The short answer is yes, you can convert your WordPress website into an app. A better question would be, what value would it add?
If you’re still toying with the idea of turning your website into an app or figuring out if it’s even worth the trouble, here are a few facts that may help point you in the right direction.
- Shopping-based mobile apps account for 54% of consumer time spent, followed closely by music/entertainment apps and business apps at 43% and 33%, respectively.
- Organic searches on mobile devices have a 70% task completion rate, and the revenue base for 2019 is projected to hit almost $700 billion.
- With a compound annual rate of about 46%, mobile-based internet traffic is estimated to be about 57% in 2021, up to five percentage points from 52% in 2018.
- Engagement on mobile apps is up to 400% more on mobile apps than mobile web browsing.
The aim is to help you understand the reach and infinite possibilities you get from turning your site into an app. Now, having a responsive, adaptable, and mobile-savvy website is great, but consider that although these websites get more visitors than apps, the apps have a higher dwell time. This means that your website may get the traffic, but your app will increase your chances of conversion!
Note that it’s not just about the reach of mobile apps; it’s about how they are growing and replacing desktops and mobile web pages. The Mobile app development business is a booming billion-dollar industry set to take the world by storm, and it is crucial to ensure you keep up.
Can I Convert my WordPress Website to an App?
How to do it
This technological age has made things so much easier for app builders and developers, with several DIY programs that give you the rare ability to design and build your app with basic coding/programming knowledge. Here are three key ways that will help you start the process.
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- PhoneGap is a great place to start. It’s one of the few simple hybrid app-building programs compatible with the WordPress Development Company. In addition, it has a free plan if you’re only making one app, with a maximum allowable size of about 50MB, which should be sufficient.
PhoneGap has its moments, as it can be configured to work offline. You also get the leeway required to access push notifications and integrate with other APIs apart from WordPress.
One significant problem with this WP-API is that most extras on your site will have input fields in your app, but they won’t be functional. This means none of your plugins will be of any use. But if you’re willing to look past this minor detail, it’ll work fine for you.
- Different app builders give you different capabilities. For example, Telerik, Reactor, or even Mobile Roadie are all tools with varying levels of WordPress support. Still, they are all entry-level and non-technical and don’t give you many customization options.
- Lastly, there is always the option of an App Pressure. This is the very definition of saving the best for last. Unlike all these other methods, this nifty technique allows you to create an app with all your WordPress website’s main functions. It doesn’t take too much time in custom development and allows you to custom-fit many plugins.
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You must invest in reliable hosting as it doesn’t do too well with slow speeds. But, other than limited functionality when offline, using an App Pressure is the best way to get the most out of your WordPress mobile app.
Perks
- When starting, the first and most important target is always visible to get as many people to see your product as possible. The same goes for websites. Having an app improves your visibility tenfold, expanding the possibility of acquiring a bigger audience. A reach of billions of people will see your app on different app stores like Google Play.
- An app differs from a web page because it becomes a part of your daily routine once downloaded. Of course, you can bounce off a boring landing page, but as long as an app is useful, you will scroll through it several times a day.
- Social network plugins are key indicators in many mobile apps, making sharing your content simpler. But, of course, we’re talking about CTAs (Calls to action) that are literally at your fingertips. They come with functional push notifications, share and like buttons that don’t require digital gymnastics to get people to see your content, and seamless integration will give authority to social sites like Facebook or LinkedIn.
- As mentioned in the first part of this article, with apps, you get up to four times better audience engagement, which means better lead retention and more chances of conversion as a trickledown effect.
- Most consumers search for brands on social sites because they seek real-time, personalized interactions. Apps create this personalized user experience and, as such, improve client satisfaction. This satisfaction will, in turn, translate to revenue!
Bottom Line
The exponential increase in mobile traffic and mobile-based commerce makes turning your website into an app a crucial business decision. We are fast running into a smartphone-driven world, and this is the best way to ensure you have front-row tickets when mobile-based commerce takes over the internet.
PATEL NASRULLAH
Patel Nasrullah Co-founded Peerbits, one of the leading web app development companies in the USA, in 2011, which provides Blockchain app development services. His visionary leadership and flamboyant management style have yielded fruitful results. He believes in sharing his strong knowledge base with a concentration on entrepreneurship and business.
