As more users access websites and make purchasing decisions via mobile devices, it is becoming increasingly important for brands to offer a simple and compelling mobile experience for their users. Along with the surge in mobile traffic, advancements in mo
Does your Hotel Need a Mobile Website or a Mobile App?As more users access websites and make purchasing decisions via mobile devices, it is becoming increasingly important for brands to offer a simple and compelling mobile experience for their users. Along with the surge in mobile traffic, advancements in mobile technology allow developers to add more features to inform and engage the end users. The question now for hotels: should my property have a mobile website, a mobile app, or both? Google recently weighed in on the topic of mobile websites vs mobile apps on their adSense blog. The decision of where to put resources – time and money – in the mobile space should be made carefully, taking into account your needs and the needs of your potential customers. Their 5 main points to consider are: Know your users. Take some time to research what types of mobile devices are being used to access your existing content. If most traffic is coming from feature phones rather than smart phones, then it doesn't make sense spending money on developing rich and interactive content that will not be visible to the majority of your audience. What type of content are you providing? Mobile websites require an active data connection, but mobile apps have the ability to store or cache data for your users so they can access it without an internet connection. Some content lends itself particularly well to offline usability, while other content requires constant online access. How is your content being used? Mobile apps have the ability to access advanced features on smart phones, such as GPS, cameras, accelerometers, RFID chips and more. Site programmed in HTML 5 can make use of some of these, but if your mobile concept provides a unique and compelling user experiences integrated with the functionality of a specific device, then an app may be the best way to go. How regularly will you update content? Content on a mobile website can be updated instantly (by you or your web developer) but mobile apps often require approval from 3rd party online storefronts, and then require the end user to download and install the updates.
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