Farid Gazizov, a well-known businessman and product manager with extensive experience working with leading corporations, namely: Group «Wild Orchid», CJSC «Rive Gauche», LLC «Defile», etc.
Gazizov came to the conclusion – sometimes it is not worth striving to quickly launch an organization’s mobile application. Farid emphasizes the need for a preliminary analysis of the set goals and objectives, as well as an audit before its development.
In the article, Farid Gazizov spoke about his approach and the concepts that guide him when creating mobile applications and websites with a team of specialists.
Companies recognize that their operations depend on digital activity. However, they constantly have a question: what is more effective – developing mobile applications for a smartphone or creating a mobile website?
According to some experts, creating an application for the – phone is a trend that allows you to capture a significant segment of the market. However, other experts realize that a site adapted to all mobile phones is also good to use, as it provides access not only to the site itself, but also, for example, to an online store.
Currently, about half of Internet traffic is generated from phones, but an increasing number of subscribers spend more than half of their time on applications.
Companies faced with the changing psychology of Internet users are faced with the question of what method of serving and communicating with customers is the most effective. At the same time, the cost of development plays an equally important role.
The deeper we dive into the analysis of this issue, the more obvious the multiple factors become, the knowledge of which must be relied upon before making an exclusively informed decision
First of all, a business owner needs to understand that a – mobile application or a mobile version of the website is more profitable for his company? By answering the following questions, you can decide what is worth developing:
- What is the application for?
- Why do users need it?
- How much will it be in demand?
- How will the traffic flow?
- What functions will be needed, etc.
Were you interested in the mobile app from the very beginning? Then it is worth taking into account that the site can be more profitable and reach a larger number of subscribers. And a mobile application must be chosen if there is a goal to make maximum use of all the advanced capabilities of smartphones, where Internet technologies for web development will be lacking. If you decide make app for android from, you will need to consider that it must be available for iOS and Android to meet the needs of users.
Mobile websites and apps
How can you use the platform?
62% of people have smartphones, and 50% use tablets. The technology market is experiencing significant growth as apps have become an important part of many people's lives. Most smartphone users spend more than 50% of their time online using mobile apps.
At the same time, smartphones generate 54.8% of global traffic (2021 data). Thus, websites become very important as the number of smartphone subscribers increases.
Apps can be used in a variety of situations, but they are not the optimal solution for achieving your goal. If you need quick information or need to make a purchase, the – mobile site is the best option. Mobile applications, in turn, are better suited for visiting social networks and computer games.
Much, of course, is determined by the versatility of the goods and services you offer, as well as close attention to your target audience.
Your close attention to your target audience will allow you to better understand and meet their needs.
When developing applications for mobile devices and creating websites, it is important to take into account the needs of users and their preferences.
What users prefer
According to Google, at least 51% of smartphone users discover new products and services using their devices. However, desktop computers are still popular. Therefore, the mobile application is being developed using new technologies, such as voice assistants and artificial intelligence, to personalize recommendations and provide various payment methods, as well as online training. Mobile apps are becoming more useful and attractive.
Research from Jmango360.com shows that consumers prefer mobile platforms instead of websites due to a more convenient interface, faster work, and the presence of new functions.
Millennials most often prefer to make transactions through mobile applications:
- downloading retail apps 61% of the time;
- making purchases with them in 58% of cases.
Offline and online use
One of the advantages of mobile applications over – mobile sites is that they allow subscribers to access stored data even without access to the Internet. Mobile sites do not have this option. They require a constant connection to the network. Mobile apps provide access to very useful and essential data, making them much more suitable for customers both online and offline.
Have you thought about how users can access and use your services and products when they are not connected to the Internet?
Mobile programs allow you to access your site even without an Internet connection.
Advertising and Marketing
These two components also play an important role in the development of products and services. Websites have more opportunities for promotion, but mobile programs can also be used for this purpose. Digital marketing allows you to advertise products and services on various platforms in the virtual world. Companies developing web applications have a great opportunity to promote their websites.
Digital marketing not only helps to increase the sale of products and services on other platforms, social networks and digital channels, but also redirects users to your mobile applications or website.
Websites can also use a variety of techniques, such as SEO and keyword targeting. For mobile programs, ASO (application search engine optimization) is no less important. When assessing effectiveness, you need to take into account the traffic to the online store.
It is important to remember that users install applications that are necessary and important to them, however, on the site they can make purchases immediately, without installing the application.
Speed
Fast pace of work is another advantage of mobile applications over mobile sites, but downloading and installing them may take some time. Such an important factor makes one wonder, since not all consumers are willing to wait for a long time to download an application, therefore, this leads to the loss of a large number of customers.
When creating a mobile application, you need to consider that it must be available on iOS, Android and Windows to meet the needs of users. When installing multi-platform applications, you should take into account their ability to support this or that functionality. But they allow users to receive information on thousands of products without any speed limit and will serve as a useful solution for businesses that require such communication with customers. Convenience also lies in the fact that such an application will work without an Internet connection, while the site does not have this feature.
Interactivity and reach
Apps and websites provide convenience and interactivity. However, mobile app subscribers can take advantage of additional features not available on regular websites.
A professional, experienced developer has the ability to enhance their application by adding a number of features, such as connecting a camera, providing access to contacts on the phone, installing a geolocation feature, etc., that are not available on a typical website.
However, mobile browsers provide the ability to navigate the Internet via a smartphone in order to quickly obtain the necessary data if the subscriber does not have enough resources to download or time to install the desired application.
Brand Visibility
Both tools allow you to promote your brand and increase loyalty. Still, the final decision is determined by the needs and objectives of your business.
It's important to consider how often you need to update the information on your website. If the project requires systematic addition of content, creating a mobile version of the site may be a more cost-effective option than investing in creating a mobile application.
The pandemic has shown us how important mobile apps are for business, offering companies significant opportunities in difficult economic situations. Mobile apps have played a significant role in increasing brand awareness in a short period of time.
Whose side has the advantage? Conclusion
The decision to develop smartphone applications or create a company website should be made after assessing all the needs of your business. There are companies that first launch a website, but then switch to a mobile platform in order to continuously expand. Few companies decide to immediately create a multi-platform application.
Having considered the capabilities of mobile applications and mobile sites, we can conclude that each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses. The final decision on which platform to use should be made based on your specific goals, objectives, and needs. You need to think through all aspects of your choice to properly evaluate which platform will best suit your goals and business success. Don’t rush to make a decision, because the right choice of platform will play an important role in developing your business and achieving good results.
