Technology evolves rapidly every day. The incredible growth of technology makes anyone think the .com revolution happened many years ago. At that time, it felt like having websites for businesses was a big step forward in the digitization world. After that came the mobile revolution. This revolution brought significant changes to the world. Nowadays, it is common for every business to have a website.
Much of the current youth spend their time on mobile phones and there’s good reason for that. They can talk to other people, read anything they want, see anything, and buy almost anything. Simply put, they have the power to do things websites cannot do.
This article is for business owners who have online websites but haven’t fully understood the importance of mobile apps. The article is also for people or organizations who value mobile apps but are not aware of making one from their website.
The need to convert website to app
Mobile applications bring many positives to a customer or a business. These benefits are why one in three small businesses worldwide already have one.
Easy access
A mobile app makes it easy for someone to open and engage with it. The process is far easier compared to opening a website on a browser. Fewer barriers between the user and the content means more people can access it.
Research indicates that mobile users spend more than 80% of their time on apps. That said, the bigger challenge here is to convince the user to first install the app.
Search engine optimization
Search engines like Google exist to provide the most relevant results based on what you’re looking for. Hence, having a mobile app makes your website rank higher in the search results. The reason here is that more people use their mobile devices to browse the internet.
Imagine someone looking for your brand or products on their phone. They have a higher chance of finding the relevant information if your company has a mobile app.
Just remember that Google strives to provide the best possible result. It displays your app as an ‘app pack’ when anybody searches for your brand on a phone or mobile device. Google sees the user searching for a phone and then displays results best suited for that platform.
Mobile-friendly look
Imagine you have a favorite clothing brand that has a website. You often use the website to make purchases. Then, one day, you try viewing the same website on a tablet or phone. The result looks horrible compared to the website.
A company’s marketing team must create an experience that users will enjoy. However, what if that experience doesn’t translate well to mobile? There are several options to consider. You could start from scratch, do a redesign, or patch the flaws when they appear. None of these options sound good.
The best solution here is to create a mobile app instead of going through the ordeal above. This approach keeps your desktop version intact, without changing anything. It also provides a mobile variant that users can look at and engage with.
Push notifications
Perhaps the biggest benefit that mobile apps provide is the ability to send push notifications. Here, a business can actively notify its users of special offers, new posts, limited sales, and more. All this without making the user open the phone and click on the app.
Push notifications ensure an app’s alert appears on the phone’s locked screen. That way, they can see the whole message without having to open the app.
Integrations
Another benefit to converting a website to a mobile app is that these apps provide more features than a web browser does. For example, the app can integrate with your phone contacts, browser data, camera, location, and more. Some apps can also see your location and make the whole experience greatly immersive and enjoyable.
Offline mode
Some users may have a weak internet connection based on their location. A big downside to websites is they need an internet connection to work. However, some mobile apps can work offline making them available anywhere.
Also, a business can integrate several offline features into the app. The best example of this is Google Docs. Here, a user can edit a Google Doc without an internet connection. These changes are saved when the user returns online.
Affordable app development methods
There is more than one way to convert a website into a mobile app. The most basic way to achieve this is to have a responsive web app. Businesses not looking to spend money on budget app development or don’t have the money can use this approach. Here, the website looks perfect on any mobile device.
That said, this method is not perfect. The problem here lies in features like push notifications or geolocation. A responsive design means you cannot provide these heavy features. A business looking to provide those features must opt for native mobile app development.
Progressive web app (PWA)
Presently, the most affordable or most effective way to convert a website to an app is through PWA or a progressive web app. This approach overcomes the limitations of a responsive website. It provides users with a unique app experience. Also, PWA has native-like features such as offline support, push notifications, and more.
However, the downside to PWA is that it does not provide a complete native app-like experience. That said, it is worth considering for a business lacking the resources for native application development.
The attributes of PWA
- There is no need to download it from the app or Play Store
- Users get push notifications
- PWA provides a native-like user interface
- It is better for SEO
- PWA are safe because they are served and secured by TLS
Website app converter
There are plenty of online sites that convert a website into an APK or app. A quick Google search on the title will provide a long list of sites that do exactly that.
These platforms convert websites into working mobile applications in a short time. Typically, this requires you to provide the URL, and some essential information, and the website does the rest. The two notable benefits here are you don’t need programming skills to make this work. Also, it costs significantly less than native app development.
Can you rely on an online app converter?
Many business owners bring up the issue of trust when using these kinds of apps. Imagine if you do use one of these sites to convert your website into an APK. The next step is registering the app on Google or Apple. Both platforms have clear guidelines indicating they will not accept apps made by these converters.
Google and Apple aim to keep their credibility as a high-quality app store. Hence, they are very strict with the types of apps they allow. Also, people will uninstall an app that doesn’t have the proper structure or functions in place.
Hence, any business looking to provide a functioning app that they can upload to Google or Apple must avoid these online converters.
Hybrid app development
Hybrid apps are mobile applications built to work on Android and iOS platforms. This approach is ideal for businesses with lots of resources to spare. The reason is that hybrid app development takes significantly more time and resources compared to native app development.
React Native
A website made using the React.js web framework can convert the site into a React Native mobile app. This option is a mobile development framework coming from Facebook. The goal here is to build a cross-platform app. You or businesses can convert a mobile app to React Native. That way, you provide the best experience to the mobile users.
Benefits of React Native app
- Native-like performance
- Large community
- Simple user interface
- Reusable assets and content
- Hot reloading support
- Affordable option compared to others
Ionic
The Ionic framework is an open-source software development kit used when building a hybrid mobile application. Typically, most websites are built using CSS, Javascript, and HTML. The Ionic app is also built with these three web technologies. Hence, it is simple to convert the website into an Ionic mobile app. The whole process requires developers to copy code from the website, add some more, and build a hybrid app.
Pros and cons of creating a mobile app from website
Cons
Compatibility
One advantage a website brings is that anyone can access and navigate it no matter what device they use. They also don’t have to visit the PlayStore and download anything from there. If you convert a website to an app, there’s the added burden of creating a separate version of the same app to support a different platform. The burden increases for anyone in hybrid app development.
Support and maintenance
Every user regularly receives notifications telling them to update the mobile app they’re using. Turning a website into a mobile app means regular updates and patches. Also, there has to be a team ready to patch out any security issues that appear.
Development costs
Affordable app development is another sticking point to remember. Creating an app for any platform requires time and money. Also, experienced app development companies charge more than others. And you need an experienced company to develop a good app. Always pick teams that use modern tools like GitHub, AWS, and JFrog.
Pros
Meeting customer expectations
The modern customer spends much of their time on their smartphone or mobile devices. They’re very used to using mobile applications. It is a part of our daily life now and no one can do without them.
Hence, converting a site into a mobile app helps you meet the expectations of the modern user. By doing so, you can build a lasting relationship with the audience.
Personalization
One reason why mobile apps continue growing in popularity is that they help people do their daily work. Here, they can set preferences, track interactions, and create personal accounts.
Businesses can provide customers with product recommendations on a mobile app. They can also provide information based on engagement, behavior, and location. Also, users who get content that resonates with their needs are more likely to come back. Having repeat customers is a big reason to consider turning an existing website into a fully working mobile app.
Convenience
Many users rightfully assume a mobile application is a simplified form of a website. However, the big difference here is the accessibility. Mobile apps provide an interactive user experience and are open to customization. Apps also load faster compared to most websites. The amount of convenience apps bring to the table enhances customer engagement, increases conversion, and generates leads.
Conclusion
Technology and web behavior change every day. Success today means adapting your business to match what the people want or what they’re looking for. Presently, that means creating a mobile app that is resourceful and user-friendly. That way, you make it easy for customers looking for your brand on a tablet or a phone.
The options provided above are the best ways you can convert your existing website into a working mobile app. That said, you can also go the extra mile and partner with an app development company like Ruah Tech and start your business on the right foot.
