If you have a learning website, it is probably mobile-responsive as well.
Apps, in contrast, bring something different to the table. They’re easily accessible to learners and provide a fast and simple way to access new content.
Websites are ideal for earning new users, but retention is hard and tedious because websites are not simply accessible. Education or LMS apps are ideal for growing a large base of learners and can grow your brand significantly.
In this article, we’ll cover how to build learning apps using simple app-building tools and why they are important.
Why are apps important for education sites?
We all are familiar with popular mobile apps offering training and learning experiences to students around the world. There is an obvious tilt in the direction of apps when it comes to online learning.
Here are a few reasons we’re seeing a growing preference for mobile learning.
1. Change in user behavior
According to Statista, by the end of 2021, there will be more than 6 billion smartphone users in the world now, which indicates that more than 80 percent of the world’s population has one. This figure has doubled since 2016.
In turn, the explosive rise of smartphone users has fueled mobile internet adoption. During the same period, desktop usage has fallen.
Today, from fitness to personal finance and insurance to entertainment, there are a couple of apps dominating each field.
All of these tools and platforms have one thing in common: they’re designed to be used again. Online learning is part of the same pyramid and enables institutions to adapt to changing user behavioral trends.
2. Need for engagement
Unlike mobile websites, apps are highly accessible and open up new doors for engagement with mechanisms like push notifications and in-app messaging.
Managing churn is a key part of growing a learning platform. Websites are comparatively inaccessible and force users to go through a browser to access new content.
Apps are available for users at the tap of a button. They’re also conducive for engagement tactics like push notifications, which make it easy for users to connect with learning resources and content whenever they wish to.
3. Earn greater ROI
It is much easier now to make a free app with tools like AppMySite. Website owners don’t need to invest a lot of resources to get an app up and running while giving their audience a wholesome interface to view your content.
By converting an eLearning website to an LMS app, you’re creating a new and lucrative revenue stream for your company with fascinating monetization potential.
With the added advantage of sustainable app development, you can expand your content distribution network with the help of mobile apps and not worry about the associated costs.
4. Brand your app more prominently
Publishing a mobile app on an app store is a greater branding coup than starting a new website.
It makes your brand appear more authoritative and reliable in the public eye, which is absolutely essential when you’re in the education sector.
An LMS app can also help generate customer loyalty by helping deliver a smooth user experience. By staying close and accessible to your users with a mobile app, you can elevate your brand image.
How to convert your website to an LMS app?
When comparing online programs to offline real-life classes, online education still has a long way to go.
Converting eLearning websites into LMS apps can make access to learning resources easier, and further accelerate the growth of online education. The following are the best practices to keep in mind when converting an eLearning site to an LMS app:
1. Choose your development method
Before getting started with development, you need to decide how you wish to develop your mobile app.
An LMS app can be tedious to develop and may require a substantial financial commitment. It is thus important to decide how you plan to create your LMS app.
One option is hiring a development agency for creating a mobile app. This can be both expensive and tedious. The other option is using an automated app-building solution to create an LMS app.
With a platform like AppMySite, you can easily convert your WordPress website to a mobile app.
2. Design your app and connect it to your website
With development out of the way, you can start creating your app on AppMySite. The first steps are key here, and they include designing your app and connecting it to your website.
Designing the app is fairly simple. You can use the design tools available to customize key app assets like your icon, launch screen, and onboarding screens. There are plenty of options available for designing your app’s home screen too.
Besides designing these elements and screens, you can also set the color theme which will be reflected across all the screens of the app.
Once the design part is done, the next step is connecting your website and app.
Adding new content to the app can be a tedious job. Ideally, syncing your website’s content to the app should do the trick.
AppMySite allows you to connect your website and app. Doing this will sync your website’s pages, posts, and other content to the app. If your course content is available in the form of custom post types,, you can sync them to your app as well.
3. Add features to make your app powerful
To offer your users more value, you can add a variety of features to your app. There are plenty of features you can choose from. Here are a few essential for your LMS app:
- Push notifications: You can enable notifications in your mobile app while creating your app build. AppMySite allows you to send and schedule unlimited notifications from within your account.
- Social login: Enabling social login will make it easier for users to sign in to the app, and help maintain app churn.
- Chat support: You can integrate your website’s chat software with your app and answer any questions potential customers might have.
- Analytics: Use Analytics to see which screens of the app are visited most often. This will help you understand your app learners better, and shape your overall content strategy.
4. Test your app thoroughly
You can see how your app looks and works through AppMySite’s mobile emulators.
You can choose a device on the Preview screen and see how your app works on different devices. These emulators enable you to see every screen of your app and see if everything is working as it should.
There is also an option to demo your app on an Android app. You can download the AppMySite app from the Play Store and preview your app in it. This way, you can see if your app is working properly on a real device.
5. Publish and promote your LMS app
When your app is ready for download, you can proceed to submit it to the app stores.
You would need to create an Apple and Google developer account to upload your app to the app stores. Once your app is live, you can start promoting it as well.
Ideally, you should start formulating your mobile app marketing strategy right at the time you start making your own app. This way, you would have a plan to put in place right at the time you go live.
In conclusion
In the field of online learning, institutions and organizations are still on the lookout for a suitable platform where they can best instruct their students and employees respectively.
Building apps with AppMySite enables you to get started with app development without worrying about coding. You can build an LMS app for your WordPress website and start offering your users content in an accessible medium.
