Businesses have long realized that mobile websites and mobile apps are a great way to reach customers. Some companies use both apps and mobile websites, while others might prefer either mobile apps or mobile websites. The decision is driven mostly by the cost of mobile apps and websites: if businesses can afford it, they have both. However, research shows that mobile apps are preferred by users more than websites.
With progressive web apps this is not a either/or decision. You can have both. Here’s our top 10 picks why your business should chose a progressive web app:
1. Progressive web apps offer greater personalization
Personalization is a way to provide personalized communication to users based upon their interests, location, usage habits, and other factors. It’s easy to provide personalized service via progressive web app. They can allow users to set preferences from the beginning, so that they can be served customized content. Progressive web apps can track customer engagement and then use it to provide personalized recommendations and updates to users. They can also track the location of users in real time to deliver geo-specific content.
Personalization isn’t just about improving user experience. Users are more likely to convert if they are treated with personalized content than if they are given generic, automated content.
2. Sending notifications is easy
Email has been the most popular business communication tool for the past two decades. Email has been used extensively by businesses to communicate with their customers. But, Email has suffered from a decline in effectiveness. Its open rates as well as click rates have been steadily dropping and privacy technology has made getting meaningful data from Emails difficult.
Enter app notifications. These notifications come in two formats: push or in-app. Both of these options are great for communicating with app users. In-app notifications are notifications that users receive only after they open an app. Push notifications on the other hand are notifications that users receive regardless of what activity they’re doing on their mobile devices.
3. Making the most of mobile device features
Progressive Web Apps offer the benefit of using features such as a camera, contact lists, GPS, phone calls and accelerometer. This make the user’s experience interactive and enjoyable. These features also make it easier for users to complete other tasks. For example, to complete a banking app form, users might have to upload their photos. Users can use the app to take and submit photos with their mobile cameras.
4. Ability to work offline
This is the biggest difference between an progressive web app and a mobile website. Progressive web apps can be just like websites and require internet connectivity for most tasks. But here’s the difference: An progressive web app can still provide basic functionality to users in offline mode.
Let’s look at the banking app as an example. You can use the app to calculate your tax, determine your loan limit, and even calculate installments. These features are available even without an internet connection. Mobile websites can load pages from the internet without a connection but they have limited functionality.
5. Freedom in designing
Mobile websites rely on browser features such as ‘back button’,’refresh button’, and ‘address bars’ to function. These restrictions are not applicable to progressive web apps. Progressive web apps are designed with many advanced functions that are based on gestures such as ‘tap’,’swipe’, ‘drag’, ‘pinch’, ‘hold’ and others. These gestures can be used to provide innovative functionality that helps users do a task more efficiently.
6. An enhanced branding experience
Progressive web apps can offer an enhanced brand experience in comparison with a company’s website. This allows the company to experiment with different branding styles for its progressive web app. Companies can also create progressive web apps to help them transition into a new brand look. A progressive web app also allow users to personalize its appearance according to their preferences. This creates a individual personalized customer experience.
7. Users spend more time on apps
Mobile users spend 88% on mobile apps while only 12% spend time on mobile websites. However, it is important to note that most users spend their time using gaming apps and social media sites.
8. A new stream of conversions
Progressive web apps are a great way to convert. You can use progressive web apps to get both top-of the-funnel users (ToFu), and bottom-ofthe-funnel users (BoFu). Utility apps, for example, can attract ToFu users who can then be nurtured into BoFu leads. eCommerce apps on the other hand, already have BoFu users and have a greater chance of them converting.
9. Brand presence
Mobile devices are where users spend the majority of their time. Users are more likely to use apps that they have installed. Even though users may not be actively using an app on their mobile device, they are reminded of the brand associated to the app. The app’s icon acts as a mini-advertisement to the brand because subconsciously they influence how users perceive that brand. This user behavior is explained by Signal Detection Theory. It suggests that even ads previously ignored are processed at some level within users’ minds.
10. Progressive web apps work faster than websites
A progressive web app that is well designed can do more than a website. Progressive web apps store data on their mobile devices and allow users to complete their tasks faster than on mobile websites.
Mobile app or mobile website?
It can be costly to develop both, a mobile site and a mobile app for your company. You may need to decide which channel you prefer based on your goals and budget.
Progressive web apps do both: you start out with your mobile website that you turn into your progressive web app. This gives you the best of both worlds.
Get in touch with us and learn how to benefit from progressive web apps. Follow us on the IKANGAI blog app.
