Wondering the best way to take your business mobile – app or mobile website? Both are popular but each one appeals to different users and achieves different goals.
How to decide between a mobile website and mobile app for your spa?Let’s start with a look at a mobile website. A mobile site is like your company website. It too consists of browser-based HTML pages, which users access when they go online. However, the content, images and video your mobile site displays are optimized for mobile devices, which have smaller displays and touch-screens.
By comparison, your customers download and install mobile apps onto their smartphones or tablets. For example, your mobile app could enable a customer to book an appointment or schedule an event at your spa. Customers could use an app to reorder a retail product.
Is a mobile website the best way to go?
Device independence is a big advantage of a mobile website, which means you can offer mobile-friendly content to a wide range of users immediately across iPhone, Android or even Blackberry devices. This makes them a better option if your main goal is reaching customers and prospects with information about your services. Through the use of search engines and industry specific directories, more users will be able to find your site, too.
Mobile websites also are easier and less costly to develop than mobile apps. You don’t need to be a programmer to refresh or update content on mobile sites because they are created with content management systems (CMS) that anyone can use.
When to consider a mobile app?
Mobile apps are built for a specific function and for a specific device. This means you can customize an app to leverage the video, audio, camera, GPS capabilities of an iPhone, for example.
A mobile app can be very effective when used for special marketing or a promotional campaign. You could tie a mobile app to a game for a special holiday promotion, for example. Mobile apps don’t require a connection, so your customers and prospects can access content even when they are offline.
Going mobile with websites or apps seems inevitable these days. You get broad reach with websites but even richer engagement with apps. You have a choice but either option should help boost your business.
Do you have a mobile website or app or are you considering one or the other?
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