The importance of mobile dominates the world of digital marketing today. The presence of smart phones and mobile web usage is certainly impressive, with the percentage of Americans who own a smart phone now up to 77%. However, what this means in terms of digital marketing and how to reach and connect with users is a bit trickier.
Ask the average person what they think of when they think of smartphones and many will respond with “apps.” This has led many brands both large and small to the conclusion that a mobile app is necessary in order to capitalize on the mobile market. However, that isn’t necessarily true. What if we told you there was a faster, cheaper, and easier way to reach people on mobile, as well as other areas?
You’ve probably already guessed it. That’s right: it’s web push notifications. Need some convincing? No problem. Here are the main benefits of utilizing web push instead of creating a mobile app.
Yes, it is true that mobile is huge and cannot be ignored. However, it is dangerous to ignore desktop Internet usage. It still accounts for 42% of Internet usage time. To ignore that significant of a percentage is a mistake you shouldn’t consider making. And with web push, you don’t have to. Web push notifications deliver to both desktop and mobile devices, something you won’t get from a mobile app.
By choosing to implement web push notifications you can be sure you are targeting your audience no matter where they are, instead of having to decide where to focus your efforts.
Cost is a major decision making factor for many brands and expensive marketing options are often unreasonable, especially for smaller businesses or brands just getting started. To develop an entire mobile app will cost you a small fortune.
There are numerous estimates out there, but the above infographic should give you a pretty good idea. Even on the low end, you are still spending $40,000 just to develop your app.
Web push gives you a much more affordable option. How much you pay depends on how many subscribers you have, with plans starting as low as $9/month. You cannot beat the value you get from web push notifications, and even with the most expensive of plans, you will not come close to the cost of creating a mobile app.
Without any experience, you can start using web push notifications with relative ease. We created our dashboard to be as intuitive and easy to learn as possible, and provide plenty of documentation and walkthrough videos to help explain all the various features of web push.
With a mobile app, there is a lot of technical knowledge involved with creating, using, and updating the app. While almost anyone can handle web push notifications on their own, it is highly unlikely any one person, or small team, could manage creating and maintaining a mobile app if they do not have the highly technical knowledge required. This results in having to hire either a freelancer or development team which you will have to work with (and pay) long term to keep your app up to date and working well.
Note: If you have any questions about web push you can also always send us an email or chat with us.
With web push notifications, you can be up and running in as little as 5 minutes. That isn’t an exaggeration. Our convenient WordPress and Shopify plugins make installation incredibly easy, and to manually install our notifications only involves inserting a few lines of code. The process is quick and easy, no matter your level of experience with web development.
Mobile apps are another story. With so many technical steps involved, you can expect to spend at least several months to have an initial version created.
The above infographic gives you a glimpse at the steps involved in producing an app. This survey found it took nearly 18 weeks to produce an initial version of an app, not including the time it takes to make any revisions or submit the app for approval (more on that later). Just like the cost comparison, you cannot beat the speed with which you can get started using web push notifications.
Yes, push notifications that are sent from mobile apps have high visibility, just as web push notifications do. Push notifications in general have high levels of visibility compared to other marketing methods like email or social media. However, mobile apps themselves have a very difficult time when it comes to visibility and usage.
People spend a lot of time on their phones, but that doesn’t mean they are using hundreds and hundreds of apps. In fact, research shows that people use around 27 apps per month, and that number hasn’t seen growth in four years. And as for heavy usage? That number drops down to just five. The chance at getting your app to be majorly successful and experience heavy usage is incredibly difficult. Given the cost and time it takes to create an app, does it seem worth it to take that risk?
With web push, you can target users on their smart phones without having to build an app. You can be up in running in far less time and for far less money. In addition to using mobile platforms like social media, you can have a solid presence on mobile in less time, for less money, and with much less risk involved.
Finally, something to consider when developing a mobile app is the approval process. Creating an app does not guarantee it will be approved by your platform’s app store (Apple App store, Google Play Store, etc.) In fact, the approval process can be very challenging and confusing to understand. There are a lot of requirements you have to keep in mind, something that even the most experienced of developers struggle with.
The web push “approval” process? Easy. All major browsers support web push notifications at this point. Simply install your notifications. Once installed, opt-in prompts begin displaying to your site visitors. Once a user hits “allow” to your notifications, you’ve got your subscriber. That’s it!
We would never deny the success of major mobile apps such as Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp. However, for the average business looking to capitalize on mobile usage, developing an app is rarely the most effective option in terms of cost, time, and performance. Utilizing web push is easier, faster, and more effective by reaching a broader range of users.
Did we forget any other reasons? Let us know by commenting below or sending us an email!
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