Turning a website into an app is a challenging task, many of the original functionalities of the website will be lost and some links may not work. But if you just want a simple app to showcase your product or an app to order your product through the app's means, then you can try using these free simple website tools for this purpose.
Why do we need app?
Increased Engagement: Apps offer a convenient way for customers to interact with your business, order products, schedule appointments, and receive updates. Push notifications can keep them informed about promotions and new offerings.
Improved Customer Experience: A well-designed app can provide a seamless and user-friendly experience, fostering customer loyalty. Features like loyalty programs and in-app purchases can incentivize repeat business.
Brand Awareness: A well-designed app can serve as a constant reminder of your brand on the customer's phone.
Why is it hard to run an app
Development and Maintenance Costs: Developing and maintaining a high-quality app can be expensive. There are ongoing costs for updates, bug fixes, and marketing the app to get users.
User Adoption and Engagement: Just building an app isn't enough. You need a strategy to get people to download and use it regularly. A poorly designed app with low engagement can hurt your brand image.
Now people are using their mobile phones more than their personal computers, so having an app alongside your website is of high benefit to the business.
Mobile-First World:
- People spend a lot more time on their phones than on desktops these days. Apps are designed specifically for mobile devices, offering a smoother and more convenient experience than a website on a small screen.
Enhanced Features:
- Apps can leverage features that websites can't, like GPS for location-based services, camera access for photo uploads, and push notifications for direct communication with users.
- Apps can also work offline in some cases, allowing users to access certain functionalities even without an internet connection.
Engagement and Loyalty:
- Apps are more engaging than websites. Push notifications can keep users informed and remind them about the app, while features like loyalty programs and in-app purchases encourage repeat visits.
- An app icon on a user's home screen creates a constant brand presence on their phone.
However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows for apps:
- Developing and maintaining a good app can be expensive.
- There's also the challenge of getting users to download and actively use the app. A poorly designed app can actually damage a brand's image.
The choice between a website and an app depends on the business:
- If your target audience is primarily mobile and your business thrives on user engagement, an app might be a good investment.
- If your website offers a good user experience on mobile devices and your business doesn't require a lot of those advanced features, a website might still be sufficient.
Now let's learn how to turn your website into an app for free
Kodular itself can't directly convert a website into a full-fledged app, but it can create a wrapper app that displays your website within the app. Here's a general guideline:
1. Setting Up Kodular:
Create a free Kodular account at https://www.kodular.io/.
Familiarize yourself with the Kodular interface. There's a learning curve, so check out their tutorials and documentation: https://docs.kodular.io/
2. Building the App Interface:
You'll be building the visual layout of the app using Kodular's drag-and-drop interface.
The main component will be a WebView element. This will display the content of your website.
3. Linking to Your Website:
In the WebView properties, you'll need to specify the URL of your website. This is what the app will load and display.
4. Customizing Functionality (Optional):
Kodular allows you to add functionalities beyond just displaying the website.
This can involve coding with Kodular's block-based system.
For example, you could add a button to open a specific webpage within the app or create a menu for navigating your website's content.
5.Testing and Publishing (Optional):
Once you're satisfied with the app, you can test it on an emulator or your device.
Kodular offers limited free options for exporting your app as an APK (Android application package).
Publishing the app on the Google Play Store might require a paid Kodular subscription.
Here are some important things to keep in mind:
A WebView app essentially offers a mobile view of your website. It won't be a true native app with the same level of functionality and user experience as a custom-built app.
Changes you make to your website won't be reflected in the app unless you update the app itself.
Consider user experience. A poorly designed app with slow loading times or clunky navigation can be frustrating for users.
Alternatives to Kodular:
There are other tools that allow you to convert websites into apps, some with more advanced features than a simple WebView wrapper. These might require coding knowledge or subscriptions.
Final Note:
Building a good app requires planning, design, and potentially coding skills. If you're not comfortable with this process, consider hiring an app developer to create a custom app that integrates seamlessly with your website.
