The recent shift from traditional websites to mobile apps is undeniable, and mobile apps have become the go-to choice for users these days for everything, be it shopping, banking, socializing, entertainment, or communication. One of the major reasons behind this shift is the worldwide adoption of smartphones and smartphones becoming an integral part of our lives.
But that isn’t the only reason why mobile apps have become more popular than traditional websites and have replaced them. Mobile apps actually offer more convenience, speed, and personalized experiences, due to which users prefer them more over traditional websites. According to recent stats, mobile apps account for 90% of mobile internet time, while websites make up just 10% and an average smartphone user spends over 4 hours per day on mobile apps.
These aforementioned numbers don’t lie and clearly demonstrate the domination of mobile apps in the digital world. In this post, we will briefly explore how mobile apps are replacing traditional websites, explaining the major reasons behind this shift.
Better User Experience
If we were to talk about user experience, then mobile apps are superior to traditional websites as far as user experience is concerned. Mobile apps are built with user experience in mind because they are developed to offer smoother navigation, faster load times, and better design. All of these things are vital for a positive user experience.
Mobile apps are optimized for different screen sizes and operating systems. They store data locally and reduce load time, and have sleek, intuitive designs that enhance the usability of the app.
Personalization and Customization
Just like user experience, mobile apps are superior to traditional websites in personalization as well. Mobile apps excel at delivering personalized experiences, which is something that traditional websites don’t fully have. Mobile apps analyze user behavior and preferences that allow them to recommend products, services, and content tailored to individual users, remember user preferences, and provide customization notifications.
Although some websites do offer the same level of customization as the app, such as YouTube’s app offer the same level of personalized content and recommendations, there are only a handful of websites that can offer the same level of personalization; other websites still lack that personalization that you can find in mobile apps.
Offline Functionality
The offline functionality feature that mobile apps provide is simply unmatched for traditional websites. Mobile apps offer offline access to content and features, which is something that websites don’t have. For instance, streaming apps like Netflix and Spotify app allow users to download videos and audios for offline viewing and listening. Similarly, travel apps like Google Maps offer offline navigation without an internet connection by downloading the maps. This offline functionality simply makes mobile apps more versatile and users’ preferred choice.
Integration with Device Features
If the aforementioned features aren’t enough, then mobile apps can also leverage the device features to enhance their functionality. A good example is of many mobile apps leveraging device features like GPS, cameras, and contacts to improve their features and functions. Mobile apps like Uber, Instagram, and AR-based applications are using the device features to provide a more immersive and convenient experience for users. Traditional websites can also access the device features, but it is usually limited to the device’s location or microphone.
Push Notifications
Lastly, mobile apps also have the benefit of push notifications. To keep the user engaged, there is no better option available than push notifications. With push notifications, apps can send real-time updates, reminders, and promotions to users to keep them engaged and informed about the latest happenings. This is something that traditional websites cannot achieve, even after the integration of web push notifications.