Why the Mobile Web and Native Apps Are Both Indispensible

By Prem Bhatia, President
LOS ANGELES, CA May 16, 2011 – When formulating their mobile strategy, some companies are still debating the merits of a mobile-optimized Web site compared to applications. A strong argument can be made for each side, which is why the one-or-the-other decision-making process is outdated. To achieve their full range of objectives and stay ahead of the competition, most brands and publishers will need to have a presence on the mobile Web and also launch native apps for the mobile devices their target audiences uses the most.

Mobile content providers and advertisers share the goal of engaging and connecting with their target consumers on the devices they use more than any other. The mobile Web and native apps both enable companies to make data-driven platforms, content and services available to their audience via mobile devices.

The mobile Web is valuable as a reach play, as it is compatible with a wide range of devices. In addition, the increasing adoption of mobile search makes mobile sites more discoverable than ever. And a mobile Web site provides the perfect destination to drive target consumers using mobile advertising.

Also, due to the technological advancements of standards such as HTML5 and the evolution of mobile browsers, the ability of mobile Web sites to handle data efficiently and deliver an excellent user experience continues to improve steadily.

Applications have their own set of benefits, above all the ability to take advantage of the native features and functionality of each particular smartphone and tablet. Thus, developers can create a richer, cleaner user experience. The users of each mobile OS have their own particular demographics and psychographics that marketers can target. Brands and publishers can select the OSs of the devices their target consumers use the most, and choose to develop apps for those platforms to achieve their business goals.

Companies that have both a mobile Web site and native apps are able to provide the optimal balance of reach and engagement, discoverability and the wow factor. Whether the brand’s or publisher’s primary objective is to increase brand awareness, drive foot traffic, close transactions or engage its target audience, a diversified mobile strategy that includes mobile Web sites and native apps is the most effective way to achieve those goals.