless, many factors should be considered before deciding. When thinking about the difference between mobile websites and mobile apps, it can be hard to decide which is better. Here, we introduce the advantages of both mobile websites and mobile apps.
Statistics about Mobile Websites and Mobile Apps:
The mobile app industry has $41.1 billion gross income revenue in 2015. This gross income revenue may increase up to $50.9 billion. By 2020, the mobile app industry will be worth $189 billion.
Desktop usage does not eliminate anytime soon, nevertheless, Mobile is overtaking it exponentially. In 2015, time spent on mobile overtook time spent on desktop. In addition, According to Google, more searches were being made on mobile than desktop.
The General Difference between Mobile Websites and Mobile Apps:
Mobile apps and mobile websites are both accessible by a mobile device. A mobile website is website consists of browser-based HTML pages that are attached to each other. Exactly like traditional websites, mobile websites can also display images, data, video, and text content. In addition, they can access features that are specifically for mobile devices such as location-based mapping.
Mobile apps are applications that users need to download and install on their mobile devices. Like websites, an app can take content and data from the Internet or it can also download content so this content can be accessed offline.
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Mobile App Advantages:
1. Branding Opportunities
One of the mobile app advantages is that it has a separate entity from a company’s website; therefore, the company has the opportunity to offer new branding to users.
2. Personalization
It is very easy to give users a personalized experience with mobile apps. Due to this mobile app advantage, Users can set up their preferences and customize them to be suitable for their needs.
3. Accessibility to Device’s Capabilities
A mobile app can be linked to the device’s features and hardware, such as the camera. Accessing the device’s capabilities is essential for retail apps because they significantly boost the customer experience. However, mobile websites are too limited for accessing a device’s features.
An app is can improve the customer experience and act as an extension of a retailer’s brand. In addition, apps can give users features that are not anywhere else. Some of the possibilities are:
- Push notifications
- Tap-to-call/email
- Device vibration/alerts
- Camera
- Instant and automatic updates
4. Offline Access
Maybe the most important mobile app advantage is that it can run offline. Many apps must connect to the internet to perform most of their tasks; however, they still show their content and can operate some of its functions even when users are offline. Therefore, users can access information even without the internet.
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Mobile Website Advantages
1. Broader Audience Reach
One of the mobile website advantages is that it can be accessible across platforms; therefore, it can be easily shared. In addition, the search engine of mobile websites has greater reach capability than a mobile app.
2. Cost-Effective
The other mobile website advantage is that the development of a responsive mobile website is more cost-effective than the development of a mobile app.
3. Brand Visibility
Mobile websites are ranked higher than websites not optimized for mobile. Companies that have mobile-friendly websites are more likely to have a better rank. This mobile website advantage can cause better brand visibility and also, greater website traffic.
Conclusion:
This was a general review of the difference between mobile websites and mobile apps. No one can tell whether a mobile app or a mobile website is 100% better because the right choice completely depends on the business objectives. If the goal of the business is offering mobile-friendly content to a wide range of people, a mobile website is a better choice. Nevertheless, if the business wants better engagement, interaction, and communication with customers, a mobile app is a better choice. There are many cases that a company needs both a mobile website and a mobile app. Therefore, everything highly depends on the goal of a business.
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