The decade we live in is where smart mobile devices have become a part and parcel of our lives and have impacted it in ways we never imagined, so much that we now cannot lead our everyday life without them. With so many smart mobile devices at our disposal, browsing the internet is made easy and convenient via the same.
Now that the facts are in place, if you are a business owner, one important dilemma you are likely to have is whether you should have a responsive website or a mobile app. While this is a debate that has been going on for a long time now, here we shall focus on why your client needs a responsive site rather than a mobile app.
Why You Might Need an App?
Basically, an app is a software designed specifically to meet a particular requirement or fulfill a purpose. As you would be aware, it can be downloaded by users on their mobile devices.
So, as a business owner, why do you think your business might need an app?
Well, one of the straightforward and obvious answers would be, in order to remain competitive in the ever so tough market that it is, you need to adapt to the various new technologies and techniques to attract people to your brand and connect with them. Apart from that, there are other major reasons why you might need an app:
Your product or service is the app itself: This is a case when the whole business is app-centered. A good example would be Snapchat, where the app is what makes the whole business. And here, the app not only serves a purpose, it is actually the business’ purpose.
Your company already has significant brand recognition: the concept here is simple; when you are a newcomer, people wouldn’t be willing to come forward to know about your business by downloading an app.
They would rather access your website, learn about your company first, and then, maybe, they might want to download your app.
Responsive Site
→ What is a responsive website?
While these websites also include a series of linked HTML pages that can be opened on any browser, the difference lies in the fact that they can be opened or accessed on a wide range of devices with different screen sizes, such as a laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc.
The primary focus of a responsive website is to provide users with a great experience regardless of the type of device they use to access a website, without having to make manual adjustments to the size of the screen, font, etc.
So, when you have a client that wants their potential customers to be able to find their brand’s website and make purchases via their smartphones, it should strike to you that what they need is a responsive site.
Why? Let’s start with something simple and obvious. Let’s say you are looking for a good day spa in Seattle to get yourself rejuvenated after a long and tiresome week.
Where would you look for the same? Would you open up AppStore and use the search terms “day spas in Seattle”? You will end up finding no results for your search. Where you need to search is on your mobile browser and Google your requirement and not the AppStore.
→ Reach an Extended Audience Base
Having a responsive web design can help your client reach an extended audience base. When people hear a new brand name, the first thing they would do is google it to find out more about the business, because no one would want to waste storage space on their mobile device for a brand’s app they have no idea about.
With a responsive website, designed to work properly on both desktop and mobile browsers, you get to attract a wider audience base.
→ Faster and Cost-Effective Process
If you hadn’t known already, launching a responsive website can be done easily and quickly when compared to building an app. In addition, the process of creating one such website is relatively cheaper when considering the various costs associated with developing an application from scratch. Both these features will be especially beneficial for new businesses.
→ Available for Everyone
A responsive website can be accessed by everyone, on any operating system, without requiring them to download or install anything. Moreover, websites are almost always available for free, unlike many applications.
In addition, users wouldn’t have to update a website’s newer version every now and then to be able to view and access the improvements made to it.
With an app, they will be required to constantly update it whenever a newer version is released, even if it has to do with only a few bug fixes.
Just because a few businesses have succeeded developing an app for their brand doesn’t really mean apps are for all businesses. Even if your client thinks their business needs an app, it is important to make sure that it is for one or all of the reasons discussed earlier. After all, there is no guarantee that even if their app gets downloaded, people will be using the same constantly.
With a responsive website, on the other hand, your client’s business will be able to deliver rich user experience, and therefore achieve high rates of user satisfaction, a primary goal for any business. Also, the process is cost-effective, which is an added benefit.Why a Responsive Site Rather than a Mobile App | Zaproo