Whether we like it or not, our mobile devices have become like mini personal assistants that we can’t bear to part from. They keep us connected, informed, entertained, and generally make life far easier (for the most part).
At the center of this experience lies a collection of nifty apps that cater to almost every need imaginable. These apps let us communicate through social media, order groceries, play games, make appointments, read books, watch movies – all without having to move from our sofas. We’ve got a little world right in our pockets.
As a business owner, catering to consumer demand for mobile apps is quickly becoming a necessity if you want to remain competitive. While desktop versions of websites still have a role to play, mobile apps allow a much deeper connection between brands and consumers, helping to strengthen loyalty and create new revenue-generating opportunities.
However, developing a fully custom mobile app from scratch can seem daunting, risky, and downright expensive for many businesses to undertake. A lot of people assume there are too many costly barriers to mobile app development that put it out of reach – but that isn’t necessarily true.
In this guide, we’ll break down how to make a website an app, as well as some of the key benefits you can expect if you do take the plunge. This way, you can determine if conversion is the right move for enhancing your digital presence. Let’s dive in.
Why Take Your Website Mobile?
By converting your website into a dedicated mobile app, you can get ahead of clunky mobile experiences frustrating your customers. Optimized for touchscreens and mobile contexts, apps provide a smoother, more convenient way for you to engage mobile audiences.
Improved Visibility
The mobile app market is exploding. In 2022 alone, consumers downloaded 255 billion apps to internet-connected mobile devices worldwide. That staggering figure represents an 80% jump from just six years prior. Moreover, when developed well, your apps may see prominent placements in popular app stores like the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. This exposes you to new potential users browsing for mobile options.
Personalized Engagement
Apps also permit personalized push notifications to reach people even when they aren’t actively browsing. Send alerts about new products, special deals, relevant content and more. This creates engaging touchpoints unique to each user.
Speed and Availability
The technical design of apps allows lightning fast load speeds. With code saved locally on devices, if you set things up correctly, the lion’s share of your content will be able to load instantly regardless of network conditions. Offline access takes this advantage even further for uninterrupted usage.
Data and Analytics
Mobile apps generate detailed analytics on in-app behaviors and conversions. Monitor user flows, demographics, high-value actions and more to optimize the experience. The market insights you gain might also help you to optimize other aspects of your business.
How to Convert Your Website Into an App
So you’re convinced converting your website to an app is the right move for your business. But how exactly do you take this leap to mobile? There are a few routes to consider.
Go It Alone
Armed with determination, some app development skills are all you may need to build your own app. Using the right platform, you might be able to pull it off without knowing a thing about coding. Following online tutorials and documentation, you should be able to set up a fully functional app.
This DIY approach grants full control and flexibility, albeit for more basic apps. You determine the design, features, and pace of development, although in some cases, you might need to invest significant effort in learning the intricacies of your app building platform and debugging.
Use a Website-to-App Converter
If you want app-ification with minimal heavy lifting, specialized website-to-app converter platforms provide automated turnkey solutions.
Simply connect your site URL and these tools convert your content into native mobile apps for iOS and Android. Converters are incredibly user-friendly, making them perfect for organizations that don’t have in-house technical teams.
Hire a Freelancer
If you prefer delegating the build, hiring an individual freelance developer is a cost-effective option for small to mid-sized app projects. They offer direct and dedicated service tailored to your vision and budgetary needs. You’ll benefit from their existing technical skills while providing direction to shape the end product.
Freelancers work best for apps with low-to-moderate complexity and customization. Be sure to vet experience levels carefully first.
Hire a Development Team
For advanced apps with extensive functionality, partnering with a company that has specialized app coding teams may be the best way to go. Their breadth of expertise and resources enable handling complex programming needs like intensive data integration, security measures, detailed analytics, and more.
You gain the confidence of experienced project management and quality assurance protocols backing development. This option ensures robustness but comes with higher cost investments for their amplified capabilities.
Conclusion
So there you have it – the lowdown on taking your website mobile by transforming it into a slick mobile app. While coding an app from scratch may sound daunting, you now know of several straightforward solutions for app-ifying your web presence. Whether you decide to team up with an app dev pro or simply convert your site through an app builder platform, unlocking the world of iOS and Android apps has never been more approachable.
At the end of the day, an app plays better to the on-the-go usage needs of phone and tablet users compared to websites alone. You’ll be able to reach mobile audiences in more relevant, personalized ways, leading to lasting digital relationships with new and existing customers.
