With over 60% of searches happening on mobile devices, consumers increasingly rely on their mobile devices for search and to complete transactions. Progressive Web App (PWA) is a key new technology to create an app like mobile experience, to drive user interaction, and boost conversions. Here are some key must-knows about PWA technology and what benefits it could bring to your business.
Key Features of Progressive Web Apps
- App-like functionality: A PWA-enabled mobile site acts and behaves like a mobile app. Users can “install” the site on their home screen and access it as they do any other app. Because the website is downloaded to the user’s device, it loads instantly and provides an engaging full-screen experience that feels like an app. In fact, PWA-enabled sites often load in under 1 second.
- Offline access: PWA mobile sites are stored locally on the phone, which means that a user can access your site’s functionality even when they are offline or connectivity is poor. They can add items to a shopping cart, fill out forms etc. They only need to be connected to transmit the information back to your site. This translates into higher engagement and conversion. Early adopters of PWA have seen conversion rates improve on iOS by as high as 82% and across browsers by over 100%2.
- Faster speed: PWA can provide boosts to browsing speed which can benefit your SEO scores and provides increased consumer engagement, satisfaction, and retention.
- User notifications: With PWA your website can send notifications to users. For example, a bank could send notifications about special offers on bank products, hotels could broadcast special discounts for on-property outlets like restaurants, and a retailer could provide notifications of shipment information for goods purchased by the consumer.
- Better discoverability than apps: Because PWA is essentially a mobile site, it means that users can find you quickly and easily through traditional search engines.
How Would You Use Progressive Web Apps?
Hotels | Restaurants | Banks | Retailers
- Benefits of an app – without the cost: Developing a mobile app provides great benefits to the consumer and the business, but is very expensive and can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars. PWA allows a business to leverage content already available in a new, lightweight experience.
- Incredible mobile experience: Because of the sheer speed of PWA, consumers benefit from a faster site and a more engaging experience and this leads directly to greater conversions.
- Get found quickly and easily: Leveraging search with PWA allows you to avoid the two-step problem of a user finding your site and clicking on a “download app” link – only to then be lost in an “app store.” With PWA your users download their app-like experience directly from your site.
- A new marketing channel: Using notifications, a business can provide an exceptional on-property experience by sending special offers and relevant information to hotel guests, shoppers and store visitors that are logged into the complimentary WiFi channels.
Progressive Web Apps are the new generation of mobile sites that provide an app-like experience that enhance search, user engagement, and conversion.
Milestone is making significant advancements for our clients on multiple fronts including mobile technologies such as Progressive Web Apps, Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), and Mobile-First Designs that create an app like experience and increase conversion. To find out about our initiatives, please contact us at (408) 492-9055 or at [email protected].
