Convert WordPress Site to Mobile App
Can you name anything that’s omnipresent other than god and nature?
Well, it’s there in your pocket.
It’s a mobile phone!
Almost every person uses a mobile phone or a smartphone. And reaching all those people through their mobile phones would be immensely beneficial for your business or startup.
And one very effective way of reaching and targeting is through mobile applications.
With the use of mobile phones growing by leaps and bounds, a mobile application of your venture or project would help you find multiple growth opportunities and discover your potential customers. It would also increase your brand’s popularity, audience base, revenue generation, and sales.
You can either start directly with a mobile application or turn your website into a mobile-friendly app.
Any website can be converted into an app. But, one website platform that should definitely be converted into an app is WordPress.
As of now, WordPress powers around 455 million websites on the internet.
The number is so massive that all these sites, when converted to an app, would create a vast ecosystem of convenience and profits on all the ends. All you have to do is to hire WordPress developers for converting your WordPress website into a mobile application.
The benefits of converting your WordPress site into a mobile app are not limited to the one mentioned- above. There’s a lot more to it.
Therefore, we will discover all the details about converting your WordPress site into a mobile application in this article.
Let’s hit it off with a deeper understanding of the need to convert a WordPress site into a mobile app.
Why should you convert your WordPress site into a mobile app?
The digital revolution has made people live an online life. They wish for everything to be there online.
And WordPress has managed to fulfill that wish of people by powering a substantial number of websites worldwide. It has become the most famous and powerful Content Management System (CMS). The sites, too, are flourishing with the foundation of WordPress.
So, the question that now arises is, if yours or anybody’s WordPress site is doing well as a website, why is there a need to convert it into an app?
The answer to the same is a realization!
You need to realize that people are growing so impatient that they want everything smoothly at just a click. And mobile applications offer a more friendly and delightful experience to the user than a website. This is one of the significant reasons for converting your WordPress site into an app.
And then, WordPress gets 20 Billion page views every month, along with over 400 Million viewers on blogs monthly. This counts for an enormous amount of traffic.
With such a bulk of people using WordPress, you, taking your project on this platform and then making it more friendly for the users with an app, indeed sounds like a magnificent idea!
You must be wondering that a responsive website would be a better idea than taking up all the trouble to build an app.
But let me tell you if this thought crosses your mind, you better go for an app.
Let’s see why!
Responsive Website vs. Mobile Applications
Let us start with what came first, i.e., websites.
A responsive website is similar to other websites that use HTML pages and can be accessed using any browser.
However, what differentiates both from each other is that a regular website is developed to be viewed on the desktop. In contrast, a responsive website is designed in a manner that would fit the smaller screens of mobile phones and tablets.
Responsive websites are based on CSS media queries, which allows them to fit the content into any screen. The drawback here is that these queries make the site take a little longer to load or download.
Nonetheless, responsive websites could be a good option for your business’ needs.
Now arrives the mobile applications.
If you want your business to keep blooming in the future, then a mobile app is your need because they are the future!
A mobile application is a software developed using various suitable languages that can be installed on a mobile phone or a tablet. They get along well with different operating systems, out of which the most famous ones are iOS, Android, and Windows.
Mobile apps work differently in comparison to responsive websites by providing a unique user experience. They not only attract new or occasional users but also maintain your existing or regular users very proficiently. A well-designed app possesses the ability to achieve all the goals in a few taps and scrolls.
So, we can say that both responsive websites and mobile apps benefit us differently.
However, mobile apps carve a long way into the future.
As stated over Medium.com, there are a bunch of astonishing UI designs available to choose from.
Meanwhile, let’s take a look at a few significant points that make mobile apps worth giving a shot over responsive websites:
Personalized Experience:
Mobile Apps offer users a tailored experience based on their interests, location, usage behavior, etc.
Send Notifications With Ease:
The notifications can be divided into two types: in-app and push notifications. They act as an effective alternative of communication rather than untimely bothering the user.
Extensive Features Availability:
Mobile apps let users enjoy multiple features at a single platform, including camera, GPS, phone calls, entertainment, etc. It offers the user a whole new interactive and exciting encounter.
Offline Accessibility:
This calls for one of the best parts. Not entirely, but apps do perform some tasks and offer basic functionality in offline mode.
Design on Your Terms:
Mobile apps can be equipped with a lot of functions like and advanced gestures like tap, swipe, drag, etc. There are not many restrictions on design.
Whole New Experience:
Being developed differently from a website, mobile apps offer a new experience with more functionalities. You can experiment with different styles.
Advantage of Users’ Usage:
The users seem to use the apps and spend more time on them than on websites. Having a mobile app in such a situation is hugely profiting.
Improved Conversions:
Mobile apps can be a great way to enhance conversions by pushing users to the conversion funnel. Both top-of-the-funnel (ToFu) and bottom-of-the-funnel (BoFu) users can be acquired.
According to Hackernoon.com, with some investment of effort, mobile app conversion rates can be improved.
Presence of the Brand:
Apps stay in a users’ phones till they keep them. They encounter these apps almost daily while going through their phones. This daily encounter creates a substantial presence of your brand in their minds. They remember the brand associated with the app.
Fast Performers:
Apps perform faster than a website. Unlike websites that store their data on the web-servers, the apps store it on the person’s device. This makes data retrieval a lot quicker.
All these reasons justify why a mobile app is better than a responsive website. Now, let’s understand the methods to convert a WordPress site into a mobile app.
How can you convert a WordPress site into a Mobile App?
When something is so great, there can’t be just one way to achieve it!
There are always multiple doors; the choice is yours as per your needs and priorities. While you can hire a WordPress coder (the best way), even they can convert a WordPress site into a mobile app using different methods.
The ones mentioned-below are, however, the most accessible and preferred ones.
1. Work With a Mobile Application Development Company to Convert your WordPress Site into an App
2. Convert Using Mobile App Development Frameworks
3. The DIY Solution – Use the Best Plugins to Convert
Let’s look at each one of them one by one to grasp advanced knowledge.
Mobile Application Development Company for WordPress Site Conversion
A mobile application with top-notch quality in terms of the user interface, performance, and speed grabs more of users’ attention.
And promising exactly similar development, there are a plethora of mobile app development agencies out there.
But, you don’t need many. You need just one right agency that would help you represent your business with a reliable, flexible, and desired app.
The question that now needs to be noticed is how to determine if a particular company is the right one?
Here are a few tips you should keep in mind before starting to look for the most suitable mobile application development agency for your business or purpose.
Look for Reviews and Feedback: It is one of the best ways of knowing about a company. Going through a company’s previous and current clients’ feedback and reviews would tell you how good and useful a particular company is. Count the experience too!
Security of Your Idea: Ensure that an agency has a strict policy against the disclosure of your app’s idea or content. You certainly don’t want a copy of your app with another name!
Gather Regular Updates: You need to check for how your app’s development process is going. Find one who would assure you to offer details about every stage.
Testing Methods: This one is vital to keep the user’s interest maintained. Verify if a company uses the latest and quality assurance and testing measures for a bug and error-free product.
The DZone.com suggests that there are some significant testing trends that can assist with mobile app testing.
Convert WordPress Site To a Mobile App Using Frameworks
Ever wondered what’s behind that intrigue application that you see every day?
It’s a framework!
A framework is a set of programs that are used to develop an application. This set of pre-written code libraries is used by the developers to build apps for you.
Let us now take a look at such top frameworks that would help you convert your WordPress site into a mobile app.
Native Mobile App Development
Native mobile app development is specific about developing an application for a particular platform. Here are the best-known options for both iOS and Android app development.
Java
Java made its presence in 1995 and, by the time, turned into one of the most popular languages. It is ideal for Android mobile app development. Developers in significant numbers worldwide are now using it. Its ability to compile source code to bytecode can be considered as one of its most remarkable features.
Key Elements:
- An object-oriented and dynamic programming language
- IDEs such as Netbeans, Eclipse, etc. available for Java
- Safe and secure for app development
- Proven compatibility with all platforms
- Clear syntax
Swift
Having started with development in 2010 by Chris Lattner in collaboration with many other Apple programmers, Swift made its debut in 2014. It is a multi-paradigm, rapid, type-safe, dynamic coding language that helps with the development of iOS apps.
Its proficient tools, along with extensive documentation, work as a boon for the iOS developers. The development process with Swift becomes highly exciting.
Key Elements:
- A wonderful open-source platform
- Easy readability of codes
- Code maintenance is simple
- Allows rapid development
- Availability of dynamic Libraries
Cross-Platform Mobile App Development
The cross-platform app development is associated with developing applications for multiple platforms using a single code. They support the development of both Android and iOS. Here are the top frameworks for cross-platform app development:
Ionic
Ionic is an open-source HTML5 development framework for mobile app development. It allows developers to use some useful UI components while designing, which include forms, filters, action sheets, list views, tab bars, navigation, etc. Ionic supports all platforms like Android, iOS, or Windows to build interactive hybrid, PWA (Progressive Web Applications), and cross-platform applications further.
Key Elements:
- Ionic possesses intuitive UI components
- The development time is faster
- It is quite a powerful development platform with the flexibility
- A strong community of 5 Million people
- Offers Full control over app development
PhoneGap
PhoneGap, also known as Apache Cordova, is used widely for developing apps that can be installed as a native app across multiple devices. It uses HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript for cross-platform development. Being an open-source desktop application, it makes linking the apps to mobile devices possible. It also supports inbuilt device features like GPS, Camera, Phonebook, Storage, etc.
In the opinion of GoodFirms.co, PhoneGap can really make a difference.
Key Elements:
- PhoneGap is an open-source framework
- It offers absolute flexibility
- Compatible with all platforms
- Development becomes easier
- The backend is considerably strong
Xamarin
Xamarin is .Net based and is one of the most popular and preferred mobile app development frameworks. It is a native platform that has been introduced by Microsoft. The advantage of Xamarin being a cross-platform and open source app building platform is that it offers a development ecosystem with backend, API, components, and much more. With a robust community of developers, this framework is just growing stronger with every passing day.
Key Elements:
- Incredible backend infrastructure
- Diagnostic tools are there
- Application loader
- Android SDK manager
- Easier API Integration
- Google emulator manager
- A community of around 60,000 people
React Native
Introduced by Facebook in 2015, React Native is the best JavaScript library for developing native applications. It offers support for all sorts of devices and platforms. React Native made developing high-performance apps a lot faster and easier for developers.
The use of a single codebase across different platforms made creating platform-specific versions of various components feasible.
Key Elements:
- It is compatible third-party plugins as well
- There is a declarative API for predictive UI
- Low-code
- It supports both iOS and Android
- Deals with JSX
As per dave Blog there is an efficient solution to enable .jsx files in React Native properly.
Corona
Corona is a cross-platform and open-source development framework perfect for developing applications as quickly as you want. You can build mobile apps and games for both mobile devices and desktops. You can create a single application and publish it to multiple platforms like Apple’s iPhone and iPad, Android phones and tablets, Amazon Fire, Mac Desktop, Windows Desktop, Connected TVs such as Apple TV, and Fire TV and Android TV and much more. Its OpenGL graphics let apps perform much better.
Key Elements:
- Corona offers powerful API support which helps in integrating with any native library
- It is a Lua-based platform
- There are multiple plugins for every need
- It has a strong & lightweight scripting language
- The development process is faster
Above are some top-picks, there are more frameworks available for mobile app development. The Analytics India Magazine shares a list of more available frameworks in the mark
Best Plugins to Convert WordPress Site to Mobile App
WordPress plugins are like small software that allow you to add more features and functionalities to your WordPress website. They combine and run over the WordPress software.
As of now, there are around 55,000 plugins in the WordPress Plugin Directory, and many are available from third-party platforms.
Let’s take a look at some of the best plugins that would help you with converting your WordPress site into an app.
AppPresser
The development becomes very flexible and smooth with the AppPresser plugin. You can create your desired mobile app from the website using its committed WordPress mobile theme.
If the dilemma of not paying much yet getting something with great potential is bothering you, then AppPresser is precisely what you need.
Key Elements:
- Design navigation function as tabs or pull-out menu
- Create custom pages
- Initiate push notification
- Extension compatibility
Don’t worry if you struggle to understand it. You can always hire a WordPress programmer to carry out your development task effectively.
MobiLoud
The plugin is known as Mobile App Canvas, which has been created by MobiLoud. It not just makes you develop a high-performing mobile app but also allows you to launch it on multiple app stores.
Consider it the best option if your need is more for a native mobile app. It enables you to proceed with your existing theme rather than creating a separate one. Also, the flexibility with choosing themes is an additional advantage.
Key Elements:
- There is a fantastic spectrum of themes with this plugin
- Customize themes with the WordPress Customizer
- Content updates are done automatically
- Push notifications
- Compatibility with all platforms
- Complete control over development
Androapp
It’s more suitable in situations where your platform is more content-oriented.
For example, a blog or a news platform.
Androapp plugin takes up your content or feed and converts it into a mobile-friendly layout. And the result you then see is almost similar to that of a responsive website.
Key Elements:
- You can save content offline
- Zoom the images
- Scroll infinitely
- Choose a suitable and custom theme and colors
- Send as many push notifications as you wish
- Deep linking (highlighting different pages of your app) is possible
- Supports multiple platforms
WPApp.Ninja
The WPApp.Ninja plugin allows you to develop a mobile application or a PWA (Progressive Web Application) for your WordPress website. You can also use WPApp.Ninja plugin to set up the app and configure it within the WordPress admin area.
Key Elements:
- Availability of tools to add more features like app icons, colors, buttons, etc.
- Support for offline content
- In-built caching can is an advantage
- Compatibility with other plugins is great
Blappsta
Blappsta is an excellent plugin that is compatible with all platforms.
It has a unique feature known as ‘Blappsta Preview.’ This feature lets you first carry out an experiment, test it, and make it live in the end.
You would be able to see, i.e., preview your mobile app before making it live.
Key Elements:
- Push notifications feature
- Deep linking indexing for Google
- Sharing on different social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter can be carried out
- On app content organization with complete flexibility
- Desired functioning of the app post development
According to buildfire, there are more plugins and mobile app designs that can be used.
The Final Words
We cannot deny the fact that the information above was highly detailed.
Mobile app development is not going anywhere in the coming years. All it can be expected to achieve in terms of movement is rising from one level to another higher level. The innovations and advancements in this domain will keep running to come up with something even better than before.
On the one hand, finding the right mobile application development agency is like a blessing. It would ease all your trouble that you may experience during the development process and take the entire responsibility on itself.
On the other hand, there are so many astounding frameworks that allow you to try your hands and skills on the aspired purpose. Their features are so remarkable that the existence of something like them almost seems beyond belief. But they are here for you to initiate some excellent developments.
And then, how can we forget the plugins?
They are the simplified solutions to all your complex development problems. There is a plugin for every requirement. All you need to do is recognize your requirements and then find the most suitable match.
So, now, in the end, have you been able to decide which way out of all suits you?
Don’t worry if you still have not concluded. It’s not a task for one day.
Take your time and jot down your concerns. Commit to thorough market research, and then come back to this information to analyze what way could be the best way to convert your WordPress site into a mobile app.
