website or app?

[adamuk18]

Guys we are in a position where we have to make a decision.

We want to crate a new service to rival something already out there.

Question is should we put the resources into a website or a mobile app.

its a simple idea.

if you think of autotrader

buyers > view adverts
sellers > list adverts

simple message platform and a signup process.

Looking at our stats for a semi-connected project the amount of mobile views I find is staggering so I'm kind of answering my own question here....

any feedback greatly appreciated.

 

[arnydnxluk]

If you're serious about it, I'd be aiming to do both, if the budget would allow it.

The app stores can bring a lot of easy traffic to your service and it's where many people naturally search when they hear of a new mobile service these days.

A website has its own benefits, bringing in traffic from search engines, making for easy sharing across social media, etc.

You're going to need to create a web backend anyway for the the mobile app, so the additional cost to create a web frontend is relatively little once you've built the backend and mobile apps.

Personally I would most likely start with a mobile friendly website built upon an API (essentially the backend / brain to the website). You can then build mobile apps on top of that same API.

 

[Schnell Solutions]

Do both with a responsive/hybrid app! We wrote a short article on the same. https://www.bespokesoftwaredevelopm...html5-approach-lower-mobile-development-cost/

Today, using rapid application development tools & methodology, you can develop much faster and cheaper than before. We have developed several software applications via the same approach.

In choosing the right platform, lot depends upon what you are trying to develop, its features, functions, will it use/benefit from a mobile specific feature, etc. Happy to share our experience if it helps, feel free to PM me.

Regards
Jignesh

 

[Vin Jauhal]

Depends. How often does one buy a car? If only once in a while, website. If often, app.

 

[Tim Coulter]

If you need access to platform-specific features (e.g. GPS, camera, compass, etc) it will be necessary to create a native mobile app.

However, the fact that you anticipate lots of mobile traffic is not, in itself, a good justification to create a mobile app. Almost any web content can be delivered in a responsive format that renders properly and is easy to use on a range of devices, including mobile and desktop.

As others have suggested, one motivation for creating an app may be the additional exposure that you will get through the app stores. But don't underestimate the competition and the amount of promotion you'll need to do in order to rank your app in the app stores. This cost/effort might be better spent on promoting your website, which will then attract both audiences.

The success of a mobile app tends to depend on creating stickiness (habitual usage). If you believe your audience will derive value from regular usage of your service, an app may pay dividends, because its placement on their home screen will encourage top-of-mind awareness. On the other hand, if you are simply at the "experimenting with a concept" stage, it probably makes more sense to keep things as simple (and cheap) as you can, until you have a clearer understanding of their usage patterns and expectations.

 

[adamuk18]

Thanks guys, I think we would be best going the mobile website route first of thinking about it after reading your comments.

Is there a technology/api we should be looking at thats the in things at the moment?

No point in re-inventing the wheel if we can piggy back off of an exisiting technology I guess.

 

[ARBOmega]

To be honest, you can cater for both with a responsive web site. C#.net with Webforms (i know it's an older framework) caters for a lot of this without having to do much coding. It will automatically cater for the different size screens. But this is my personal opinion and will depend on the functionality your require.

 

[billybob99]

You should look into progressive web apps.

 

[Inva]

When mobile apps became famous, "HTML5" was at its infancy. Today you don't need a mobile app for anything. The only reason you make one is because you can put it in a marketplace which people use. Like arnydnxluk said, you can make all of them if you have the budget, but otherwise i find the value of apps questionable for a new enterprise.

 

[TheWebDesignCompany]

Bear in mind that any website that you build nowadays should be fully mobile compatible anyway, and if it is built well, you could have a totally different website layout specifically for mobile anyway.

The app is worth considering if you have the budget for it and it is used for marketing.
But it isn't really needed.

 

[winwinweb]

Based on your business develop Web and Mobile if the budget would allow it else to create a responsive website for users view in all devices.

 

[Ecomsolver]

Mobile app v/s website can be an intense debate. With the emergence of technology in contemporary world, website has become the core necessity of any organization. Designing a website for mobile devices is more important than ever. Organizations are re – thinking their mobile strategy as the app usage of mobile has exceeded has the usage of desktop. So if you have not yet decided to build a website that can be accessed through mobile devices, it is the time to do so.

One of the first considerations that will likely come to mind while establishing a mobile presence for your business or organization is whether you want to create a mobile website or a mobile application for users to download (app), or perhaps both. Many people assert that you don’t need a mobile app, you just need a website that looks good on mobile devices, on the other hand some people say that mobile apps have benefits that a website cannot provide. Mobile websites and apps can look very similar at first-glance, however when digging a little deeper, there are a multiple factors that need to be considered before deciding like available budget, intended purpose and required features, including target audiences. Both of them have their dedicated marketplace and own certain number of pros and cons.

Mobile website development pros

• 
  
  
  • Mobile/ responsive websites are compatible for all screen size devices.
  • Mobile websites can be founded easily.
  • Mobile websites can be shared among users or publishers.
  • Mobile websites have broader reach among audience.
  • Mobile websites are easier and cost effective.
  • Brand visibility and SEO.
  • Mobile websites cannot be deleted.

Mobile app development pros

• 
  
  
  • Mobile app can be accessed anytime and anywhere, without internet also.
  • An app can interface with the device’s features and hardware, such as the camera, GPS location.
  • Mobile app allows user to set up their preferences at the time of installation.
  • If your target audiences are going to use your app in a personalized fashion on a regular basis (think EverNote, photo editor) then an app is a great way to do that.
  • Mobile app offers a completely different experience for the user and has ability to offer new branding opportunities.
  • Mobile apps allow for more interactive ways for the user to engage with your content.

Now if you have to decide what to build mobile app or mobile website then have look on your business primary goals. If your aim is to offer mobile friendly content to large audience and establish mobile presence that can be easily maintained and shared among people, found on search engines then mobile – friendly/ responsive website is logical choice to go. On the other hand, if you aim to provide a user experience like gaming interface, user engagement and communicate your customers than mobile app is going to make sense.

 

[FellowCitizen]

I think user retention is higher with installed native apps. Check out Google's Flutter for creating one of these fast and having it look modern.

The PWA style web-app will not get you into the app stores.

 

[Jacky Nikson]

Hello!
I agree that mobile apps are really important. Becoming an essential part of our life, they bring customers entertainment and purchases, and give profit to their owners.
However, I think, apps are not always so comfortable as mobile sites. Mobile websites are also responsive, mobile-friendly, user-oriented. Of course, they are less interactive and dynamic. But, compared to apps, mobile sites have some benefits:
* when you have a poor mobile connection, mobile websites still perform. While apps require a good connection.
* optimized sites are easier than apps. That means: they take no phone memory and perform fast.
* it happens sometimes that there are less products in apps than on mobile site. I don't know why, but I've faced such situations.
* mobile site development costs much less than apps development. In average, such websites can be developed within 118-164 hours (app development takes from 642 to 968 hours).
But customers still require apps, and that's okay.