At the end of the day you need to know your customers. If they aren’t using apps, then why invest the funds there. Improve your website and its useability instead.

I agree that the iPhone cannot be ignored. My point is more to state that a mobile site should come first.

I think your service fits in very well with the App market, as it is technically a tool. A tool that gives jobseekers access to a large number of jobs boards. So rather than downloading individual Apps for each board, jobseekers can just download yours. In my blog I mentioned that online businesses should consider having a public API, as 3rd parties (you) could essentially create an application that plugs into their data… If all recruitment sites offered this it would certainly make your life easier.

By you building an application, individual jobsites don’t need to. However what they should do, is improve the experience for its user when they are brought from your app to their website. (Because realisticly you cannot take them from your app to theirs…Which is another limitation of the App)

My next blog will discuss the importance of an API, so if there is anything you feel I should raise let me know.

Many thanks,
Darren

But there are some facts which must not be ignored.
1. AppStore / iTunes has over 100m users.
2. AppStore is a marketing channel. Many clients we work with receive significant downloads due to users search for apps to help them look for a new job.
3. Case studies with our clients illustrate significant uplift in M-Site use after launching an App in AppStore.
4. There are many mobile devices, 2009 sales for iPhone were smaller than Blackberry, and a lot smaller than Symbian phones (mainly Nokia). But 2 in 3 mobile web visits are from an iPhone. YES 20% of the market generate 66% of the traffic.
5. Opera Mini is now out on Blackberry and Android, it might increase none iPhone based mobile browsing.
6. If trends continue 2010 will see iPhone outsell Blackberry.
7. Apple will release iPhone 4G later this year.
8. Apps can be used to build a deeper relationship with the user.

My point is that it is NOT enough to sit back after releasing an M-Site with a satisfied feeling that you are providing for your mobile users.
The very next day you should be working / buying an iPhone App. Why? Because you will double / treble your mobile user base, you will be in the AppStore marketing channel and with latest Push and Loction techniques you will have a deeper richer UX.

We support major UK job boards with Mobile, we are currently working on a Google App, and next will be Blackberry.

But I do think a business needs an App. Some research companies suggested the marketplace of Mobile App is predicted to be worth around £12 billion by 2012 (http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/mobile_app_marketplace_175_billion_by_2012.php).

The number of mobile app downloads will have also grown to nearly 50 billion from just over 7 billion in 2009.

For that reason, a business can not miss the opportunity to reach their audiences in mobile app space.

Also, for psycho-graphic reason, the buzz that mobile app generated, made me feel left-behind that I am not an iPhone user!!!!