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Ask HN: Website vs. mobile app for conference goers

by galazzah on 8/18/16, 6:13 PM with 3 comments

I'm part of an organization that is planning to host a conference in a couple of months. We want to use either a website or mobile app to show schedules, lecture locations, etc. What are some reasons to take one over the other?

  • by SyneRyder on 8/18/16, 6:58 PM

    Definitely do a website first. If you want to promote your conference, it will be easier for people to share a link to your website, rather than to your mobile app. Also, everyone who can run a mobile app can visit your website, but not everyone who can visit your site (eg desktop users) can run your app.

    A mobile app is a great idea, but it should be a bonus feature for attendees, after you've got the website fixed.

    [Side note: I run a tiny website promoting a certain niche of conferences - I'm less likely to promote a mobile app in my email newsletter, because I'd feel an obligation to test your app first before linking to it & recommending it. A website is easy for me to check & verify & monitor for updates.]

  • by niftich on 8/18/16, 6:19 PM

    Mobile app pros and opportunities:

    - Integration into phone calendar, contacts, etc.

    - Integration into share/intent features offered by platform

    - Offline capability

    - Homescreen presence

    Website pros and opportunities:

    - Public linkability, shareability of events, schedules, homepage (... in all likelihood you have a conference website anyway)

    - No need to develop for different platforms

    - No need for user to download an app

    The drawbacks are implies by contrasting with the other.

  • by tmaly on 8/18/16, 6:24 PM

    with HTML5 you can make a very nice mobile site.

    I think the biggest pro to a website is that people do not have to install an app to use it.