"I want an app for my shop." Many conversations start this way. But once we dig into the goal, what the owner really needs is often a landing page for ads, or a website that customers can find on Google.
A wrong choice costs not only the build, but also the time spent running something that brings no customers. This post explains the four common options so you can pick the right one for your business.
The four options at a glance
1. Landing page: one page, one goal
A landing page is a single web page focused on persuading visitors to do exactly one thing: leave a phone number, request a consultation, buy one product or register for an event.
- Good for: Facebook, Google or TikTok ads for a specific product or campaign; launching a new product; collecting leads.
- Not good for: businesses with many services or products, or that need to be found on Google long term.
2. Website: your business's home online
A website has many pages: about, services, products, projects, news, contact. It is where customers check your credibility before working with you, and your main channel for being found on Google.
- Good for: company profiles, portfolios, online stores with many products, publishing articles that bring in search traffic.
- Note: a website needs regular updates. One left untouched for years hurts your credibility instead of helping it.
3. Mobile app: for frequent users
An iOS and Android app installed on the customer's phone. Apps are strongest at keeping regular customers: push notifications, loyalty points, fast reordering, deep phone features.
- Good for: customers who use you weekly or daily; businesses that already have a large loyal base; products that need features the web does poorly.
- Note: it is the most time-consuming and expensive option. You maintain two platforms and wait for Apple and Google to review every update. The hardest part is convincing customers to download it.
4. Zalo Mini App: an app with nothing to install
An application that runs inside Zalo. Customers open it via a QR code, a link or your Zalo Official Account, with nothing to install and already signed in.
- Good for: when you want an app-like experience (ordering, booking, loyalty) but customers won't download an app, and they already talk to you on Zalo.
- Note: Mini Apps do not appear on Google and must follow Zalo's rules and review. Read more in What is a Zalo Mini App?
Quick comparison
Build time (typical)
- Landing page: fastest, a few days to a few weeks.
- Website: a few weeks to a few months, depending on pages and features.
- Zalo Mini App: a few weeks to a few months, plus Zalo's review time.
- Mobile app: longest, usually measured in months, plus Apple's and Google's review time.
Cost
- Typical order from low to high: landing page → website → Zalo Mini App → mobile app. A feature-rich online store can cost as much as or more than a simple Mini App.
Attracting new customers
- A website is the only one of the four that Google keeps finding long term. Landing pages can rank too, but they are mainly for ads.
- Apps and Mini Apps need you to actively bring customers in: QR codes, links, ads, customer groups.
Keeping existing customers
- Mobile apps and Zalo Mini Apps do this best, thanks to notifications, loyalty points and built-in sign-in.
- Websites and landing pages are weaker here.
Three questions to choose correctly
- What is your number one goal for the next 3 to 6 months? Collecting leads from ads: landing page. Building credibility and selling online: website. Keeping regular customers: consider an app or a Zalo Mini App.
- Where do customers find you? If they search on Google, you need a website. If they come from social media ads, a landing page is enough to start. If they already message you on Zalo, a Zalo Mini App is well worth considering.
- Do customers come back often? If they buy once or every few years (furniture, legal services, construction), you don't need an app. If they come back weekly (cafés, spas, grocery stores), an app or Mini App starts to pay off.
Common combinations
- Landing page + Zalo OA: run ads to a landing page, collect contact details, then follow up on Zalo. Low budget, fast results.
- Website first, Zalo Mini App later: the website brings new customers from Google, the Mini App keeps regulars at the store.
- Website first, mobile app later: only build an app once your website has a large enough loyal base. Don't build an app before you have customers.
Examples from real projects
- Company websites: VTPartners (legal services) and Khai Hoan Phong (M&E engineering). Customers in these fields research carefully before getting in touch, so a website is the right choice and an app is unnecessary.
- Online stores: Devoz Commerce and Elegante, with cart, checkout and order management on the web.
- In-store systems: the café management system, where customers scan a QR code at the table to order without installing an app.
- Zalo Mini App: G-Connect, community management for associations that already gather on Zalo.
Conclusion
There is no best option for every business, only the one that fits your current goal. For most small businesses, starting with a landing page or a website is the safest bet. Save the app or Zalo Mini App for when you have regular customers to keep.
See our landing page, website, app and Zalo Mini App services or past projects for more.
