Mobile Apps vs Mobile Web

Move over desktops, because mobiles are hotter than ever. The latest figures from the OfCom Communications Market report show that the total browse time per month is much higher on smartphones. Indeed, in the United Kingdom, users spend on average 66 hours per month browsing on a smartphone, compared to 29 hours on a desktop. As we discussed in our previous article, mobile-only social networks, including Snapchat, are only ever getting more popular and this is driving increases in time spent on mobile devices. So, as a business owner, it can be difficult to decide what you should focus your efforts on in terms of various mobile mediums.

 

What is the difference?

The real question is where should you be investing your money: on the mobile web or on a mobile app? But what is the difference between the two? The mobile web means a website that is responsive and adaptive or designed specifically for mobile browsers. Mobile apps, on the other hand, draw in traffic and gain users.

 

The mobile web vs. mobile apps.

Research has shown that the mobile web is growing much faster than mobile apps; in fact, it is twice as big in terms of raw traffic. The traffic from the mobile web is also highly distributed, and we can draw a lot of similarities between the mobile web and the desktop web as users are familiar with this medium. Furthermore, when browsing on mobile web people visit so many unique websites every day through clicking on links, as, after all, when using the mobile web you aren’t contained within the walls of an app.

 

On the other hand, because of apps, we are now spending far longer on our mobile devices. Whilst we aren’t spending much more time on desktops than we were in 2010, the mobile world has gone crazy, such that people spend 85%-90% of their browsing time on a mobile phone. When you consider the likes of Instagram and Snapchat, that statistic does make a lot of sense. In terms of raw traffic, the reason apps aren’t sending out as much traffic is because you are less likely to click a mobile web link as you want to stay in the app that you are in. Furthermore, unlike mobile websites, people don’t visit hundreds of apps, they only visit a few.

 

The first thing you must consider when catering your brand for mobile devices is if your page or app is mobile friendly. You want to be able to deliver a great user experience right from the search, so optimise your site for search engines. Whether you decide to maximise your efforts in mobile web or mobile apps, ensure you are creating great content experience that delivers answers efficiently. If you are a smaller business, starting off with focusing on your mobile web experience is advised as it does provide a lot more features and functionality than you may have first thought. If you have a larger company and want to be able to send push notifications and if you have the power to generate downloads, then focus on app development.

Written by

Total Merchandise | Editoral Team

Our editorial team is drawn from a pool of experienced promotional merchandise product team members, account managers, marketers and other contributors. With such a wide range of skills and experience, they write about many aspects of promotional merchandise, wider marketing and business matters, as well as company news updates.

Connect with Total Merchandise on LinkedIn Connect with Total Merchandise on LinkedIn

Total Merchandise
The Best Promotional Merchandise for Schools

The Best Promotional Merchandise for Schools

Branded items for schools come in many shapes and sizes, and are never more useful than at school events. From summer fêtes to end-of-term concerts, charity raffles to Chr

Promotional Merchandise Items That Can Help Mental Wellbeing

Promotional Merchandise Items That Can Help Mental Wellbeing

The conversation around mental health and wellbeing is growing ever-louder and - it goes without saying - with due cause. With levels of stress, anxiety and depression at all-ti

Brand Awareness At Bargain Prices with Our Offers & Discounts

Brand Awareness At Bargain Prices with Our Offers & Discounts

If you're looking to stretch your marketing budget that bit further, Total Merchandise is here to help with our selection of offers, discounts, and sale items. With up to 83

The Best Pride Promotional Products For Summer 2024

The Best Pride Promotional Products For Summer 2024

Pride Month is almost upon us, and whether you run an LGBTQ+ organisation or are perhaps planning a corporate event to show your support of the occasion, we're here to help.

How To Use Promotional Products Effectively To Boost Your Business

How To Use Promotional Products Effectively To Boost Your Business

If you've never ordered promotional products before, it can feel a little overwhelming. After all, there are countless product options out there and it can be hard t

The Best Promotional Stress Relievers For Your Staff

The Best Promotional Stress Relievers For Your Staff

April is officially Stress Awareness Month, meaning it's the perfect opportunity to give some thought to how you can support your colleagues through tricky times.