A recent Think with Google article suggests that “app versus mobile web” arguments should be consigned the recycle bin and that brands need to start thinking how these two “unique” formats can work together.

One headwind in the app world is that consumers need to make a conscious decision to download an app, unlike the mobile web which appears on a smartphone screen spontaneously. A recent study from IdeaWorks into airline apps found that many of the leading carriers were not actively promoting apps to consumers, with the report noting that “the hotel industry seems very eager to encourage downloads with bonus point offers tied to frequent guest programs.”

Mobile web appears to be the way to foster a deeper relationship with a consumer.

Google says that the mobile web can “fulfill a customer’s need to learn about, engage with, and make purchases from a brand without needing to resort to an app…”

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