Everyone has heard about it, but very few really know what to do with it. In less than 5 minutes, you will be one of those people! You will learn what progressive web apps (PWA’s) are, why they will become so important in the future and why you should not miss developing your own with a PWA builder in only a few steps and for very little money.
What is a PWA?
The combination of proven technology and new implementations that work perfectly.
A progressive web app is an application that makes it possible to display Bowser content like in a native app. However, this is a mobile website that adapts to any device and feels and looks like a native app.
Let’s compare it with a native app to see the advantages
What are the fundamental differences and similarities between progressive web apps and native apps?
Native Apps
Native apps are developed and deployed exclusively for a specific operating system – Android or iOS. The well-known App Stores serve as a sales platform for these apps. Users use these to access the apps and download them to their smartphones. Creating, maintaining, and developing native apps is very expensive and time-consuming.
A major advantage of native apps, however, is the access to the hardware (camera) of the smartphone, as well as the storage of data on the device’s own memory. Native apps can be placed on the device screen. However, regular updates must be carried out via the respective App Store.
Progressive Web Apps (PWA)
Unlike native apps, Progressive Web Apps are not downloaded from an App Store. They can be found as mobile websites on the World Wide Web. They also combine the advantages of responsive websites (adaptation to the respective end device) and the other advantages of native apps.
Progressive Web Apps can be accessed via the Internet browser, and the user experiences the typical handling of a native app. They can also be used in offline mode since their contents are stored in the cache of the device, and thus all important elements are also loaded offline. So far, however, only Android supports all app functions, e.g., sending push messages to Android.
Of course, progressive web apps can also be added to the home screen of the end devices.
As a mobile website, the PWA Google indexing is possible; through Service Workers, the app is always up to date. The progressive web app also benefits from fast loading time and uncomplicated storage on the home screen. The mobile app can be easily shared by a messenger with friends and is very secure, thanks to SSL encryption.
Advantages for users and operators.
I have already described exactly what a progressive web app is. How both you and your users can benefit from this new technology, I will show you now.
Advantages for operators
Probably you have often experienced that you did not download a native app from the Appstore because the amount of data was too large, you were not connected to the wifi, the smartphone memory was full, or the download took too long.
The same goes for your users if you don’t use progressive web apps!
Statistically, 20% of users jump off at every download step, so with a progressive web app, you are guaranteed a much better conversion rate. As an operator, you will benefit enormously, and your users will also benefit, as they will see your content and find what they have been looking for without bailing out.
Developing a progressive web app is much cheaper than developing a native app. Added to this is the advantage that a PWA can be opened on any device, no matter if android or apple, only one progressive web app needs to be created instead of two native apps to reach all users optimally.
With a PWA, you save a lot of money and time, which would have to be invested in the maintenance of two apps.
With a progressive web app for your business, you can combine all customer service, customer acquisition, and marketing tasks under one roof – easier than ever before.
Chat with your customers, send them to push messages to inform them about the news instead of having to call them as long as before.
Benefits for users
Your user also benefits from the small amount of data of the progressive web app, because he can access the app much faster and has a better user experience. Content can be displayed here within a few seconds.
Another even more valuable advantage of a PWA is that the contents of the progressive web app are cached, i.e., stored in the memory of the device so that the app works even faster the next time it is opened. The progressive web app can be opened and used offline in the train, in the tunnel, or in case of poor reception.
The user finds the content of the PWA, which is exactly adapted to the screen of the end device and can thus open and consume your content without problems.
The progressive web app can be shared with friends through the link within seconds.
Since it is a mobile website, it never needs to be updated, because it is always up to date as you know it from native apps, there is no need to waste time.
As you can see, the advantages of a progressive web app benefit both the user and yourself as an app operator.
But isn’t that just something only the biggest companies can afford? No!
How easy is it for an entrepreneur to get a PWA today?
With programs like the PWA-builder, any company can create its own progressive web apps in just a few minutes in a modular system without having to hire an expensive app developer, which costs several $10,000.
It’s easy to create your own app and use it for your business. Through detailed explanations and informative videos, the modular system is presented very well and makes your work even easier.
Once you have developed a concept for your own progressive web apps, you can start immediately and add the modules you need to serve your customers better than ever before.
This is why it will change the app market in the next two years!
The users of the world wide web are evolving just like technology. They get used to new and faster technologies quickly, so it can’t be fast enough for them.
Just downloading a native app from the stores is already too slow for many people, which is why it is aborted.
The progressive web apps, on the other hand, convinces with its advanced technology and sets new standards in terms of speed and user-friendliness.
These advantages can be used by entrepreneurs to offer their customers more value.
With https://pwa-builder.io/ you have the chance to create your first own progressive web app in just a couple minutes for just a few dollars.