The world is becoming more and more mobile. Businesses are faced with an important question: How do they reach (potential) customers on mobile devices? Is a mobile-optimized website sufficient or should they develop their own mobile app? It depends on their strategy!
The question of whether a company should invest in IOS or Android app development in addition to their mobile website is crucial in today's digital landscape. With responsive websites being a necessity, businesses must now weigh the benefits of native app development, including Android app development. While a website provides universal access, an app offers a more tailored and immersive user experience. Additionally, native apps can leverage device-specific features, such as push notifications and offline functionality, enhancing user engagement. However, investing in app development requires careful consideration of the associated costs and potential ROI. Companies must weigh these factors against the advantages of reaching users through the App Store and Google Play Store ecosystems. Ultimately, the decision should align with the company's goals and target audience preferences.
The Benefits of Mobile Apps
- Because of static layouts, only dynamic content has to be loaded. Users therefore benefit from faster loading content compared to websites.
- Push messages keep users up-to-date in real-time.
- Apps can use the features of and content stored on the mobile device. Whether camera or GPS data - properly integrated, the user experience can be enhanced tremendously.
- Content can also be made available offline.
- Using social media integrations, content can be shared quickly and easily on social networks or via messengers.
- Localization and real-time activities present new marketing opportunities.
- Apps achieve higher engagement than mobile websites: users spend 18x more time on apps than on mobile websites.
The Disadvantages of Mobile Apps
- Developing an app is more expensive than optimizing a website. Depending on the complexity, the costs are in the four to five-digit range.
- Thanks to deep crawling, apps can also be found on search engines - but they are not as visible as mobile websites.
- Maintenance: apps must run on different operating systems and devices. The functionality has to be tested with every update.
A Matter of Strategy
Companies that are primarily concerned with reach and information may be better off investing their app budget elsewhere. An app is worth the investment when it incorporates the features of the smartphone or tablet. User experience and usefulness are key. Compared to a mobile website, the app must offer a value specific to mobile devices. If this is successful, an app can strengthen customer loyalty and drive revenue.
Mobile apps do not only have advantages in marketing. A corporate app can, for example, facilitate business processes. Employees are provided with important, internal information in real-time and have mobile access to data they need for work.
