Responsive Websites vs. Mobile Apps, Which Do You Need?

These days it is necessary for your website to be accessible online, either through an actual site, or via mobile app. But which is better for your company? Every company has different goals for what they wish to accomplish with their website, so does a mobile app or responsive website align with your goals? Below is some helpful information to help you and your Montreal web designer decide which route is best for you.

Responsive Site On A Mobile Phone

If you want to create harmony between your desktop site, tablet site, and mobile site, a responsive design is best. All three sites will look exactly the same, except formatted to the browser you are using. Creating a broader audience is also more likely to happen on mobile sites, as BeLitSoft says, when people are unfamiliar with a brand, the first thing they do is Google it.

Another great reason to use a responsive site is if you need traffic from a lot of different sources, not necessarily repeated traffic from a few users. For example, you don’t expect people to regularly buy air conditioning units, enough that they need an app every single day. But if someone wants to buy an air conditioning unit and they’re not at their desktop, a responsive website offers them the ability to quickly navigate and finish their (most-likely) one time purchase.

Mobile Apps

If you want customers and visitors to have ease of access, and have a need and desire for them to frequent your site, an app might be best. Apps are meant to serve specific purposes, such as hosting rewards programs or offering easy options for purchasing items you frequently buy. It is meant to be separate and different from you website because, though it is part of your company, it is a separate entity that should not function in the same way.

If your company is meant to be solely app based, then of course an app is necessary. Like WebFlow so aptly asks, have you ever been to the Snapchat website? Probably not. It is meant to be used as an app and has no need for a website.

Thinkmobile points out that apps are also a great tool for sending notifications. If your website is spamming people with emails, some are likely to be ignored. Apps, on the other hand, send notifications that those people have specifically asked for by downloading the app. When you want your customer to perform some action, push notifications are far better at reaching them than emails are.

So, Responsive Design or Mobile App?

So what can we conclude from this? Mobile apps are great for serving one specific purpose, offer ease of access, and allow for frequent use. Responsive sites are more geared towards supporting with Google searches, creating harmony between all platforms, and receive a lot of traffic. Depending on the goals of your business, your local Montreal web design agency can advise.