Many people feel they either need a mobile app or a website, but it’s best to have both.

A website is a must have companion for any app. Users find much of their information about an app from an app’s website.

If you research some of the most popular and successful apps, you’ll find the majority of them have a website. If you want to please your users, creating a site is just as important as the app’s functionality.

Easier To Discover

As of 2014, Google and Apple’s app marketplaces were receiving over 10,000 new app submissions every month. Simply submitting your app and hoping for the best isn’t enough. App users do more than just use apps. They use search engines to find details about the newest apps. If you have a website, you increase your chances of being found through an organic search. If your site is mobile friendly, your chances are even better. A site makes it easier for users to discover your app.

Takeaway: Create a website to launch before or on the same day as your app. This increases visibility and helps you stand out among all the new app submissions each month.

Build Buzz Before Launch

Why wait to start marketing after your app has launched? A website is the perfect way to build buzz for the app. Use the site along with your social media following to spread the word. A few site elements to include are:

• Bulleted list of app features
• Suggestion form
• Email sign-up to provide updates
• Launch countdown
• Blog with recent updates

Obviously, you keep using the site to promote the mobile app long after the launch. Having the website ready at least a few months before the app releases gives you ample time to build a following and increase your number of downloads when the app first launches.

Takeaway: A website is a vital element of mobile marketing. Consider hiring a professional to create a simple, yet effective site with all of the above features.

Provide Support

If users don’t have an easy way to ask for support, they’ll leave a bad review in the app marketplace and uninstall your app. Some apps rely solely upon the marketplace reviews to see what users want while others add a support feature to the app. Overall, a website with a simple contact form or forum is much easier to use. Plus, users look for a website first. You can even have a live chat feature for one on one support to make your users feel even more valued.

Takeaway: Use your website to provide valuable support and advice to users. They’ll appreciate it. A professional developer can help you create the site and even ensure your app links to the support area of the site.

Keep Users Up To Date

Are you planning on added limited time features to your app? What about planning a major upgrade in the next month? Your users want to know. Adding all of this information into the mobile app itself is difficult. Users don’t want to be bothered with numerous pop-ups or long blocks of text in their app. Add a simple News or About link to the app that links to your site’s blog. Or, use this section of your app to list blog titles with links to the posts themselves.

Takeaway: Build excitement for new features with a website with all the app’s latest changes. A developer can easily link your site and app so your users always stay updated.

Gain Valuable Feedback

Trying to figure out what your users want can seem impossible. Create a website with a suggestion form. Users love being able to influence an app’s features and design. Give them the chance and finally find out what your users want most. While you don’t have to use every idea, the submissions you receive will help you see if there’s anything you need to change or add.

Takeaway: Use your website as a valuable tool for improving your app. If you’re working with an app developer, you can show the developer the submissions so they better understand your target audience’s needs.

Conclusion

It’s not a question of why should you have an app website. The real question is why don’t you already have a website? Your app and website work hand in hand with each other to market, provide support and gather feedback for your app.

Are you ready to create a companion site for your app? Contact StuartMedia today to find out how to get started. 

Image: Jason Howie

Microsites are a great way to keep a visitor focused on one specific topic, theme or product.

The key to creating a good microsite is ensuring all the essential elements are included while providing the visitor with an eye catching experience.

With the right elements, this type of site is a highly effective marketing technique for products, causes, events and more.

Purpose Of A Microsite

One common mistake in microsite design is trying to cram too much into the site. Microsites have an extremely narrow focus and are often only a few pages. The purpose is to draw attention to one thing without any distractions. Think of it as a single product page out of an entire ecommerce site.

Takeaway: Keep the focus as narrow as possible. Professional designers are highly recommended as they understand the purpose of microsites and know how to create stunning without any clutter.

Using Interactive Content

The stand out element of a great microsite is interactive content. These sites aren’t like a normal website. They’re designed specifically to engage the user and encourage them to interact with the elements on the screen. For instance, a microsite for an album release might have a CD cover the user clicks to open. They might then be able to play samples of the songs on a CD background.

When creating a microsite, think more in terms of an app versus a normal site. Include elements for the user to click, slide, press or move around. The more users can interact, the longer they’ll stay on the site and absorb the information. There’s no end to how interactive a microsite can be. The more creative it is, the more likely the site is to be shared. The idea is to make the site come alive and feel almost tangible versus a simple page on a screen.

Many microsites use advanced JavaScript and CSS3 for a more interactive experiences. This enables things like simple page to page transitions to in-depth experiences that make a user feel like they’re part of the site, every microsite needs interactive elements.

Takeaway: Add at least one interactive feature per page. All interactive elements should seem natural and work well with the site’s purpose. To ensure optimal interactivity without slowing down the site or making it appear cluttered, hire a professional developer for smooth interactions visitors will love.

Adding Social Elements

The object of a microsite is to market something. Social media buttons are crucial. This allows visitors to quickly share the microsite with their friends and family. Make the buttons stand out, but design them so they fit with the microsite’s theme. This makes the entire site look more uniform.

Takeaway: Add social share buttons to the microsite. For a custom design, hire an expert developer for buttons that truly stand out.

Engaging Design

Microsites by nature are visually stimulating. They use design elements that draw in a user quickly and keep them on the site to further explore. For a good microsite, it’s important to focus on four main design elements – images, videos, fonts and navigation. All of these should remain consistent throughout the site for a more professional look.

Images, specifically large background or large center images, grab a visitor’s attention immediately. Pictures of products and events are often used. With video, it’s about making content more engaging while saving space. Since the site is small, a video explains far more in less space than a long article. Plus, it’s quick and easy for visitors to digest.

To make the site easy to read and navigate, use large fonts that stand out on the screen. Keep navigation simple and straight forward with buttons, large links, scrolling guides or clickable images (helps with interactivity).

Takeaway: Design is important with microsites. Use eye catching images, entertaining videos, large fonts and simple navigation to make the site beautiful and easy to use.

Conclusion

When a microsite contains all of these elements, it’s more professional looking and more likely to be shared. These sites are great extensions to main websites to market anything a business does or sells. Overall, keep them simple, visually stimulating and uniform throughout.

Need a microsite that immediately attracts attention and increases sales? Contact Stuartmedia today for the microsite expertise your business needs.

Image: Felipe Skroski