Part Two: Does My Business Need a Mobile App?

Ninety percent of smartphone use today is spent in apps. Don’t leave your business’s success to just a browser.

Simply180 designs and builds responsive websites and custom hybrid or native apps for businesses just like yours. According to Yahoo Flurry’s analytics of Q2 2015, only 10 percent of time spent on mobile devices is spent in the browser. The rest of the time—90 percent—is spent in apps. A website that doesn’t respond quickly or easily to mobile screens just won’t cut it. (Need more convincing? Check these pretty persuasive statistics in Part One: Does My Business Need a Mobile App?)

Responsive Web Design for Efficient Business Processes

Now that you’ve decided to upgrade your website for mobile use, there’s another decision to make. Which platform is right for your business: a responsive website, hybrid app, or native app? The answer depends on your needs, budget, and time frame. Let’s break it down:

A responsive website is a great option for most businesses to capture a customer’s attention and make the sale. It’s affordable and timely, because it just requires one development process to allow your website to be viewed on most smartphone browsers. No download by the client is necessary, and you’ll sidestep any guidelines or permissions required by the app stores.

Simply180’s responsive web app for Blow It Out, a blow-dry bar in Boca Raton, Florida, is a perfect example. With the majority of their clients booking appointments on the go, Blow It Out needed an upgrade to its mobile-unfriendly, off-the-shelf option from popular web booking platform Booker. Simply180 enhanced Booker’s software platform to create a custom-designed app that uses Booker’s booking engine but whose interface adapts to most mobile devices and design features Blow It Out’s branding. Now clients can easily schedule or change appointments with their favorite stylist—and they do, seven days a week.

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Limitations of Responsive Websites

What are the limitations of a responsive web app? If your client’s not on the Internet, then they won’t be able to access your website. And since it’s not designed for a specific device, your site may be a little slower or clunky on certain ones. (Think of it as a one-size-fits-all tunic, versus a size 10 dress or handmade gown: It fits, but it doesn’t suit you like a tailored or custom option.) A responsive web app can’t access other phone functions, like the calendar or camera. For that sort of advanced functionality, perhaps a hybrid or native app is for you.

Hybrid Mobile Apps – A Simpler Solution

A hybrid app is a custom-designed platform for use on any mobile device. With a responsive website, the phone user has to open the browser, type in your URL (or Google it), then wait for it to load—every time they want to use it. If your business is targeted to constant, several-times-daily smartphone use, then consider a hybrid app: it’s a downloadable app that is faster to load, can access other phone functions, and bolsters brand awareness with its flexible design. Clients can still enter data into the app even if their Internet access is limited. Updates can mostly be done seamlessly via the web—no pesky “update” downloads for the client.

Simply180’s Relationship Barometer app garnered press and clients from around the globe. Called a “Fitbit” for relationships, it’s the first mobile app to help you discover what matters in your love relationship, and provide you with the insight to make better decisions. Simply180 built a hybrid app, which performs complex calculations that track a user’s relationship experiences to forecast if the relationship was heading in the right direction, and highlights aspects of the relationship that need improvement.

Native Mobile App Development – Creating the Supreme User Experience

Simply180 designs native apps for clients who want to take it up a notch, and offer the fastest, most client-friendly interface for each device (iOS, Android, etc.). These entail creating a unique design and codebase for each operating system. For this sort of optimum performance, quick loading time, and functionality over devices, prepare for a bigger budget and longer time frame. In return, however, your clients will use your app frequently, link it to their contacts or messaging, and remain happy and loyal fans of your brand. And they probably won’t mind a push notification, like an emailed coupon, which is a valuable marketing tool.

Discover the Best Mobile-Friendly Solution for Your Business

Interested in exploring these opportunities for your business? Simply180 offers a mobile-friendly solution that is tailored to your business’s needs and budget. Contact us online, or pick up that smartphone we’ve been talking so much about, and call us today at 561.674.0757!