It’s common knowledge at this point that businesses can benefit heavily from an online presence. According to the United States E-Commerce Country Report, there is plenty of data to safely suggest that at least 88% of consumers turn to online research before they make a purchase with a business.
With this data in mind, it makes sense that your business should have a reliable, technological presence. There are plenty of options when it comes to this category too with the two primary contesting options being standard websites and progressive web apps – PWAs, for short.
When it comes time to make a choice, it can pay off to hire a PWA development company rather than choosing a basic website. These offer extended functionality and additional benefits for consumers and, in turn, the businesses’ that run them. These are just a few reasons that your business will want to consider a PWA instead of a traditional website.
PWAs Are More Universal
According to Hosting Tribunal, mobile internet consumption has grown 504% since 2011. This is largely thanks to the growing popularity of devices like smartphones. It has also been contributed to by other innovations such as tablets and products within the internet of things.
For companies, this means that their technological branches have to accommodate these different access points. Unfortunately, websites aren’t always designed to work this way. It takes extra steps to design a website that works on a mobile platform while PWAs are generally designed to work on any device. It also helps that PWAs don’t fully rely on an internet connection to work which adds to their accessibility.
This is better for multiple reasons. For one, it attracts more consumers and keeps them on your company’s content. In addition, content that works well on multiple devices will rank higher on search engines than one that doesn’t work as well across popular platforms.
PWAs Are Reliable
No one wants to deal with the errors that can come with the use of a website. When a website crashes due to spotty internet or freezes thanks to a technical error, users are likely to leave the site for something they can depend on more.
This is another area where PWAs can come in and show off some of their benefits. They are much less prone to errors like these crashes and freezes. This makes the user experience on these programs much less frustrating.
PWAs Are Better for SEO
Search engine optimization is important because the higher a company ranks within a set of search results, the more online traffic they’ll get. In general, PWAs are recognized the same way websites are by search engine algorithms but it’s their performance that makes them stand out. More responsive and engaging websites promote higher rankings.
PWAs Have App Functionality
When comparing mobile apps and PWAs, some critics highlight that apps offer a visual reminder to users with their visible icon. This is a critique that is often brought up in reference to mobile apps vs. websites as well.
In this area, however, PWAs do hold a level of functionality that gives them an advantage over the standard website. While they may not be “downloaded” in the same way that apps are, they can be saved to a homepage with a visual icon which, at a cursory glance, isn’t too unlike the basic visual cue that keeps an app in a consumer’s periphery. PWAs can also incorporate the features of mobile devices such as push notifications, the use of cameras, location functions, and more.
PWAs Are Happy Mediums
When it comes to tech debates for companies, the idea of websites vs. apps comes to mind almost immediately. PWAs serve as an option that plays on the strengths of both of these options while at the same time working to address their limitations.
All in all, progressive web apps have a lot to offer in comparison to a standard website. They often load faster and perform more reliably. They also offer extended functionality when it comes to incorporating aspects of mobile devices. Users can even depend on PWAs when they don’t have a steady internet connection. PWAs hold the potential to be the next technological step for businesses stepping into the online realm.