I recently came across a stat that more people on the planet own a mobile phone than own a toothbrush. Clearly, mobile content delivery via the web and apps have quickly vaulted into mission-critical initiatives that organizations must address.
How can your organization best benefit from a mobile app versus a mobile website? Do you even know the difference between the two?
In this day and age, every organization should have a mobile presence – smartphones are surpassing desktop computers at an astonishing rate, and being mobile-accessible is imperative to be where your audience is accessing you.
A quick overview of the two will help you better understand the right context for building a mobile website or mobile app at your organization and identify what mobile solution is the right match for your needs.
What’s a mobile app?
- Apps are device-specific and leverage native features on the phones/tablets
- Usually look and interact in more immersive ways that mobile web (for now!)
- Apps are usually accessed via an online app store like Apple’s App Store, BlackBerry’s App Word, or the Android Market
What’s a mobile website?
- Mobile web is accessed via the browser on phones
- Typing the URL on the mobile browser brings up a mobile-formatted version of a traditional website
- A mobile website offering can range from a different presentation your main site (good place to start) or a fully mobile-designed version (ideal end game)
Yes, mobile offerings are SEXY! But remember, they are just another communications tool in your arsenal, so be sure to substantiate the return on investment just like any other marketing initiative.
This is a reprint of the first of two guest blog posts developed for Omnipress, providers of educational meeting and training materials to associations and meeting professionals.
