Having a mobile-friendly website is now a necessity rather than an option. Over 60% of today’s internet users access websites and web services using their mobile devices. This isn’t a one-time trend either because that number continues to grow.
The big question is whether a mobile-friendly website is enough. Do you need a mobile app to further pamper your users? There is no rule to follow when it comes to answering this question, but there are several things you need to know about transitioning from mobile web to native apps.
A Consistent UX
You have the option to take mobile user experience to the next level using native mobile apps. After all, mobile apps can fully take advantage of the operating system (and the hardware) they are targeting. That said, some level of consistency is still needed.
At the very least, you want mobile apps users to have the same access to information as website users; adding more value to mobile app users make your native apps more appealing to them too. This means maintaining similar information structure and navigation, up to a certain degree.
You also want to make sure that branding elements displayed on both your website and native apps remain consistent. Users need to know that they are using an app from your company right away, and consistent branding is how you achieve that.
Quality Is Key
The mobile web landscape – and the technologies behind it – has been advancing at a staggering pace. New technologies such as progressive web and hybrid development are pushing the boundaries of what the mobile web can do further and further.
This means you have to deliver exceptional quality with the native apps in order for them to be effective. The last thing you want is a native app that feels more sluggish, less responsive, and unpleasant to use compared to the existing mobile web.
Working with capable development studios like the nearshore app development company Kambda is the way to go if you want the quality to be one of the primary metrics. In the case of Kambda, the company has the experience and expertise needed to develop a stellar set of native apps for your brand.
Go All the Way
If you are developing native apps for your users, you also want to explore new ways to elevate the user experience by taking advantage of native features. While mobile websites can be very flexible, native apps do have some tricks up their sleeves.
Use tactile animation, push for better (and more pleasant) user engagement, and offer extra features that work brilliantly on mobile devices such as input from camera or geolocation-related features. Develop the app to do more than just bring your mobile website to mobile devices.
Combined, these simple insights will help you plan for a more effective transition to native apps. When the app development project is planned with these elements in mind, you will always end up with native apps that users will absolutely love; apps that will take your brand and the content you produce to the devices of more users.
