Mobile devices are gaining momentum. Companies of all types and
sizes are developing and implementing mobile applications to increase
productivity, help their distributed teams stay connected and allow customers
to access essential services even when they are away from their computers.
If your goals are primarily related to marketing or public communications,
a mobile website is almost always going to make sense as a practical first step
in your mobile outreach strategy. This is because a mobile website has a number
of inherent advantages over apps, including broader accessibility,
compatibility and cost-effectiveness.
Immediacy – Mobile
Websites Are Instantly Available
A mobile website is instantly accessible to users via a browser
across a range of devices (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry etc). Apps on the other
hand require the user to first download and install the app from an app
marketplace before the content or application can be viewed - a significant
barrier between initial engagement and action/conversion.
Compatibility – Mobile
Websites are Compatible across Devices
A single mobile website can reach users across many different types
of mobile devices, whereas native apps require a separate version to be
developed for each type of device. Furthermore, mobile website URLs are easily
integrated within other mobile technologies such as SMS, QR Codes and near
field communication (NFC).
Upgradability – Mobile
Websites Can Be Updated Instantly
A mobile website is much more dynamic than an app in terms of pure
flexibility to update content. If you want to change the design or content of a
mobile website you simply publish the edit once and the changes are immediately
visible; updating an app on the other hand requires the updates to be pushed to
users, which then must be downloaded in order to update the app on each type of
device.
Findability – Mobile
Websites Can be Found Easily
Mobile websites are much easier for users to find because their
pages can be displayed in search results and listed in industry-specific
directories, making it easy for qualified visitors to find you. Most
importantly, visitors to your regular website can be automatically sent to your
mobile site when they are on a handheld (using device-detection). In contrast, the visibilities of apps are
largely restricted to manufacturer app stores.
Shareability – Mobile
Websites Can be Shared Easily by Publishers, and between Users
Mobile website URLs are easily shared between users via a simple
link (e.g. within an email or text message, Facebook or Twitter post).
Publishers can easily direct users to a mobile website from a blog or website,
or even in print. An app simply cannot be shared in this fashion.
Reach – Mobile Websites
Have Broader Reach
Because a mobile website is accessible across platforms and can be
easily shared among users, as well as search engines, it has far greater reach
capability than a native app.
LifeCycle – Mobile
Websites Can’t be Deleted
The average shelf-life of an app is pretty short, less than 30 days
according to some research, so unless your app is something truly unique and/or
useful (ideally, both), it’s questionable how long it will last on a user’s
device. Mobile websites on the other hand are always available for users to
return to them.
A Mobile Website can be an
App!
Just like a standard website, mobile websites can be developed as
database-driven web applications that act very much like native apps. A mobile
web application can be a practical alternative to native app development.
Time and Cost - Mobile
Websites are Easier and Less Expensive
Last but certainly not least, mobile website development is
considerably more time and cost-effective than development of a native app,
especially if you need to have a presence on different platforms (requiring
development of multiple apps).
Support and Sustainability
The investment considerations of app vs. website don’t end with the
initial launch; properly supporting and developing an app (upgrades, testing,
compatibility issues and ongoing development) is more much more expensive and
involved than supporting a website over time
