Feeling app happy? Many businesses opt for trendy apps without first considering how customers use mobile.
Here’s what you need to know:
Mobile use is only expected to rise
By 2020, experts predict 70% of the global population will be using mobile—that’s 5.5 billion users. And, 72% of their devices and connections will be smart, reports Salesforce.
People want more on mobile
Almost half (46%) of consumers prefer to use their smartphone to complete the entire process from researching to buying. And, 61% of people expect brands to tailor experiences based on their preferences.
Speed is critical to customer conversion and retention
A recent Google study found mobile sites that loaded in two seconds or less had a 15% higher conversion rate than the average mobile site.
When choosing which brand to travel with, an easy-to-use website is the 2nd highest priority for high value travelers.
Apps are popular—
Worldwide, apps account for over 80% of mobile usage, according to the 2018 Global Digital Future in Focus report by comScore.
—but only for these industries
Of the total time spent using apps, users spend two thirds using only 4 things: social media, entertainment, instant messaging, and games.
Depending on your industry, apps can be a barrier to customer conversion if you require customers or prospects to download an app to interact with your brand.
When to use an app:
- If you need to tap into native phone capabilities—features that use the phone’s camera or location services, for example.
- If your users need offline access.
When to use a website:
- If you need the same features your webpage already has (such as an interactive calendar or phone directory).
- If you need the same customer experience to be accessible across multiple platforms.
- If you need brand visibility (your website to be discovered through SEO). Remember, Google uses mobile-first indexing for SEO, so your mobile-friendly website counts.
- If you want to avoid separate app development and maintenance fees.