Progressive Web Apps (PWA’s) are seen as something of the future and likely to dominate the search industry. Never heard of them? Wanting to know more about what they are and how they can help? Read our latest post to find out more.
PWAs in their simplest form offer users and webmasters the chance to experience the similarity of an app programme, without actually having to download anything from an app store. Traditional apps are heavy on management because they are complicated to set up, require regular updates / adjustments, and a cut of the profit associated with the app store they are hosted on. PWA’s remove all of this and are therefore a much more attractive proposition.
Many see this as an attempt by Google to try and stall a market which is dominated by Apple who have the monopoly on apps. The purpose of PWA’s is simple and this is perhaps what makes them such an attractive idea. They provide very regular features which are normally only available in full app experiences. PWA’s go to the heart of user experience on a website. With recent updates all focusing on this, it is perhaps no wonder that PWA’s are going to be something to watch very closely.
How do PWA’s impact and benefit SEO?
PWA’s offer a number of general advantages. They tend to be smaller files and take up less space for example. Where it matters however is how PWA’s will affect a business’s traffic, goals and ultimately revenue. This is where a positive benefit in SEO can be seen.
- Audience opportunities.
PWA’s offer a great chance for webmasters to reach out to more of their audience than ever and thus attract greater numbers. Examples include the ability to have push notifications or product prompts which are based on personalised recommendations.
PWA’s can also help with your social media presence because they are able to link with features like cameras or your GPS system.
- Speed increase.
PWA’s have been shown to increase speed of access which can thus attract more people and boost your metric figures. In research, one company found that before they used PWA’s over half of users got bored with their site and went elsewhere because it was too slow. As PWAs cache information once a user has visited for the first time, the same company in that research found that switching to PWA’s caused an increase in traffic by over 40% – almost reversing the previously observed decline.
- Variety of other SEO opportunities.
Perhaps the most important point is the ability for PWA’s to generate conversions and leads. PWA’s are accessible to search engines making them SEO friendly. This is down to the fact that the exist ‘live’ on the web in the same way that other content does. One company in research found that when it moved to a PWA system, its conversions increased by nearly three-quarters, showing that this is something which can’t be ignored.
As we emerge from a post pandemic world, the way people browse, shop and interact with businesses and organisations will change. PWA’s offer the next step in this process to ensure progression with times and changes that will follow.
Wondering how SEO can help you? Visit our SEO Services page and watch the video for more details.