If you wish to establish a mobile presence for your business, one of the first things you should do is to create a mobile application for the users to download to their devices. You also have an option to develop a mobile website so that the users could access it from their mobile browsers. Mobile websites and apps look very similar at first glance. However, determining which is more suited for your needs would depend on various factors like the budget, target audiences, purpose intended and the features that are needed.
Any mobile application development company could help you develop an app for your brand. The same is the case with a web design company in Sydney, Australia. However, it would be the best thing to opt for a company that provides both services so that they know the difference between designing an app and a website for mobile. You could even get either one or both mobile apps and mobile websites designed by the company at a discounted rate.
Difference between Mobile Website & App
Before the benefits of mobile app development, Australia and websites are determined, it is essential to understand the major differences between the two. Both could be easily accessed on handheld smartphones and tablets.
A mobile website is similar to any other website and contains browser-based HTML pages which are linked together and accessed over the internet from smartphones and similar devices. Mobile networks such as 3G, 4G, 5G or even Wi-Fi are used for browsing. The main characteristic which distinguishes a mobile website from an ordinary one is that it is designed for a smaller handheld display and touch screen interface.
Responsive web design is turning out to be the new standard for websites that are not just mobile-friendly but could also be scaled to any device which is of any size, right from desktops to tablets and smartphones. Just like any website, mobile websites could display text, data, content, images and videos. They could also access specific features for mobile devices like click to call or location-based mapping to identify the right location of the brand outlets or businesses.
Speaking of mobile apps, they are downloaded and installed on mobile devices instead of making use of a browser. The users visit device-specific portals like Apple’s app store or Google Play for Android to find and download apps for a particular operating system on the device. The app makes use of the internet to pull content, just like websites do. It could also download the content so that it can be accessed with ease without an internet connection.
Is App or Mobile Website Better?
If you have to decide between an app or a mobile website, the most appropriate choice would depend on the end goals. If you are planning to develop an interactive game, you could opt for an app that would be the best available option. If you aim at offering mobile-friendly content to a wide range of audiences, a mobile website could help you out. In certain cases, you might decide to go ahead with both a mobile website and an app. However, it would not make sense to build an app without having a mobile website.
A mobile website should be considered as the first step in developing a web presence on a mobile phone whereas an app could help in developing an application for a specific purpose that couldn’t be achieved without the help of a web browser.
Pros of Having Mobile Website and App
If you have marketing or public communication goals, a responsive mobile website could be the practical first step for a mobile outreach strategy. This is because a mobile website has various advantages over the apps that are designed for mobile phones such as compatibility, broader accessibility and cost-effectiveness. https://blurn.com/au/digital-marketing-services/ios-android-mobile-app-development/android-app-development/
- Mobile Websites Are Quick & Easily Available
A mobile website is easily accessible to users with the help of a browser across various devices. However, apps would require the user to download and install it from the app marketplace before the application or the content could be viewed. This itself is a barrier between the initial engagement and conversion.
- Mobile Websites have Compatibility across various Devices
A mobile website could easily reach users who make use of different types of mobile devices. Apps would need a separate version which needs to be developed particularly for each type of device. Mobile website URLs could be easier to link with other mobile technologies like SMS, QR codes and so on.
- Mobile Websites could be Easily Updated
A mobile website can be more dynamic when compared to an app. It could also be more flexible when it comes to updating the content. If the design or content of a mobile website needs to be updated, you could publish it almost immediately and the changes would be visible soon. However, when it comes to updating an app, the update should be made by the users to view fresh content.
- Mobile Websites Are Easy to Find
Mobile websites are easier to use and more convenient than desktop websites. The pages of websites would be displayed in search results and you could also find them listed in industry-specific directories. This would make it easier for qualified visitors to find the brand. The visitors to your regular website could be sent automatically to the mobile site when they are using a handheld device. The visibility of apps could be restricted to manufacturer app stores.
- Mobile Websites are easy to share & publish
The URLs of mobile websites could be easily shared between users with the help of a simple link within an email, Facebook, text message or Twitter post. Publishers could easily direct the users to a mobile website from a website or a blog or even in print. An app simply could not be shared like this.
- Mobile Websites have More Reach
A mobile website is easily accessible across various platforms using browsers. It could be easily shared among a lot of users as well as search engines. It has a greater reach capacity when compared to a native app.
- Mobile Websites are unable to Delete
The average shelf life of an app would be short. It could be around 30 days for most people unless the app is something unique, useful or both. It is questionable how long the app would last on the user’s device. At the same time, mobile websites are always available for the users to return to them.
- Mobile Website could be an App
Like an ordinary website, mobile websites can be developed with ease. The database-driven web applications could act more or less like native apps. A mobile web application could be a practical alternative to native app development.
- Mobile Websites Are Less Expensive & Easy to Use
Mobile website development could be time-consuming but is more cost-effective than developing a native app, especially if the brand wishes to create a strong presence on various platforms.
- Maintenance & Support
The investment considerations of the website and app don’t end soon after the initial launch. Supporting it, maintaining the app by testing, upgrading and checking for compatibility issues and development is an expensive thing and involves more time than maintaining a website.
