Why You Need More Than a Mobile-Friendly Website

Both mobile-friendly websites and mobile apps are valuable tools when establishing a mobile presence for your agency. They offer clients on-the-go access and accessibility to your business–especially as mobile use continues to grow. But where should you invest your efforts? Let’s break down the differences between these two digital and mobile-friendly platforms.

Mobile websites are sites designed for mobile devices, including smaller displays and a touch-screen interface. This form of responsive web design is required of almost any website thanks to the proliferation of smartphones–which also means the competition is fierce. Mobile-friendly websites must have content, data, images and video, as well as click-to-call and location-based mapping. Mobile optimized websites are critical for prospecting and acquisition – this is where search is done.

Mobile apps, on the other hand, are applications that a user must download or install on their mobile device. Apps give users offline access to a business and its services or offerings. It tends to be less cluttered, more purpose-driven and faster than a website. There are also added capabilities like push notifications, image uploader programs and automatic updates available. Mobile apps are where companies contain and retain customers. It’s a personalized space that can block off intrusion from competition. Your mobile website should funnel newly converted customers into your mobile app.

The truth is, your mobile optimized website and mobile app  should complement each other not compete.  At the end of the day, a mobile website can only do so much for your policyholders. They need and want on-the-go access to their policy information, property inventories and auto accident reports. An app provides service and storage of information at their fingertips–something a mobile site can’t do to the fullest extent. Direct connections to carriers and responses right into you app keep your agency at the center point of communications.

Mobile apps are great for building trust and loyalty with customers where as mobile-friendly website provides are mandatory for convenience and reach to prospects. A website offers information for someone researching you and your offerings and space for more content, but apps allow businesses to develop more interactive and engaging avenues for consumers. In fact, mobile users are already spending 86% of their time on mobile apps.

If you’re looking for more interaction, personalization and targeted messaging, data entry and easy functionality, then an app should be your next step. Just remember these two platforms aren’t mutually exclusive–having both gives you more reach and a bigger digital presence.

SOURCE

https://www.business.com/articles/mobile-apps-vs-mobile-web-do-you-have-to-choose/