Apps and LINE Both Live on Your Phone. So What's the Difference?

In the smartphone era, apps and instant messaging have become an essential part of everyday life. If your brand already has an app, why do you still need a LINE Official Account? They both live on the phone, so what's the difference?

The Psychological Distance Is the Key Difference Between These Two Channels

“An app is like a membership card in your pocket. It combines all kinds of features and gives our users a rich experience. Just think: if everyone who's ever encountered our brand downloaded our own app, we'd have a direct channel to talk to customers and send them messages. How great would that be?”

That's the plan brands have in mind, and it sounds wonderful. But that's about as far as the wonderful part goes.

But Honestly, Who Wants to Download Your App?

The membership card is both the strength and the weakness. Does every customer really want to sign up as a member (download your app) the first time they meet you?

A high barrier to download, and people who download but never register: these are real situations brands run into. Not to mention the ad spend to drive downloads, the cost of app updates and maintenance, and the deeper question of how to communicate with non-members. These usually only get discussed once leadership pins a KPI on them. Putting the tool before the strategy is often the fatal flaw of pushing an app blindly.

By contrast, joining a LINE Official Account is a much lower bar: there's less psychological resistance, and it's simpler to do. Users can receive and reply to messages right on their phones and get updates from companies or brands.

And if you compare just “members” and “non-members,” non-members will almost certainly outnumber members. Giving up on the channel that reaches far more people simply isn't a smart move.

But does that mean apps have lost all their value?

The better approach, of course, is: “I want it all.”

Engaging Audiences with Different Levels of Brand Awareness Is the Main Difference Between an App and a LINE Official Account

Highly engaged users are best nurtured through the app. These customers already have a strong impression of the brand and will open and use the app regularly on their own, so messages sent through the app naturally achieve their purpose.

Users who already interact a lot with the company, or have made a significant commitment (or engage frequently), such as car owners or existing members, are the right audience for brands to reach via an app.

For prospects or users who rarely interact, though, a LINE Official Account works better as a messaging channel. The bar to join is lower, so it's easier to make real contact with customers. Compared with email or SMS, where engagement rates are < 0.1%, or an app, which is costly with unproven results, it's far more practical and useful. Think prospective car buyers or non-members.

First make sure you can reach customers efficiently, then worry about depth.

If users join both channels, brands don't need to worry about over-messaging. Multiple channels increase the chances of re-engaging users, and give the brand more opportunities to reconnect and interact repeatedly with its target audience.

Considering your brand's characteristics, and the psychological distance between each channel (tool) and your users, is the key to engaging target users effectively.

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