Developing software to engage with your customer base is challenging. Knowing how to best spend your dollars developing content that will help and retain consumer interest can be difficult, especially in today’s rapidly changing mobile environment. Creating a website and waiting for traffic to appear is no longer a strategy that guarantees success. The introduction of Progressive Web Applications (PWAs) may begin to shift the web’s marketing power back in your favor.
While cross-platform development costs a lot of time and money, PWAs allow you to develop cross-platform compatible applications with a single code base. In addition, PWAs utilize a development approach that allows them to work on any smartphone. When over half of all business on the internet is conducted on smartphones, you must plan a cross-platform strategy or fall behind your competitors.
PWAs are flexible; they allow you to widen the reach of your website marketing circle or be used as a comprehensive part of a cross-platform strategy. But what are PWAs, how do they differ from mobile websites, and how can they benefit your business?
What are Progressive Web Applications?
A Progressive Web Application is an application and website hybrid. You can run it on a browser without it needing to be downloaded from a store. It contains web pages but mimics the interface of a mobile application.
These applications only need to be developed once but work everywhere. The same code that allows it to work on a laptop or desktop also will enable it to work on a smartphone without losing any functionality. A user doesn’t have to download a PWA to their phone, increasing the chance that they will use it, and they still have an option to create a shortcut to it on their opening screen.
But, what are the benefits of a PWA over a native application or a proper hybrid application?
What are the Benefits of Progressive Web Applications?
There are several benefits to using a PWA over a hybrid or native application:
Functionality
A PWA uses the same code that a web page does. Although you get the benefits of a web page (running it from a browser without downloading it), it functions like a native application allowing the use of the smartphone’s camera, GPS, Etc. It has all the power of a web page but acts as a regular application for the user.
Progressive
PWAs work on older devices and outdated browsers and adapt to the screen resolution the customer is using. Thus, PWAs don’t require expenditure on new technology from the user’s point of view.
User Engagement
Although mobile users continue to increase, mobile websites don’t do a good job of keeping most users engaged. The average bounce rate is 42 percent lower for a PWA than a mobile website. Companies using a PWA recorded up to an 80 percent increase in application use, 154 percent overall increase in engagement, and 88 percent faster app load time. Thus, with increased attention comes more marketing opportunities.
Increased Conversions
Customer engagement and sales conversions go hand in hand. PWAs work better with social media than native apps, allowing you to get more eyes on your company and, in turn, more sales. PWAs are proven to increase conversions, and, in fact, Google states that a PWA increases conversions by 52 percent.
More conversions mean a higher ROI. PWAs are easier for users to install than a traditional application and can frequently be completed as a seamless chain of actions for the users accessing your site.
Secure and Efficient
Native apps can have security breaches that expose the users to hackers. PWAs use HTTPS to protect users as securely as a web page. Furthermore, just like a web page, any updates needed for PWAs are downloaded promptly. Along with offline access, PWAs are more efficient than just using websites alone.
Speed
Consumer attention spans are brief, and loading times matter. PWA loading times are faster than native apps and, in some cases, even beat website loading times. Your clients can also find PWAs using the search engine of their choice, making it easier to find your product.
How Entrance Consulting Can Help
Entrance Consulting is the most trusted software consulting and development company in North America. If you’re wondering whether PWAs can help your business, contact us and let’s talk about app development that meets your business needs.