Are you in the process of deciding which type of mobile experience will best serve your on-the-go users? The choices are clear: responsive web design or a separate mobile app.
Google recently presented new recommendations for offering websites on mobile devices, stating that responsive web design is the optimal way for you to serve mobile users. However, it's also stated in the past that websites should go with the design solution which allows them to offer the best user experience to mobile visitors. So how do you decide which route to go down?
Shopgate, an m-commerce solutions provider, has shared its own view on the subject in a recent white paper about responsive web design, claiming that online retailers in particular can increase sales more effectively with a separate mobile website and native mobile app.
Infographics
If you don't have time to read a white paper, though, Monetize, a cloud-based tech company, and Table XI, a digital consultancy have recently released two quick and easy infographics, shown below.
The first features 10 questions you should ask yourself before you make your decision (click the image to see it in full):
While this infographic takes a broader look at the pros and cons of responsive web design:
Whichever route you go down though, be aware that there is no "right answer" other than keeping the needs of your users in mind at all times. Follow that maxim and, whether you create a bespoke app or a responsive site, you won't go far wrong.
- Words: Jesse James Woods
Jesse is a professional working in the mobile commerce industry. You can follow his blog where he writes often about m-commerce and other topics here.
Liked this? Read these!
- How to build an app
- Beyond responsive design: discover 'Context First'
- News websites doing responsive design right
- The best responsive websites
