Investing in the best technology is definitely an objective for your E-commerce. But what really is the best technology for retailers? Today, we want to talk to you about Progressive Web Apps (PWA) and their Return on Investment (ROI). What is a PWA? What are its features and advantages? What does it mean when you invest in a PWA and what are the benefits that come with it? Let’s answer all of these questions.
In addition to its common benefits, investing in a PWA will help improve your ROI
But first: what is a PWA?
A Progressive Web Application combines the functions of a native mobile app and a website experience, taking advantage of new programming web interfaces (API) which are linked to a progressive improvement strategy. A PWA deploys on any device and integrates the available features of the device and the browser used. It can also be used just like a native app, with access via an icon on your device screen.
Whereas, a native app is coded in a platform-specific programming language so it can be used on an Android or iOS device, employing, for example, Java. Most of the time, a native app doesn’t require an Internet connection to work, since the cache is stored within the device. Native apps are obtainable through an app store, like Apple’s App Store or Google’s Play Store.
The benefits of a PWA:
- It works on any browser
- Responsive display on any mobile device
- Works without Internet connectivity
- Uses native mobile functions
- It is highly secure
- Discoverable in search engines
- Helps boost app engagement
- No installation process needed
- It can be shared through links
- No need for a user to update the app, it’s automatic.
Now that we’ve gathered some of the obvious pros, why would you trust this technology to increase your ROI?
Devialet is one of the top sound system retailers in the world. In 2020 the company multiplied its conversion rate by 2, reduced its bounce rate by 25% and reduced their FCP by 86%, one of Google’s Core Web Vitals 3 criteria. Why is that? PWA!
Devialet chose Front-Commerce’s PWA solution to help reach their business goals. PWAs improve web indexing, increase engagement, improve conversions, lower bounce rates, increase pages per session, and much more.
Measure the ROI impact of a PWA front-end for your business
So what factors affect the ROI of a PWA?
Low development and maintenance costs
Let’s say that you choose to develop a native application rather than a PWA. The more complex the application is, the more expensive it will be for your business.
Because native apps are platform-specific, if you want to reach a maximum number of users, you will have to create a different version for each device OS. This will raise development costs considerably. The maintenance costs come after the development costs.
A PWA is easier to update and maintain because there are browsers. Because the cost of building a PWA is not fixed and depends on the business, the cost will be discussed in accordance with the goals your company wants to reach.
Increased revenue
PWA was created with the user experience in mind. For your e-commerce this means: smooth, engaging and fast.
A better user journey is built via the factors we mentioned previously (faster page loading, responsive display…) and this will ultimately improve your customer retention. Which of course improves your bottom line.
The algorithms that rank apps in their native stores are not always predictable, so you have to factor considerable advertising costs into your budget. Whereas a PWA is easily discoverable on google, organically or via ads.
Boost your SEO
As an online retailer, SEO is one of your top priorities. It helps you gain more consumers organically by keeping your website discoverable via Google Search Rankings. How? A native app cannot be crawled by Google’s bots, but a PWA can.
Furthermore, following the update Google released to their algorithm in 2021, that integrates user experience as an SEO criteria, means that cell-phone compatibility, secure navigation, connection…all need updating. Solutions like Front-Commerce’s PWA powered storefront include native technology that addresses issues for you.
PWA: a more sustainable investment
The carbon footprint of a PWA is considerably lower than that of a native app. They consume less data, load faster, require 0 updates by users.
Sustainable Return on Investment is a new measurement that identifies and quantifies the environmental, societal, and economic impact of our projects. Keeping this factor in mind can positively affect your branding, company reputation and employee retention.
To conclude
All of these points should make you consider the importance of developing a PWA for your E-commerce, a solution that helps you improve your ROI with its effective features.
Let’s talk more about your needs! Share your project so we can help you decide on the best next step for your e-commerce.