why brands should focus on mobile web, not apps
with smart phone adoption rates higher than ever, a veritable space race is being waged by developers to create the next “killer” brand app for the iphone and other mobile devices. true, there is tremendous value in providing consumers with branded utilities that make our lives easier and more manageable. nike has done an amazing job creating smart branded mobile utilities that enable die-hard runners to log their miles, monitor daily caloric intake, and create custom training regimens based on one’s individual fitness goals. in amsterdam heineken deployed an iphone app utilizing the device’s internal motion sensor, cleverly, to prevent drunk driving at a concert where the app was given free to ticket holders. these types of applications provide smart utility that create both brand affinity and loyalty. however, the real challenge as it relates to mobile applications is that not every brand should have one, or needs one.
luxury brands like hermes, chanel, ralph lauren, louis vuitton, and gucci have all developed mobile apps for the iphone. the gucci app synthesizes the world of fashion, technology, and music offering consumers access exclusive gucci products, unique playlists, and fashion shows, store listings, and the ability to mix your own music. sounds cool, but is it really necessary? chanel also recently launched a slot machine style game application that gives consumers information about their latest products.
despite all the buzz around these types of applications, far less attention has been paid to developing mobile websites optimized for these devices. investing in a mobile website, in my opinion, makes better business sense than developing the next cool iphone app, especially considering mobile data traffic is expected to grow 40 fold in the next five years (via TechCrunch). here are a few more reasons why i strongly urge brand marketers to invest their resources and focus their attention on mobile website development rather than gimmicky applications doomed to become disposable brand experiences.
multi-platform development
mobile applications are platform specific, which by their nature makes them exclusionary to consumers. android, iphone, symbian, and RIM operating systems are the dominant mobile platforms with many others in development. as a result, this causes greater and greater fragmentation. as a result, in order to be present on all platforms you will need a stable of developers who have mastered the various programming languages.
html, the programming language for most websites, was designed as a platform-neutral way to deliver content. website resources like javascript, images, and code all reside on Web servers. to deploy them, all you have to do is update or copy them, and this also applies to the mobile Web. when compared to the simplicity of simply updating a website, mobile application development looks like a very expensive and time consuming marketing endeavor.
multiple gatekeepers and barriers to entry
imagine having to go through an approval process to get your website indexed. most mobile applications are shelved and inventoried at online stores that reserve the right to refuse your application for a myriad of different reasons. unfortunately, there is no way around this as unvetted apps can seriously damage a user’s mobile device.
be real, and practical
when your mobile strategy requires videogame-like graphics, sophisticated audio processing, access to a user’s camera or address book, you will more than likely need an application developed to support it. in most cases, developing an app makes less sense. the advancement of mobile browsers now allows for data storage, geo-location, and multi-touch interfaces.
keep it simple
create a basic mobile website that will render well on almost any device and optimize a few different versions to leverage the special features of the iphone and similar devices. brands like ralph lauren have made great progress is this direction, launching mobile Web sites at m.ralphlauren.com and m.rugby.com that nicely mimic the features and options available on the mothership at polo.com.
both the iphone and apple’s new ipad are great devices that beautifully render and showcase this type of content. however, adoption rates are still relatively small for the iphone compared to the myriad of similar devices already in the marketplace. unless your marketing strategy calls for “buzz worthy” tactics it’s better to keep it simple and focusing on the mobile Web makes good business sense.
