Do you need a Website, an App, or Both?

If your website isn't mobile-ready (a design that makes site pages translate on all devices and screen sizes), it's not helping your business. It's detrimental. Google has mobile-first indexing for all websites - so take care of that ASAP.

Meanwhile, should you have a mobile-ready/responsive site, an app, or both?

At times it's debated as either/or, but it can be one and the other. They are not necessarily independent. There are different uses for each, plus a website and a mobile app share data.

It depends on where you are with your business and what you are trying to achieve. Are you looking to improve tracking, increase engagement, and address user preferences?

When a Single Platform is enough

Benefits of a mobile-friendly site:

• Search engines index websites, making your site easier to find. That's not the case with an app downloaded from a store.
• You want to give your users a consistent brand experience wherever they go. A mobile website works on any device, no matter the operating system.
• Good for engaging your visitors primarily with content and small to moderate ecommerce.
• Good for attracting new business, clients, or customers.
• Good for a one-time interaction, like a donation or event registration, or don't require constant engagement.
• Good for something easy to maintain.

Benefits of an app:

• You want an owned marketing channel.?
• Your target users are primarily on mobile.
• You want to give users access to information offline.
• You want to restrict user tasks to specific behaviors in a self-contained environment.
• You want to give visitors access to a fingerprint scan, camera, gyroscope, and tactile gestures.

What you can do with both

The integration gives you a better ability to track results and bring your users a more relevant experience on their chosen platform.

Integrate Data:

• With APIs (Application Programming Interface), your app can exchange information.
• You can allow content entered to appear on the website and/or in the app.
• Your users can enter information on the app made available to them on the website.

Track Behavior:

• The combined website and app activity allows a complete view of how users engage with you.

User Experience:

• Use your app and website to create strategic user journeys and touchpoints. This should improve your users' experience and increase interaction.

Personalization:

• User activity on the website or the app can affect the experience on the other platform. For example, an event registration on the website could impact what a user sees on the app or visa-versa. You can also target content for specific people based on past behavior, current location, or interests.

While both apps and websites can benefit your online presence, you should start things off a mobile responsive site.?

Your website serves as your brand’s focal point, and for many, it's their first interaction with your business.

A well-optimized website creates a powerful first impression that attracts customers and retains them.

An app can enhance your overall brand experience, but not until your website is up and running well. In most cases, you should add an app as a future phase of your online business.

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Didisheim Consulting helps companies succeed by defining and implementing a digital strategy that grows their business.