What’s the Difference Between Web Application Development and Custom Web Development?

Doing business in this modern-day digital era has become a lot more interesting but also quite challenging. While the internet has opened many doors and changed how marketing is done and businesses are run, all these options can be a bit overwhelming. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the definitions of custom web development and B2B web app development.

Although creating websites has become simple thanks to WordPress and similar software and platforms, you should have a professionally-created website that truly represents your company.

One thing that many B2B companies may struggle with is deciding whether they want a custom website for their business, or whether they should go with a web application.

But quickly…

What Is a Website?

Without getting too technical, a website is a set of interlinked web pages that can be accessed universally. These pages are all under one domain name and typically contain information in text, image, or video form.

For the most part, there isn’t much that website visitors can interact with, except buttons that let them move from one page to another or play a sound or video. There can be forms as well, where visitors will input data such as their names and email addresses.

E-commerce websites have a few extra features that make it possible for visitors to buy products.

Other than that, there isn’t much for a visitor to do other than scroll through the information provided.

Although websites on their own are awesome for achieving business goals such as showing off products or attracting attention to services, they can be limited when it comes to improved engagement and interactivity.

That’s where custom web development, or web app development, comes in. So, what are we talking about here? Let’s find out!

What Is Custom Web Development?

Custom web development is an important factor for many businesses, from young startups to well-established ones. Having a custom website is far more desirable than a static one. There is so much more you can do with it.

Customization is a lot more effective and easy with a custom website than you would be able to enjoy with a static or semi-custom website.

Using code and tools to create the website you have in mind is highly beneficial to companies. This can give them an edge over their competition.

Why Go For Custom Web Development?

With custom web development, you can make your website, and by extension, your company, stand out from the competition. Customization also allows you to turn a static, boring, website into something more exciting and engaging with the help of advanced tools and optimized coding.

As a business, it’s only natural that you want a one-of-a-kind website that can introduce your brand and products to your visitors in a natural way. You can’t really do that with a template or limited web development source like WordPress. Sure, you can use plugins, but they can make your pages load a lot slower, negatively affecting the user experience.

If you need a complex website, templates will be your enemy. You can’t add unique features or functionalities only for use by your business because they don’t exist. However, with a custom-built website, every idea you have can be implemented (within reason, of course).

Another element that makes custom web development stand out to businesses is brand identity. Your brand is unique and you need a website that reflects your brand’s personality and can resonate with your audience. If you have a cookie-cutter website, there’s nothing really unique to present to visitors.

SEO is also a factor to remember. Websites built on templates don’t always have good SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to offer, and when they do, it’s rather inferior. As a result, your website might not perform as well as you would have hoped, and may not even show up on the first few search engine result pages.

With custom web development, you’re able to create a website that is highly optimized and you’ll be better equipped to measure your SEO performance too.

Also, custom-made websites tend to be a lot more secure and safe than WordPress sites and those like them.

What is a Web Application Development?

Web applications are actually just really interactive web pages. These pages let users add inputs to get data in many different ways through interactions. They can be similar to other apps. The biggest benefit of web applications is that they are stored on the internet. This means they can be accessed on browsers.

The most famous web app is Google Docs. Google Docs lets you create documents and save them on your Google Drive account or your computer. You can also share them, print them, and download them in different formats (PDF, EPUB, DOCX, etc). Netflix is also an example of a web application.

Because web applications are run on web browsers and supported by most of the existing browsers, they are super convenient. New updates can be released without requiring a manual update or installation by anyone using the application.

Keeping data safe and secure is also much easier with web applications. They’re simple to back up in case something goes wrong.

Generally, web apps are most popular with B2B companies and E-commerce stores. Businesses use web application development to create something innovative and interesting that is unique but also easy to use.

Although there are many good CRM software options and ERP systems, having your own web app to keep your business running smoothly is much more preferred. If you need to interact with your customers in real-time, you will also benefit from using a web application that has chat features and API integrations.

Web applications are highly beneficial for B2B businesses because they’re not platform-specific and you won’t have to rebuild them for each platform your customers use. Maintaining them is also a lot easier than normal apps, and they’re amazing for customized user experiences.

The only real drawback businesses face with web application development is that they’re not as easy to build unless you have the right knowledge. You may have to hire a B2B web design agency with related experience in creating top-notch web applications if you want a reliable and well-planned app.

Do B2B Web App Development the Right Way With GoingClear

Now that you have more information about custom web development and web app development, you can start planning your own custom website or web app.  This includes the unique features you want for it. Your imagination and innovation can lead to a brilliant experience for your online visitors.

Of course, actually bringing those ideas to life can be easier said than done. However, our team of dedicated professionals with design, development, marketing, and strategic services experience can help you. Contact us today to find out what we can do for your business!