With an endless stream of technological inventions, many business strategies and selling policies have to be regularly reconsidered. Nowadays, online users are moving away from traditional desktops. Flexibility is key, and the spread of mobile gadgets has replaced the Desktop First strategy with the Mobile First marketing method.
The Mobile First approach refers to the practice of developing a desktop site by starting with a mobile version and putting the user’s mobile experience at its core. Many organisations used to skip web app development and get right to building mobile apps. However, over time, both users and manufacturers faced another challenge: the inability of a single mobile app to correspond to the characteristics of various mobile devices.
Developing separate mobile apps for iOS and Android and then paying app stores for shipping them is not really beneficial to the total cost of ownership. Furthermore, the necessity of downloading mobile apps and then manually updating them (along with the annoying pop-up ads) did not motivate customers to use them.
All in all, native mobile apps did not live up to the expectations of sellers and buyers.
That is how the era of Progressive Web Apps (PWA) began. Announced in 2015, PWAs address gaps in native mobile apps and totally transform the understanding of the current mobile experience.
PWA is a software application based on common web technologies, such as HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, but with the functionality of a native mobile app.
Step-by-step, PWA First started to be implemented in many retail companies of different sizes; Forbes, Starbucks, and Uber are some companies that have already taken full advantage of PWAs. Leading e-commerce platforms decided to rise to the challenge of adopting PWA First and released their own PWA development tools.
Thus, if you are the owner of a Magento-based website, you can reap the rewards of implementing PWA as well – Magento 2 gives you this opportunity.
When Is It the Right Time to Convert Your Magento 2 Website into PWA?
You are not satisfied with your current website loading speed
Website loading speed is critical for successful e-commerce businesses. According to different surveys, nearly 40% of online shoppers are likely to abandon a website that takes more than 2 seconds to load. This number is likely to increase as PWA development becomes more common and the bar is raised.
Based on JavaScript code, Magento 2 PWA helps improve the user experience by reducing network traffic and storing user-generated data offline.
You want your Magento 2 website to perform in offline mode
PWA’s unique feature is its ability to seamlessly perform even with slow internet connections and in offline mode. All of this is possible due to PWA technology service workers.
Your current customer engagement strategy seems useless
PWA is a powerful mobile experience booster. Due to its positive features, such as compatibility with any device, reliability, app-like experience, push notifications, and high level of security, you will be able to expand your website audience and gain client trust.
Methods to Get Started with Magento 2 PWA
If you answered ‘Yes’ to all the above questions, it’s time to take decisive action. Here are two ways to convert your Magento 2 website into PWA:
Develop it yourself
If you want to make your new PWA storefront and your Magento 2 backend totally compatible with each other, then you should choose Magento PWA Studio as a de facto method to help deploy PWA solutions based on Magento. It is a full-fledged suite of tools that replaces your current Magento storefront with a PWA storefront connected to your backend through API
Nevertheless, Magento PWA Studio cannot be considered a complete solution without using skilled developers. If you are not good at coding, then it might be quite a challenge. Like any other development tool, Magento PWA Studio requires proficiency in programming languages (in this case, ReactJS and GraphQL). Besides, you should be aware of all the nuances of PWA development to achieve a desirable goal.
Advantages:
- Reduced development expenses;
- Full control over the development process;
- An extensive Magento community to help answer tough questions.
Disadvantages:
- You will need a technical background;
- Longer time to market;
- No guarantee that everything will work efficiently.
Hire a professional team of developers
The majority of Magento-based web store owners hire experienced Magento developers who know how to build a storefront optimised for improving conversion rates and enhancing the overall customer e-commerce journey.
If you find the right developers for your project (which might be quite a challenge too), then you need not worry about deadlines and the quality of the work. For more effective results, ensure that there is complete understanding between you and your service provider.
Advantages:
- A proven e-commerce development team can provide technical assistance for your specific case;
- End-to-end development cycle, including support and maintenance after the product is released;
- Shorter time to market.
Disadvantages:
- You should know how to hire the right Magento developer;
- Higher cost of development;
- The need to clearly explain your requirements and expectations.
Conclusion
Magento PWA development may seem challenging at first, but in the end, if you do everything right, all your efforts will certainly be rewarded with high conversion rates and an unforgettable user experience.
If you think now is the time for a dramatic change for the better, just pick one of these PWA development methods and change your website performance for the better!
