PWA (Progressive Web Application) has become increasingly popular in recent years. This new technology is rapidly implemented in eCommerce operations by all small, medium, and large businesses. For Magento stores, there are plenty of advantages to using PWA. This article will point out how Magento PWA for eCommerce websites power your business.
All you need to know about Magento PWA
What is PWA?
Progressive web apps are software applications that allow users access through a web browser, mobile device, etc. It works well on all platforms. In a nutshell, it is a website that can also be used as a native mobile app.
They have push notifications, which enable websites to send messages in the same way that apps do. Because they follow the caching process ahead of time, these applications require low bandwidth to function properly. This feature will allow them to work even when they are not connected to the internet.
What is Magento PWA?
Magento PWA is a terrific combination of the PWA frontend with the Magento backend that allows eCommerce shops to give a fantastic shopping experience to their customers.
A Magento PWA works similarly to a traditional Magento website on the desktop, except that it loads much faster. Customers can add the site to their home screen on mobile devices, providing a shortcut for quick access. With the app-like design and feel of the site, the entire user experience will be taken to the next level. Additionally, Magento stores can send buyers appealing information such as discounts or new collections on a regular basis.
The PWA Studio was introduced by Magento. It has numerous functional tools that help us build an appealing frontend to deliver the best shopping experience.
When should you convert your Magento website to PWA?
Many companies have realized that converting their e-commerce websites to PWAs has increased their performance. You can choose to build a PWA for your e-commerce website if you are in the early stages of your business or if your company has been in operation for a certain time, you can choose the right time to invest in Magento PWA for e-commerce website development by honestly evaluating the current business status of the company based on the following factors.
If the following facts are true, now is the best time to invest in converting your e-commerce website to PWA.
The user experience is not as expected
There are a lot of reasons which result in the poor experience and frustration of customers on the normal website. Slow loading speed of the webpage is the common reason in most of the cases.
Source: Pingdom
According to Pingdom, users feel stress-free and in control when pages load in one second. However, after 10 seconds, their attention is barely maintained, and they are unlikely to return to the website. The bounce rate rises as the seconds pass. The user’s patience is dwindling!
Besides, your website can lose points if it does not ensure offline support & push notifications, flawless optimization on all devices, and easy, reliable payment options. When this happens, visitors leave the site and switch to competitors’ websites.
That’s how The Washington Post’s AMP content appears to offline readers
The Washington Post PWA is a successful PWA example of offline support. It is reported that The Washington Post implemented Google’s AMP and PWA technologies and published their PWA in 2016. They concentrated on content loading speed and the ability to read content when offline. When compared to their mobile website, the Washington Post PWA achieved an 88% reduction in load time. More than 1,000 new articles are added to the site daily and mobile users who return within 7 days have increased by 23%.
Pinterest has also announced that the conversion to PWA has enhanced their user reach and revenue. Specifically, with only 1% of visitors converting to app installs for iOS and Android, Pinterest’s PWA had impacted positively on performance factors. It is estimated that with website visitors spending 40% more time on its PWA compared to the mobile website, the company reported an increment in user engagement by 60% and in ad revenues by 44%.
Built-in SEO incapability
SEO has been considered an effective and familiar way for business because it brings a lot of benefits. Customers may find the things they need faster thanks to SEO optimization, and as a result, good SEO implementation attracts more customers to the business.
Magento PWA offers built-in SEO features, which means the company can increase conversion rates. Furthermore, you receive more than traditional SEO gives with Magento PWA, all in one package.
If you are unable to integrate SEO tools into your website, that could be your disadvantage compared to your competitors.
High cost of investment in many native apps
If you have been investing a lot of money in a number of native apps, now is the best time to make the conversion to PWA. Because the primary goal of Magento PWA is to boost conversions, it is one of the most cost-effective ways to achieve it.
PWAs can adapt to a variety of platforms because they are platform-independent. This flexibility leads to significant cost savings. You don’t need to hire two distinct iOS and Android development teams to work on each native app at the same time, for example. Second, because PWAs include numerous frameworks and libraries, your team will spend less time developing, which is a major factor in increasing the cost of any software development project.
How to build a Progressive Web App for your Magento website?
Using Magento PWA Extension
This is a Magento 2 add-on for your existing online store. Magento 2 PWA extensions can be installed in a variety of ways. According to your requirements, there are plenty of free and paid choices for you.
PWA extensions for Magento 2 are reasonably priced (range from $0.00 to $150). Implementing those improvements on your website, on the other hand, may simply take a few hours.
Using Magento 2 PWA Theme
The Magento 2 PWA theme is another option for converting your website to a PWA. A PWA theme may be built by using Magento 2.3 PWA Studio, ReactJS, and GraphQL. It includes two parts: a PWA storefront that has been enhanced and an API that connects the storefront to the Magento backend.
The cost of using the Magento 2 PWA theme is mostly determined by how much you customize it. This is often less expensive than PWA Studio, but more expensive than an extension.
Using Magento PWA Studio
Magento has built a new framework for Magento developers to work on Progressive Web Apps (PWAs). Their Magento 2 PWA Studio is a set of tools for developers who want to create their own PWA storefronts. Thus, you can control the development and functionality. Magento 2 PWA Studio installation is a more complicated process that focuses on development approaches.
WRAPPING UP
We have provided some examples of the amazing benefits that Progressive Web Apps can bring to your business, as well as practical approaches to creating a Progressive Web App for your Magento website. It is undeniable that PWA will be going on to develop remarkably in the near future. We believe PWAs can be an alternative or complement to native apps.
However, if you have the financial ability, building both a PWA and a native app will allow you to reach a larger user. If you need help with Magento PWA development, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Please kindly leave a comment or a question below if you have any questions or concerns. We are glad to give answers and welcome feedback.