By now, every organization has already asked the question about whether or not they need an App. Putting aside whether there is a bona fide reason for investing in an app or not, there is a second related question that always gets asked: if we have a mobile (eg responsive) website, do we actually need a mobile app?
To help answer this question, we have assembled a brief summary of the advantages of each platform:
A mobile website:
- Since the organization is investing in the website anyway, the marginal cost of a responsive mobile website is very low.
- There is little or no “extra” maintenance, since anytime something is updated on the main website, the mobile site will automatically be updated.
- Everyone has a browser on their smartphone: it’s just a matter of typing in the URL to bring up the mobile site.
- There is no need for the user to go through the extra step of downloading the app.
- No app development expense; no app support requirements.
- No decision as to what platform to develop the app for: iOS, or Android. The mobile site works on all platforms.
A mobile app:
- Easier to discover: billions of webpages, only several million apps.
- Once downloaded, it has a coveted spot on the user’s device.
- A dedicated user interface that isn’t constrained by the browser’s technical limits.
- The ability to monetize through in-app purchases.
- A closed system: Less user distraction from websites or third-party ads.
- Most apps are not dependent on a data connection, and can run in a subway, remote mountaintop, or airplane.
THIS WEEK’S ACTION PLAN
This week, we are making an offer: ask us, and we will provide three ideas for how mobile can be used by your organization strategically, and for balance, three reasons why you should give mobile a pass. The goal is to start an open conversation about the could be.
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