Why Do You Need an App or a Mobile Website?

Technology has become part and parcel of life. It has its deep roots in every aspect these days. The most common and important example of it is the mobile phone. Imagining life without this device is almost impossible. If you look at the recent situation, the most common way of accessing the internet today, it is the mobile phone itself.

Statistically speaking, 42 percent of the total time spent on the internet was through the use of mobile phones. Even when looking at the time spent surfing websites, 58 percent went to the mobile phones itself. It is due to this recent trend, most business organizations look to develop applications or sites which are mobile-friendly. This is mainly because mobile phones are incredibly portable when compared to laptops and computers. However, among the mobile apps and mobile websites, which is a better option for virtual interaction? This article attempts to answer that.

When you look at both of them at face value, they are almost the same. It is probably the interface that might be slightly different, on the general outset. There are many other aspects based on which the distinction can be made.

Mobile App

Mobile applications are mainly for two specific platforms, known as Android and iOS. All that a user needs to do is download them and install it on their phones and they are good to go. One of the most significant advantages of using mobile applications is the fact that it responds much faster, and the experience is a much smoother one when compared to the same on the websites.

What sets mobile apps apart?

● More user interaction- with the use of mobile apps, developers can integrate more options for communication with the users more efficiently. When new content has to be added to the application, it is done in a relatively uncomplicated manner. A perfect example of it is the addition of new pictures on Instagram. It is a straightforward task to do so on the application when compared to the website. Even on the site, the user is asked to log in to the app for performing the function above. Thus, it is clear the interface is simpler in an app.

● Scope for customization- one of the best features of any application is its propensity for customization. As soon as you download the app, there are multiple options to customize it according to your needs and preferences. Moreover, on providing certain permissions, an application can track and understand what you are looking for and provide you with coherent content as an advertisement. It is a strategy that is used by business organizations to attract more customers as well. It leads to a massive increase in the conversion rates of the traffic to investors, and the business can expand in a short period.

● The utility even when offline- you do not need to be connected to the internet all the time to make use of some applications. This is quite contrary to what happens on websites where an internet connection is compulsory. Thus, you can access relevant information wherever you go, even when the connectivity is not as good as you would want it to be.

● Increased intuitiveness- when using mobile applications, it is essential that the experience is an immersive one. This results in more seamless handling of the applications. Moreover, certain platforms make you used to certain functionalities. Thus, there is a certain amount of standardization that is possible with mobile applications.

● Increased capabilities of the device- since there are certain applications that need to use the in-built features of the phone for working properly, the whole experience becomes faster and automatic.

Mobile websites

When I am talking about mobile websites, it is important to note that adopting the latest style is very important. For example, responsive websites have become extremely popular these days with the orthodox approach taking a back seat. A responsive website basically means that it has the capability to change its alignment according to the type of device used to access the website.

How can mobile websites be beneficial?

● Accessible to all the users- as mentioned before, the two platforms on which the applications work are Android and iOS. However, there is no such specificity for mobile websites. You can access anything from anywhere, as long as you have an internet connection that is fast and secure. Thus, the generalization of mobile websites is one of its biggest advantages.

● No need to do any updates- one of the biggest problems with mobile applications is the constant need to update in order for it to function optimally. These updates are mainly related to bug fixes. However, this concept is completely null and void for mobile websites. If there is any change in the interface of the website, it comes with the change when it is refreshed or reopened. Thus, you need not worry about your data and good connectivity for an update as far as mobile websites are concerned.

● Cheap- speaking from a business organization point of view, developing a mobile application can actually be costly, depending on the kind of features you want to include in it. However, a website is an open platform that is easy to construct as well. Thus, you may opt for a website rather than an application when you want an online presence but your budget is low.

The verdict- which one is better?

As it must have become clear from the above discussion, mobile apps are better than mobile websites to engage a larger number of users with particular content. The number of people downloading and using mobile applications is simply astronomical and is further evidence of the same fact as well. However, if your business organization is one which is of low budget and wants to reach out to more number of people without any hindrance whatsoever, a mobile website will be a better option for that. Sometimes, having both the mobile application and mobile website can come as extremely handy.

Therefore, even though mobile applications are the best option here, you should make an informed choice based on all the parameters and most importantly, according to your requirements. What you need to remember is that the device for accessing both of it is the mobile itself. Therefore, the decision to go for both of them needs to be extremely strategic and well-thought-of and one which can be executed easily.