Businesses must go mobile, especially since the vast majority of Americans – 85 percent – now own a smartphone. If you haven’t gone mobile as yet, you’re giving your competitors leverage over your business. This blog will explain the difference between a mobile application and a mobile website, how it helps your businesses, and which one to choose. … Your users will pay close attention to both websites and mobile apps. You should, however, be aware of the similarities and differences between a mobile app and a mobile website. Let’s explore this. Similarities: Let us begin by examining the similarities between the two. Intended for use with a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. Include mobile-only features like click-to-call and geo-location mapping. Design elements are scaled to look good and function properly on smaller mobile screens Easy social sharing with friends and followers. Can be built around e-commerce/m-commerce. Assist with certain mobile marketing functions. Before we get into the differences between mobile websites and mobile apps, it’s important to note one important distinction: a responsively designed website is not the same as a mobile website. Differences: Here is how a mobile application differs from a mobile website. A mobile app is stored on the device and must be downloaded and installed from the app store. It usually includes features and content that can be accessed without internet connectivity. An app interacts with and frequently integrates mobile device features like a camera, contact list, calendar, and so on. It provides a real-time communication channel between the business and the user. Takeaway: A mobile website should be the first initiative in your mobile presence. A mobile app, on the other hand, would give an amazing user experience to your customers. … Mobile Apps A mobile app is a software application designed specifically for use on smartphones and other small wireless devices such as tablets and smartwatches. They are created entirely apart from your website. Initially, apps were designed to provide users with an experience similar to that of a desktop website. Apps are typically highly specialized pieces of software that are used as part of a company’s mobile strategy. Why and When You Need a Mobile App? Mobile apps provide a superior user experience: Apps can perform a variety of tasks. They can provide general information such as prices and events, facilitate booking and search, serve as a platform for personalized service, have messengers, and much more. Perhaps the most significant advantage of having an app is that you can provide the user with a complete experience while they are inside your app. Mobile apps give you a direct communication channel to your customers: It either reinforces your brand or allows you to create a smaller branding subset via your app. You can use your app to market to a specific segment of your customer base and target audience. For example, if you own a bakery and baking supply store, you can market to home cooks and stay-at-home moms using a specialized app that considers this specific customer segment when it comes to design, messaging, and other brand components. … Mobile Websites A mobile website is a scaled-down version of your desktop website. It is distinct from your desktop site and is intended solely for mobile use. Mobile websites typically have less content than desktop websites. It has a limited number of pages, and each page is optimized to match what people typically need when accessing websites via mobile. Why and When You Need a Mobile Website? Mobile websites make your company accessible from any mobile device with a browser. And, because all smartphones now have browsers, your company will be easily available to 85 percent of the US population, if you have a mobile site. There are no downloads required. Users can access your site with only a browser. Mobile sites boost your search rankings, even if you have a desktop site. Search engines such as Bing and Google openly state that they prefer sites that provide a good mobile experience when ranking on the search page. If your site is hosted on WordPress or Joomla and you don’t want to develop a separate mobile site for your business due to cost, time, or other considerations, it’s not difficult to create a mobile-friendly version of your site simply by adding a responsive component. So, which is good for business? The answer depends on your current business. Both the mobile app and the mobile website are useful. Growing businesses and brands that engage in e-commerce, on the other hand, should always prioritize a website. In many ways, the mobile website serves as a central “hub” for consumer activity. The best part is that your mobile-optimized website does not require your users to download anything extra. On the other hand, a mobile application is required if you want to take your company’s mobile presence to the next level. You may be able to generate new revenue and provide better service to your customers through your app. Still confused? Talk to us and we can help you decide whether to opt for a mobile application or a mobile website. About Galaxy Weblinks We specialize in delivering end-to-end software design & development services and have hands-on experience with mobile app and site design in agile development environments. Our designers, engineers, and developers help improve security, reliability and features to make sure your business application and IT structure scale and remain secure.