Why Mobile Apps Achieve Higher Conversion Rates Than Mobile Websites

Gone are the days when the internet could only be accessed through desktop computers and laggy dial-up.

Our world is now a mobile world, with mobile phones prevalent through every stratum of society, and more people than ever rely on their mobiles to access the internet.

This change of pace means that every industry has had to adapt to the convenience and accessibility of mobile devices, developing mobile websites and apps for streamlined support.

However, this renaissance in how we use the internet has also brought with it a wellspring of new, online-only websites, with e-commerce and other commercial industries being easier than ever before to get off the ground.

This brings to light a new concern for businesses looking to make a dent in the market: conversion rates.

Empirical evidence shows that mobile apps have far higher conversion rates than mobile websites, but it’s important that businesses understand the reasons why this happens in order to benefit from the phenomenon.

Non-commercial industries have a lot to learn from the giants in this field, from e-commerce platforms such as Etsy to the fast-paced sports betting industries that are turning over more profit than before with their sports betting apps.

The Appeal Of Mobile Apps

When it comes to mobile apps, the main factors that make them more appealing to consumers are user experience (UX) design and personalization.

Even at the navigation and aesthetic level, mobile apps are superior. Applications are dedicated to seamless and engaging user experiences.

Gestures make for intuitive navigation, while animations brighten up the app experience. It’s easy to incorporate helpful device features like GPS and cameras to enhance the interaction.

These features are simply not at the same standard on mobile websites, which can be glitchy and prone to difficult navigation.

It’s also far easier for companies to properly personalize content so users receive a tailored experience.

Data can be easily collected and processed to deliver personalized recommendations and notifications to customers.

Above all else, this makes every app experience relevant to the individual end user, which far increases the likelihood of conversion. 

Technical Advantages

Once more, when it comes to technical advantages, mobile apps come out on top. Apps store data locally, which, while being a core reason why they excel in personalization, also means that by utilizing device processing power, they outperform mobile websites in speed and efficiency.

Conversions are easily discouraged by laggy loading times and poor performance, so avoiding this is essential to increase sales.

For example, on a sportsbook, live betting relies on a responsive interface – apps outperform every time.

The background storage of data on apps also means that efficiency can be improved elsewhere in the app.

Apps remember customer preferences, which means a user can slide straight in to the app without having to waste time re-establishing their preferred means of usage.

This is especially helpful at checkout, where even seconds of delay or hesitation can cost a conversion.

With checkout optimization, apps can store user data and payment methods, reducing the time to conversion to a single click. 

With apps, customers also enjoy the advantage of offline access. Despite the limitations to functionality when there’s no internet connection, users can still access core features of the application to keep them engaged.

Marketing And Retention Strategies

With the relentless push of information and content in the modern age, attention spans are shortening, and brief sparks of interest are often pushed to the wayside.

Mobile apps offer an unprecedented opportunity for improved consumer retention strategies to draw back customers and create more opportunities for conversions.

While the simple fact of customers seeing a company’s name and logo on their home page every day is an unparalleled win for easy brand awareness, there are many more strategies that can provide marketing wins.

Push notifications are foremost among these. A simple prompt serves as a synergistic combination of direct marketing, promotions and attention re-engagement.

This isn’t an option on a mobile website that is limited by the container of a web browser, but being integrated into the fabric of a phone, mobile apps can send a scheduled notification that immediately encourages customer engagement.

Take good sports betting apps like the ones reviewed here, which, with a timely bonus offer or a reminder of a game, can cause customers to re-engage.

Mention of bonus offers also ties in to the next retention strategy offered by apps: loyalty features. Conversion skyrockets when customers believe they’re getting a bargain.

Due to their locally stored data, apps can easily integrate loyalty programs that encourage repeat engagement and conversions through the incentive of rewards and exclusive content. 

Enhanced Data And Analytics

As a savvy reader might have realized by now, when you get past aesthetic appeal and avoiding niggly glitches, conversion rate optimization is all about data, and mobile apps do data better than any other online platform.

With this unprecedented collection of a veritable wealth of user data, companies can go past algorithmic personalization alone and dive into the world of data-driven behavior insights. 

Analysis of these vast treasure troves of data provides eye-opening trends on how users interact with commercial platforms, which can be converted into an increase in sales or adapted to other industries to increase our quality of life.

Analytics will tell companies what customers want, when they want it, and how they want it fed to their screen. Advertising and marketing can be tailored specifically to capture precise niches in audiences. 

Not only that, but those same offers that draw in customers can be perfectly optimized to suit individual users.

By tracking spending and browsing habits, companies can deliver hand-made offers that provide that extra nudge to purchase or purchase more.

Companies that capitalize on this brand-new way of doing business will see their conversion rates soar.

Challenges And Considerations

Despite all the benefits, any business must properly weigh the downsides that may arise when creating an app.

The upfront cost is undoubtedly higher, which may prove a hurdle for smaller businesses.

Some particular kinds of industries – the sports betting industry, for example – can have difficulty adhering to nit-picky app store policies, and these regulations can affect monetization strategies across the board.