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Mobile Web vs. Mobile App: Which Is Right for Your Business?
To compete in the digital world, every company should transit its business to mobile devices. In the present modern age, the digital industry is growing at a very fast pace revolutionizing the mobile-driven world.
According to the prediction of Statista, there would be 50.7 billion mobile users by the year 2020. Going mobile is the ultimate key to drive and boost your business. A study showed that 58% of people visited websites from mobile phones and tablets in 2018. Moreover, people spent 42% of their time on mobile devices. So, if you are in view of establishing the mobile presence of your business then you have two options; either to create a mobile web or mobile app.
The decision is totally up to you but before choosing one of these two make some clarity about how the mobile web and a mobile app can benefit your business.
Difference between Mobile Web & Mobile App:
Although both the mobile web and the mobile app can be accessed from smartphones and tablets there are major differences that distinguish one from the other. A mobile website is functionally similar to other websites but designed especially for the mobile devices and touch screen interface.
Mobile websites are based on browser-based HTML pages that can be accessed from the internet. Responsive websites are now in trend that can run on devices of all sizes from laptops to smartphones. Responsive websites can exhibit texts; images; videos; as well as mobile-specific features i.e. click to call or GPS location.
Mobile apps inhabit in mobile devices after getting downloaded or installed. Some of the content and features of apps can be accessed on offline mode. Mobile apps can be downloaded from the OS platforms such as App Store, Google Play Store, Blackberry App World, etc.
Which one is better for Your Business? A Website or An App?
Mobile apps and websites both boost the online presence of a brand. If you are looking to engage a larger audience to offer your products and services with huge content then developing a mobile responsive website would be great for you. But if you are more into instructiveness like mobile games then the mobile app can be beneficial for your business. Mobile apps are specific and have focused target content whereas mobile websites can cover huge categories of content and graphics. However, developing both for your business can do no harm but if you want to boost your online presence and mobile experience then having a mobile app would be the best choice.
Pros and Cons of Mobile Responsive Website:
A mobile responsive website is a great platform to boost your business online. These are compatible and easily accessible delivering the mobile-friendly user experience. However, there are some minor disadvantages also which are discussed in the later section.
• Compatibility:
Mobile responsive webs are compatible with devices of all sizes and scales. These websites deliver mobile-friendly user experience and support easy mobile integration such as QR codes and text messaging. Mobile apps are compatible with the specific operating system while mobile webs have no such limitations.
• Extensive Reach:
When we talk about the audience, mobile webs have more potential to attract and engage a huge audience. This is because websites can be accessed from any device from laptops to smartphones.
• Support & Maintenance:
Mobile responsive websites are easy to maintain. Editing and updating a website is much easier than updating a mobile application. Also, the support and maintenance of mobile websites cost less than a mobile application.
• Convenience:
Mobile responsive websites are less convenient than mobile apps because these cannot fully utilize mobile features such as camera, GPS, dialing, etc. Another limitation is screen size. Due to the smaller screen size of mobile devices, these websites do not cover the whole web components and display lesser content.
• User Experience:
Mobile websites condense user experience. The reason behind this is the limited content presentation on the screen. The user has to open multiple windows to access all the information on the website.
• Offline Access:
Websites cannot be accessed offline. Although cached pages can be views offline a fully functional website never operates on offline mode.
Pros and Cons of Mobile App:
Mobile apps are more interactive than websites but have limited compatibility. The pros and cons of mobile applications are as follows:
• Convenience:
Mobile applications are more convenient than responsive websites. Apps deliver great user-experience and load content with fast speed. Moreover, mobile apps exhibit special features such as reminders, updates, etc. Mobile apps boost customer loyalty.
• Personalization:
Mobile applications can be personalized according to the user’s preferences. Users can set a personalized account and keep vital information stored in an app. Personalization makes mobile apps reliable for the target audience.
• Offline Access:
Unlike websites, mobile applications allow offline access to some of the features. Websites require constant internet availability to function properly whereas mobile apps can function without internet access.
• Compatibility:
Mobile apps can be downloaded on a specific operating system such as iOS and Android. Every app is compatible with a particular OS. Websites can be accessed from any device and any OS which is not the case for mobile applications. An iOS app is nonfunctional for Android and vice versa. Anyhow, cross-platform or hybrid apps are compatible with multiple OS.
• Support & Maintenance:
Mobile app maintenance is complicated. This is because mobile apps are developed for several platforms which make it obscure to fix compatibility and update issues. The mobile app maintenance cost more money and time than a website.
Concluding Thoughts:
The mobile web vs. mobile app topic will always remain debatable. Both of these are unique from one another. The business goals and objectives should decide which platform is better to engage customers and generate leads. An effective marketing strategy can boost your business through both the app and website. All you need to do is to focus on your business requirements and start flourishing your business digitally.
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