At the start of 2018, there were an estimated 3.7 billion users using a mobile device to access the internet. For any entrepreneur or startup, one of the first dilemmas they’ll face is deciding whether to first develop a mobile app or to optimize their existing website to be mobile-friendly.
This is a big decision because in today’s world, customers are all about convenience and accessibility. So, to explain the differences between the two options, MDG Advertising has updated its helpful infographic, Should You Build a Mobile App or Mobile Website?, with must-know information for 2018.
Google first rolled out Mobile First Indexing in 2017, and have been updating it ever since. Optimizing your website for Mobile First is arguably easier and quicker than developing or optimizing an app. However, there are more limits on what a website can do. But, there is also a lower cost to optimize your website than there is with developing and launching an app.
Related: How to Scale Your Startup App to 1 Million Users Within 12 Months
Most entrepreneurs and startups decide to start by optimizing their websites until they develop a solid customer base. Once this customer base is in place, they branch out to an app. The reasoning is that apps are a labor-intensive and costly endeavor, while optimizing your website can be a relatively quick and cost-effective option.
Research shows that roughly 58 percent of younger consumers prefer to use apps to make purchases. Particularly if millennials make up your target market, it’s in your best interest to eventually consider an app to continue to grow and expand your startup. There’s potentially a greater risk, but there are also greater rewards to getting your app ranked in the App Store.
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If you’re still on the fence and are not sure whether you should start by optimizing your website or developing an app, take a look at the infographic below.
