Progressive web applications are websites that look and function just like mobile applications. The reason they exist is to save users from the pain of having to install and manage apps. They save users from having to visit the app store, find the app, download it, and install it. If you look at PWAs from a business perspective, they can have a positive impact on your service quality and your conversions.
If you don’t have a clear idea of what Progressive Web Apps are, take a few minutes to read this blog post. In this article, I will highlight the PWA features that make it a brilliant solution for leveraging your business. Let’s not waste time, here is how PWA’s are benefiting businesses:
1) Offline Functionality (PWA’s can work offline with the help of service workers)
Internet connections can be very unstable, especially if you’re on the go. This is why the main feature of Progressive Web Apps is “Offline Functionality” and “Optimum Performance”. Offline usability is something that front-end-developers have struggled to resolve, and finally, PWA’s have come to the rescue. If you’re struggling to understand how this is possible, this has been made possible with the help of ‘Service Workers’.
Service Workers and Offline Functionality:
A Service Worker is a Javascript that works in the background (like a virtual proxy) in a different thread from the user interface. With in-depth integration to the web, they are able to perform rich data caching, background sync, and also send out push notifications.
Suppose you have an eCommerce mobile app, if a user likes a product in your store, they would probably go ahead and make a purchase. But if you’re app has speed issues or the user faces internet fluctuation, they would probably get annoyed and drop the order altogether. In this situation, if you want to make sure that your user continues to make that purchase you would need to have offline functionality. So PWA’s can help improve your user retention and the conversion rate.
2) No need for app/play store (No need to install an app, simply go to your browser, type in the URL and you will be directed to a website that looks and functions just like a native app)
Even though mobile application development agencies have developed some amazing mobile applications, users are still unwilling to go to the app store and install the app. Studies reveal that most users find it time-consuming to visit the app store, find the app, Install, and then register themselves. This means that app development companies, as well as businesses, fail to gain their desired revenue. Unwillingness to install an app is one of the reasons why users abandon mobile apps after the first use.
Progressive Apps can help businesses rectify this issue. With quality PWA’s, users no longer have to go through the pain of having to visit the app store, find, and then install the app. All they will have to do is open a browser and type in the URL and they will come across a website that looks and functions just as well as the native mobile app.
3) They look and function like native apps (work with familiarity)
Statistics prove that mobile users prefer to use mobile apps as compared to websites. Most of them have the ability to work offline, deliver friendly user experience, and provide an attractive user interface.
So if you start using Progressive Apps, you will be able to deliver an advanced user experience by combining the look and feel of a mobile app with the performance of a website. Furthermore, because PWAs look and function like native mobile apps, you will be able to create a sense of familiarity. Creating a sense of familiarity is an excellent way to market your products and services.
Take the example of Instagram, everyone is familiar with its interface, navigation, functionality, look, and feel. If you open it’s PWA, you can see that you can’t tell the website and the app apart. But if Instagram had decided to change the design and layout of their PWA, people would be really confused. No one would want to remember an entirely new set of navigational procedures. PWAs will not only remove the need to install apps, but they will also maintain an app like familiarity and more people will be willing to engage with your business.
This means that PWA’s will be more secure, have fewer bugs, be more interactive, and deliver higher performance.
4) Are high performing (PWA’s are faster than websites)
Server-Side Rendering is a technique used to improve the page load time. It is the ability of a JavaScript application to run on a server rather than the browser. By using SSR in Progressive Web Apps, you can enable your web pages to load faster even if the JavaScript is disabled.
If you’re wondering how this feature can help leverage businesses, the answer is ‘speed’. People are always looking for more speed and efficiency, the speedier your services, the more users will want to bond with your brand.
5) Higher audience reach (PWA’s are compatible with all platforms)
Progressive Web Applications have cross-platform compatibility. This means that unlike native apps progressive web apps are compatible with all types of platforms, Android, iOS, Windows, you name it. This means that developers only have to create one application to reach users on all the different platforms.
For businesses, this means a greater outreach in less time and less money.
6) Have the ability to re-engage customers
With the help of Progressive Web Apps, businesses can improve customer engagement and re-engage previous customers as well. This is why the best second line apps are essential. Just like mobile apps, PWA’s allow you to send push notification to your users so that you can keep your users coming back for more and also reengage the users that have stopped interacting with your app. The best part about PWA’s is that you can send out notifications even if the user is offline or has closed the PWA.
Take the example of Alibaba; Alibaba noticed and four-times increase in their user engagement and around 76% increase in their conversion rate.
Wrapping Up:
People are always on the lookout for new and innovative technology to improve their everyday tasks. Progressive web apps are still a fresh technology and only a few businesses have started incorporating progressive web apps in their business strategies. This means that if you start using them to leverage your business, you will have more advantage as compared to other businesses. Offline functionality, speed, quality, familiarity, greater audience, user engagement, and more conversions, no wonder big businesses have already started to use them. If you want to drive benefits that Forbes, Flipkart, and Alibaba are gaining, start using PWAs today.
Author Bio: Khloe Hunter is a Digital Marketing Executive for Appverticals an expert mobile application development company. She has expert writing skills and extensive experience in blogging as well as marketing. She loves to write about new & upcoming technology, mobile apps, web app, marketing, and business.