Tactics > supercharged marketing
Web versus apps H
Which is better for your business, browser-
based mobile- optimised websites or native apps?
ow you plan on sharing your company’s content and product is a crucial part of your business plan. It’s vital therefore to make the distinction between the web
and the internet when directing your company’s mobile and ecommerce strategies. Let me explain. When accessing the Wall Street Journal from a
web browser, you’re on the world wide web, an interconnected network of billions of data points that’s regulated by an international body. When you access WSJ through a mobile app, you’re on the internet; using various technologies like TCP/IP protocol, you’re communicating with the Journal’s servers to deliver content to your device. As smartphones and tablets have risen in
popularity, companies have designed apps to accommodate mobile devices’ smaller browsing screens and restricted bandwidths. Developers found that apps could be tailored to complete a select handful of tasks in an attractive manner, funnelling essential information to the user despite a less-powerful device. However, new advances in web technology, namely in the form of HTML5 and CSS3, are offering alternatives to downloadable apps.
Below are a set of parameters that you can use to determine the best platform to deliver your content to the largest number of consumers.
Accessibility There are two facets of accessibility worth considering when deciding which avenue to take: accessibility as it relates to universality and broad, open access (a larger audience), and accessibility on the user device. On the device, as it stands now, there’s no real comparison. Native apps offer a smoother and more streamlined user interface, as they run offline on the device’s processor. In fact, when a native app is live, there’s no comparing its functionality to a browser-based web page. The one drawback, however, is that users have to download the apps individually. Also, the popularity of three different mobile operating systems means that companies have to commission three different versions of the same app to reach the largest audience possible. Web apps offer more open access
By Diane Buzzeo 16
with lower performance standards. Last year, YouTube unveiled an HTML5 mobile site. The HTML5 version did away with Flash as the site’s video platform and now allows any smartphone
device to access videos through preinstalled web browsers. Although
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YouTube has a native app for every commonly used platform, the new mobile site is built to work with future devices and is cross-platform out-of- the-box. There will be no need to continually update its mobile app for the three major mobile operating systems and users won’t have to install a new update each time.
Performance and features While web applications may provide more accessibility, even the most modern web browsers can’t provide the performance benchmarks that native apps reach. Web apps, with the exception of geolocation, don’t provide access to the slew of new hardware included in smartphone devices and accessible via native apps, such as gyroscopes, cameras, microphones and speakers. If your company is planning on delivering
graphics-heavy or complex content, a native app may be a more suitable choice. If broad accessibility and searchability are your main aims, mobile-optimised websites are a better choice. Web standards are improving, however, offering
new ways to display content over the Web. HTML5, CSS3 and Java are leading the charge against the closed, native app by offering video and animation features through the typical web browser.
Costs and profitability The costs associated with programming a new app for your business are obviously one of the most important concerns. Native apps demand a larger investment, as they require a specific set of tools and expertise to program. Moreover, native apps need to be programmed for several different devices. Web apps, which can be written in HTML5, work for all platforms, without parallel coding. Native apps are sold through centralised marketplaces, like the Apple App Store or the Android Marketplace, which maintain ultimate control over the distribution of your content—and take commission on sales. Web apps, meanwhile, are accessed directly over the web so there’s no need to download from a central location. Web apps do require a web developer with
advanced knowledge of HTML and CSS. More advanced techniques will take more investment. Overall, there are certainly pros and cons of
both options. It all comes down to how you want your company to interact with customers. Native apps currently have the user experience advantage but web apps are quickly closing the gap.
Diane Buzzeo is founder and chief executive of ecommerce platform developer Ability Commerce.
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