Last updated - December 20, 2022
In this modern day and age, almost half of the world’s population owns a smartphone, and expect this number to rise in the coming years. So, we will discuss some tips to convert a WordPress Site into a mobile app.
Mobile device users can access the Internet to browse, play games, and communicate with other people. And because of this, most webmasters have turned to creating mobile-friendly sites. These are websites that can adapt to smaller devices like smartphones and tablets to give their visitors a better experience.
But there’s also another option for websites to become well-adapted to smartphones – by converting them into mobile apps. Like any other app, users can download and install a mobile web app onto their devices.
Mobile web apps have advantages like providing better user personalization options, in-app and push notifications, and the ability for users to access them offline.
If you think that creating a mobile app for your WordPress website is too difficult, here are some tips and tricks for you to begin your conversion.
Tips and Tricks on WordPress Site to Mobile App Conversion
1. Utilize WordPress Plugins
WordPress has a lot of plugins you can use to add amazing features to your website. If you’re unaware, there are also plugins to convert WordPress websites to mobile apps. This is also the best option for webmasters who’re only starting out and who don’t have a web development team.
Here are some of the plugins to convert your WordPress site to a mobile app.
Web to Application
Web to Application (web2application) is easy to use with tons of features to offer. You can download the free plugin from WordPress and you can also pay additional costs or subscribe for more options.
AppPresser
Unlike the first plugin, you can download the plugin from WordPress but you’ll need to purchase an AppPresser plan from their website before you can use it. One good thing about this plugin is that they offer budget-friendly plans.
AndroApp
For a more budget-friendly option, AndroApp is a good choice. Using the plugin is free for the first month. Then, you’ll only need to pay $66 annually to continue using the plugin. However, you can only convert your WordPress site to an app for Android devices. You can download the AndroApp plugin from WordPress.org.
2. Use External Software for a More In-Depth and Meticulous Site App Conversion
If you’re literate in coding and programming, you can use software and tools to make a detailed mobile web app. This gives you more options for adding features to your web app that are not available with plugins.
Here are some examples of external tools you can use with your WordPress site.
PhoneGap Desktop and CLI
PhoneGap is a product by Adobe. It’s an open-source framework for developing fast and easy-to-use mobile apps using CSS, Javascript, and HTML. It’s free to download and use.
Ionic Framework
Ionic Framework is an open-source software development kit for mobile app building. You’ll be using a mixture of native and web codes. This is an extensive tool that’ll give you a lot of options to create a one-of-a-kind web app.
3. Invest in Hiring WordPress Development Professionals
Webmasters tend to have too many tasks. Content creation, website management, and marketing are too much to handle for a single person. That’s why hiring professional developers is a great step to success in creating a mobile web app.
First, they’re more knowledgeable about website and app development. You can be sure that a reliable developer will deliver great output.
Second, you can focus more on important and urgent tasks. If you’re still going to learn the process of website-to-app conversion, you’ll become less productive and efficient. People in business use tools like Slack and Spike mobile apps as recommended by Joy of Android to increase productivity and efficiency. And this is no different from hiring a professional to create your mobile web app. Someone who already knows what to do can do it faster and easier with better results.
4. Make Your Mobile Web App Easy to Navigate
When creating a mobile web app, put yourself in your visitor’s shoes. Learn about people’s behavior in using apps and visiting sites to create a web app that’s easy to navigate.
All the amazing features you’ll include will go to waste if users will have a hard time using your web app. Make sure to use legible font sizes and faces. Also, navigational tabs and dropdown menus (including second and third-level dropdown menus) will make your app easier to use.
Always put labels on necessary buttons or use buttons with applicable images. This will help users know what they’re for.
5. Spend Time for the Perfect Design
The design is as important as the content. Take your time and don’t rush this part. People will be drawn to clean-looking apps with high-quality images and animations. Avoid eye-popping colors throughout the app’s interface that can strain the users’ eyes.
Use light backgrounds with dark texts and vice versa. This will ensure that the content of your app is easy-to-read.
The design of your app should be coherent with your website. For example, if your web app consists of content related to childcare and parenting, a dark, eerie design is not the best choice. Instead, go for lighter, child-related designs.
6. Don’t Launch Without Testing It Out
When you’re finally done with building your web app, don’t forget to test it out before launching it. This is one of the crucial steps in creating an app.
There are many ways to test out your apps. You can hire professional app testers to conduct beta tests. You’ll need to pay them for their services.
One free way to test your mobile web app is by letting people you know personally to try it out. Ask for their honest feedback on your mobile web app. You can also join testing communities where web and mobile app developers can try your mobile web app for free.
You can also use mobile app testing tools like Froglogic’s Squish and TestingBot. Most of these tools would require payment, but some of them offer free trials.
Conclusion
Converting a WordPress site to a mobile web app is not as hard as you think. With the right tools and enough knowledge that you can acquire by researching and learning, you can create a web app easily.
If you fail on your first attempt, don’t get discouraged. Creating an app involves trial and error. You’ll likely fail on your first few tries. But there’s always room for improvement. Join communities and ask for help if needed to successfully convert your WordPress website to a fully-functional mobile web app.
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