In a world where mobile phones dominate the web, it can be hard to tell what works best. Should you bet on an app? Or build a website?
We have put together an overview of the pros and cons of the two options, so you can make the right decision more easily.
A lot has happened since we first published this post: PWAs (Progressive Web Apps) have surged ahead! Mainly because support on iPhone is now far better. Android has been ahead of the curve on PWAs for a long time, but now even more people can join in.
So what exactly is a PWA? And how is it different from an app and a website? This post will fill you in.
It can be hard to keep track of the pros and cons of an app, a website, or a PWA. You have to navigate a thick soup of preferred solutions, vendor recommendations, and personal preferences. The trouble is that the best solution depends entirely on needs: your needs, your visitors' needs, and your vendor's needs. That is why it makes no sense to claim that one solution is always the best.
What is a PWA?
PWA stands for Progressive Web App. To the user, it feels like an app, but it is built on web technologies. A PWA is therefore always tied to a website. But not every website can be installed as a PWA - the site has to be set up to support it.
You install a PWA by visiting the website, not an app store. The site will often show a banner with a button to install the PWA. It works a bit differently on Android and iPhone. In both cases, however, it is fairly simple and takes only a few clicks - and no passwords!
If you have a phone locked down by your employer, where you do not have access to an app store, or where you cannot remember your app store password, a PWA is a smart choice.
Once the PWA is installed, you open it the same way as an app: there is an icon on your phone that you tap to launch it.
Inside the PWA, the content and structure can differ from the website. It can be tailored to mobile and use the entire screen. But because the content also lives on the website, you can easily share it with people who have not installed the PWA. They simply see it as a regular web page.
And as for SEO, search engines can also see the content in the PWA. That pushes your website higher up in search results.
Our recommendation
For your trade show, we recommend a website and possibly a PWA on top.
The primary reason is that visitors can find information about your show without having to download an app first.
The second reason is that you can launch a website faster than an app, and it is faster to ship corrections and additions.
The third reason is that Google and other search engines can find all the content on your website and surface it in search results - something an app cannot do.
Combine the website with a PWA and you get further upsides:
- Visitors do not need a password or app store to download the PWA
- The PWA is cheaper than an app
- Content from the PWA can be shared more easily and boosts SEO for the website
Of course, there are trade shows where an app is necessary to meet a specific requirement. But our experience is that a website can do more than you think - and the trend is only going one way: websites can do more and more.
We have put together a comparison of PWA, app, and website so you can get the overview more easily and see the reasoning behind our recommendation.
APP
The main upside of an app is that it can take better advantage of the phone's power. Especially when it comes to demanding graphics, that is an advantage (e.g. games). On top of that, you can use the entire screen and make data more easily available offline.
Pros
- Uses the full mobile screen
- You can send messages to the user through the app
- An icon on the phone makes it easy to find
Cons
- Has to be installed
- Has to be approved by the app store (can take 2–3 weeks)
- Updates also need approval
- Takes time to download to the phone
PWA
A PWA is built on a website. It uses the same content but allows you to put an icon on the phone for easy access and to use the entire screen. You can also set a different start page than the website and tailor the experience for mobile visitors.
Pros
- Requires no password to install
- Uses the full mobile screen
- An icon on the phone makes it easy to find
Cons
- It is an extra cost on top of the website
Website
The line between website and app is getting blurrier. Many things you used to need an app for can now be done on a website. On top of that, mobile coverage keeps improving, so you can almost always get online.
Pros
- No installation needed
- Always up to date
- Can launch quickly
- Quick to roll out fixes and additions
Cons
- You do not control the entire screen, since the browser uses a bit of space at the top and bottom
- You cannot send messages to the user
How we arrived at our recommendation
Context is king
When you decide what the best solution is for your trade show, context matters: where are visitors when they want to know more about your show? What is their goal? That is why our starting point is "Context is king" - context determines what the best solution is.
So we begin by describing the context for the visitors to your show. That is the foundation for analyzing what the best solution is.
Meet Preben
Preben is squarely in your target audience. He is exactly the kind of person you would love to have at your show. So let's try to understand Preben's context. Start by asking yourself the following questions:
- What does Preben use to find information about your trade show?
- What does Preben want to know about your show?
- How often does he look for that information?
What does Preben use to find information about your trade show?
Preben has a computer and a mobile phone. When he is relaxing on the couch and browsing, he is on his phone. If he finds something interesting that calls for a bit more overview, he often switches to the computer. It has a bigger screen, but it has to be turned on and is too far from the couch.
On his phone, Preben can install apps and PWAs that give quick, easy access to the things he uses often. On the computer, he uses websites instead.
Preben likes apps, but they are a bit of a hassle to get started with: first he has to find one in the app store, then remember his password before it can be downloaded. That can take a while if the connection is not great.
But now Preben has a new option: he can install the website as a PWA! No password or app store needed. On Android, a small notice appears with a button. On iPhone, you tap the share button and then "Add to Home Screen." Once that is done, a tidy icon sits on the phone, so Preben can easily open the PWA and find what he is looking for.
If Preben just needs to look something up quickly, and only thinks about your trade show occasionally, the website is easy to drop into - assuming he can remember the URL.
What does Preben want to know about your show?
What Preben is looking for depends on whether it is before, during, or after your show:
Before the show
Preben wants to know more about what he can experience at your show. Which exhibitors will be there? Are there activities or competitions - maybe a talk? Preben might check your show two or three times before it opens.
But if there is a lot of good content about the show, Preben visits the page more often. That could be exhibitor products, the option to build his own program from the many activities on stage and at the exhibitors. Or the chance to hear speakers Preben finds interesting. With the option to mark favorites and build his own program, Preben can share it with the people he is going with.
And if there is an interactive floor map, Preben also visits the page to figure out where he can buy coffee, park the stroller, and get a good lunch.
During the show
Preben has set off and just needs the address of your show one last time.
When he arrives, he wants to know where the exhibitors he plans to visit are located. That is easy - he saved them as favorites. And with his program in hand, he won't miss the activities he is looking forward to.
Once those are visited, he just wants to wander a bit, take in inspiration, or check whether there is a competition or something else interesting going on.
A floor map is fantastic, so Preben can easily find his way to the exhibitors and the stages.
After the show
Preben saw a ton of cool things at your show - but he has a hard time remembering all the product and exhibitor names. So he wants to be able to look them up and maybe send a link to the exhibitor or product. Sometimes it is fine to search by exhibitor name, product, speaker, or activity. But the floor map is also useful, because it is sometimes easier to remember "it was that booth in Block B, right on the corner."
Preben also marked some of the exhibitors as favorites. He can easily find them again on his favorites list. And the activities he was excited about are easy to recall, because he saved them in his program.
How often does Preben look for that information?
How often Preben checks in on your show before he goes depends on whether new things keep being announced - exhibitors, products, activities, competitions, and so on. If updates are flowing, Preben checks back fairly often. If nothing new is coming, there is nothing for him to come back for.
During the show, Preben wants to see information quite often. He needs to find a specific exhibitor, somewhere to grab food, the restrooms, the start time and location of activities, and much more.
After the show, Preben might need a bit of information now and then.
What is right for Preben?
Is your audience like Preben?
Do you have a different audience than Preben? Then you can use the three questions to get a better understanding of your specific audience. The better you understand your audience, the easier it is to make the right call between an app or a website - or maybe both.
If you would like help with that, we are happy to step in. Book a meeting, or write to us at [email protected].
We now have a better idea of what Preben needs to know about your trade show:
Before: Looks for information from both phone and computer. How often depends on the content available and how often it is updated.
During: Looks for information - often from the phone, especially to find his way around the show.
After: Looks for information from both phone and computer.
The conclusion is therefore that Preben will probably prefer a good website that works perfectly on mobile. The hassle of installing the app is not worth it when he does not need the information any more often than that.
And when Preben does need information often - namely during the visit to your show - it is critical that the information is fully up to date. If Preben is standing there, in the middle of your show, and has forgotten to download the app, or it just needs an update, he is going to get frustrated.
The website he can pull up quickly - even when many people are using the network at once - and he can be sure the information about your show is fully up to date.
What is right for you?
What Preben prefers is one thing - what best meets your requirements as an organizer is another. The customer is always right, but there can be features or upsides on either side that make it easier for you to give Preben the best possible experience. Maybe even without him noticing.