Is there an SEO (backlink) benefit to publishing an iphone app to support your site?

[juliemarg]

This post is deleted!

[ChaseFleming]

An iPhone app won't help you rank better for a phrase like "A Marshmallow World lyrics." This is done through a combination of factors, such as social metrics, link building, on page optimization, the list goes on and on. An iPhone app would generally just be useful for people using their mobile devices to view your site with more ease. This may alter your rankings in the sense that it could increase time on site and lower your bounce rate. All these things play into better rankings.

[EricaMcGillivray]

If rankings are your motivation, you're better off optimizing your site for mobile using media queries and getting more hits that way than building an app. I'd definitely measure your mobile traffic to see if the effort is even worth it for your customers. Personally, unless the app is doing something beyond displaying your site with all the features it normally has, I don't think there's any reason to create an app, and I think a lot of people have gone a little app crazy with mobile tech.