You’ve already created a responsive website to meet the demands of your mobile visitors, so what else could you possibly need?

The answer – you need to create an app to match your website. Mobile users aren’t content with a mobile friendly site alone. For some tasks, they’d prefer a native app.

The good thing is you don’t have to start from scratch. The idea is to match your app to your existing site so it’s familiar to users, yet even easier to use than your site.

Focus On Most Used Areas

Every area and feature of your website isn’t used equally. For instance, your About Us page probably doesn’t see as many visitors as your Contact Us page. Your mobile app should be a pared down version of your website that focuses on the most used areas and features.

Start by looking at your analytics data. This shows you which pages and features you users might want and need in app form.

Make Conversions Easier

You want to increase conversions, so why not make that a central part of your app? For instance, ecommerce stores should make it quick and easy to search for products, view larger images and make purchases. A mobile site might show 10 products per page, but a mobile app might only show five and allow maximising images with a single tap. Out of the top 500 merchants, 42% of sales came from a mobile app. This is in part because it’s quicker and easier.

Consider how your app could help boost conversions. Is social sharing important? Add a social feature to your app. Want more emails subscribers? Ask for signups during the checkout process or after viewing a blog post.

Incorporate Your Brand

When you create an app to match your website, you shouldn’t lose your brand identity. When a consumer is already interested in your brand, they’re likely to search for an app to make it easier to interact with your brand. An overwhelming 52% of mobile users worldwide are more likely to make a purchase from branded or store apps.

As long as the app accurately reflects the brand and even website your visitors are accustomed to, they’ll feel right at home using it. The idea is to make it easier for visitors to interact with your brand on the go while still having a website for when they want to dig deeper into your site.

Condense Navigation

On your website, you might have a list of links or linked tabs that serve as your main navigation. While this layout works well on a desktop or even the responsive version of your site, it’s not ideal for your app. Think of how you can condense your navigation. Is every page necessary? Would drop down menus work best to condense options? Figuring out the best way to streamline navigation without losing the same flow as your website usually requires talking to your developer.

Integrate With Device Features

The best part of having an app is you’re able to take advantage of all the features on the user’s phone or tablet. For instance, a fitness site might have an app that allows users to take pictures and share them straight from the app. It’s not something you’d likely have on your website, but it’s a feature that would increase brand awareness and even conversions.

Your app doesn’t have to match your site exactly. Focus on core features and then integrate device features to make users see your app as something slightly unique from your site. This makes your app a must have for anyone who loves your site and brand.

Most sites can benefit, even if it’s only by having interactive contact information that allows users to call with a click or bring up directions directly from the app.

Create An App To Match Your Website

Even five years ago, a responsive design seemed liked something only certain sites needed. Now, Google’s made it an important part of a site’s success. If having a mobile app to match your website seems crazy, imagine how different users will be in another five years. Apps are becoming more popular and work as the ideal alternative and even compliment to your website.

Want to create the perfect compliment to your own website? Contact StuartMedia today to discuss a matching app for your site. 

Image: Alejandro Escamilla

Predictions of mobile overtaking desktop for search started the moment mobile search hit the mainstream.

Today, those predictions are a reality and getting your website mobile friendly is more important than ever. In the past, mobile friendly was more of a suggestion to be cutting edge, but today, it’s a requirement to stay competitive.

If you’re still on the fence about making the switch to a mobile or responsive design, consider all the benefits and what your audience prefers. You’ll easily see why making the change is the best decision for your website.

Improve Search Rank

If you haven’t already heard about Google’s mobile algorithm, Google added in a mobile component to its search algorithms in April 2015 to rank mobile friendly sites higher when users search on a mobile device. While some sites didn’t see much of a change, others saw their traffic either rise or drop, depending on how many of their users preferred mobile.

Google’s updating the mobile aspect again in May 2016. Google promises websites that are already mobile friendly won’t be affected, but others could see a negative impact following the update. Why take the chance? Google’s going mobile and just getting your website mobile friendly could boost your rank.

Reduce Bounce Rate

A high bounce rate doesn’t help your site rank well. It’s also an indication that your site isn’t impressing visitors, either with the design and/or your content. There are nearly 2 billion mobile users and over 1.7 billion desktop users. As you can see, mobile has overtaken desktop. With more users preferring mobile, especially for comparison shopping in stores or browsing while on the go, it’s vital to make sure your site provides an optimal experience.

No one wants to have to zoom in and out just to see the text on their screen. In fact, many users leave sites if they’re not mobile friendly. As your bounce rate rises, not only does your search rank start to fall, but you’re missing out on important conversions.

Improve Conversion Rate

Whether you’re selling products, building newsletter signups or trying to get customers to contact you about services, a high conversion rate is always the goal. A mobile optimised site sees as much as 160% increase in conversions. One study even shows UK retailers are missing out on £6.6 billion by not getting their websites mobile friendly.

If you’re targeting millennials, mobile is even more important. A poor mobile experience could leave at least 48% of your UK millennial audience dissatisfied with your business and that number jumps to 54% globally. A better experience leads to a higher conversion rate and skipping out on mobile could send customers straight to your mobile friendly competition.

Reach Your Audience Everywhere

Your audience is on a mixture of different screen sizes. You never know when someone may visit from a desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone. The top two devices used to search online are desktops/laptops at 91% and smartphones at 80%. If your website isn’t optimised for these screen sizes, you’re missing out on a large portion of your audience.

UK users spend two hours daily on average using their smartphones, which is twice as long as other devices. The reason for the increase is the ability to showroom shop, browse sites no matter where they are and quickly make purchases with a few taps of their finger.

Even if you have a brick and mortar store, a mobile optimised site allows visitors to check out products or the store itself before visiting and 43% of UK users have used their phones for just this purpose. If you want to reach your audience everywhere they are, getting your website mobile friendly is a must.

Mobile’s The Present And Future

The days of thinking mobile is just a passing fad are long over. Mobile is here to stay and now is the time to adapt. A responsive design gives you the best of both worlds – a mobile friendly site and a desktop friendly site. You can ensure your visitors are receiving an optimised version of your site, no matter what their screen size.

Ready to make the change to a mobile friendly site and reap the benefits? Contact Darren at StuartMedia today to get started.

Image: Josh Felise