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Optimising a Website for Mobile – Part 2
Posted in: Blog by CodersCode on April 30, 2011
Mobile Site vs. Mobile Application
Once you have decided that there is a market opportunity in having a website for mobile phones, then you need to decide how it will fit on a phone.
Will it be a universal mobile site (i.e. available through a browser on most/all smartphones)? Or an application (‘App’) through one or more of the device stores?
There is no right answer, so here we cover off the main considerations…
Budget
What is your budget for this build? If a physical website already exists then you will be able to create a simple mobile site relatively easily. More complicated sites can also be created within a reasonable budget.
Choosing to create an application means that you will not only have to think about which platforms to consider (iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows 7) but each platform will need a different treatment. Therefore you either prioritise one or another, or you swallow a much larger development cost than a single mobile site.
Reach
With a mobile website, your reach is immediately a measurable proportion of your total website traffic (c. 2-3%), so you have a fast start, and then you can target it with mobile-based promotions to increase volume of interest. With an application you start from zero but with constant interest and traffic from within the platform application store.
Appeal
For an application to have success it must have repeat appeal. It should not just be used once, or occasionally… it has to demand repeat use, be of specific interest to people on the move, or supply a specific need better than the competition. The choice of platform is crucial too, with only the largest and bravest of brands choosing to publish in Blackberry or Windows over iOS and Android.
The appeal of a mobile site can be broader, not only supplying a service to support the existing website, but also complementing that site.
Revenues
In the end, every part of your operations needs to be designed to create revenue for your business. This same scrutiny needs to be applied to a mobile site or application. It’s a typical cost vs. reward decision.
If a mobile site can increase projected revenues substantially then it’s probably a no-brainer to create one – and for most websites it is the next logical step to grow the line of services.
You need to be even more confident of the returns available to you create an application, but get the service right, and it’s a fantastic way to grow based not just on your existing channels, but through word of mouth and the snowballing effect that app-popularity can bring.
Whatever you choose to do, we’re confident we can help and deliver. We’ve created mobile sites, iOS and Android apps in the last few months and can help you deliver the best possible solution. Just give us a call!