Progressive web apps (PWAs) are a great combination of the best features websites
and apps have to offer. With a PWA, users can enjoy the whole app experience directly through their browser
without having to install an app on their device. Additionally, PWAs work offline, are instantly available and load instantly, compared
to slow classic websites.
Now, users are able to access their favourite brands without ever installing an app, even when they don’t have internet access. What’s more, PWAs cost cheaper than native apps!
It’s not surprising that brands such as Twitter, Blibli, Flipkart, Trivago, and Alibaba have switched to using PWAs. In this blog post, we’ll talk about how these brands became successful by switching to a PWA!
Why PWAs?
There’s an inverse relationship between the number of people using the web and mobile web browsers, and the amount of time users spend on websites. In effect, websites experience slower load time and frequent downtime due to the sheer volume of traffic (people visiting your website).
As a result, brands were challenged to create an engaging experience for their users. In 2015, Google introduced PWAs with the promise of transforming how websites engage even with large audiences and create a better customer experience.
However, not everyone was willing to risk their businesses on newly released tech back then. Today, PWAs are getting more and more attention as big companies make the switch. So what’s so special about PWAs that inspire both big and small brands alike?
The best of the web and the app
To be progressive means to get better and better over time; true to its name, a PWA gets better the more you use it. With the best of both worlds, PWAs offer customers a whole new experience:
- Instant loading
- Accessible even if there’s no connection
- Mobile-like design and behaviour
- Mobile-optimized
- Low development cost compared to native apps
- Better performance than native web and apps
- PWAs work with all kinds of devices
- No installation needed + no need for updating
- No dependence on App Distribution Services
- Push Notification Functionality
- Enhanced security
- SEO-optimized
5 brands with inspiring wins
These 5 brands (among the many) made the switch and won. Check out their inspiring wins below!
Twitter needs no introduction – they are a social network and microblogging service used by millions of people and organizations to communicate in real time.
Problem: 80% of their customers were mobile users, so they had to think of a new way for users with a poor internet connection to access the app with lower data usage. With over 328 million monthly active users, Twitter saw the need to provide a great, fast, reliable and engaging user experience.
Solution: In 2017, Twitter introduced its PWA called Twitter Lite. At 600 kB, Twitter Lite is significantly smaller than its Android app counterpart (23.5 MB). Moreover, this PWA provides quick web push notifications and temporary offline navigation to add to the home screen.
Wins: Twitter Lite resulted in a 65% increase in pages per session, 70% scroll extension, 75% increase in sent, and a 20% reduced bounce rate.
Blibli
Blibli is Indonesia’s first digital mall, a major e-commerce platform that leads Indonesians to a new digital lifestyle and only the finest shopping experience for better living.
Problem: The Blibli web team found that 70% of their visitors were using phones to access their website. Additionally, half of the total traffic was classified as ‘returning users’. Because of this, Blibli was determined to provide a separate experience for the new users and the returning users.
Solution: Blibli invested on a homepage UX revamp, a lightweight version of the homepage was created for new users, and a progressive Web App for returning users.
Wins: The new strategy enabled them to accomplish some outstanding results: 42% bounce rate reduction, 8x better mCVR in PWA than on a mobile website, and 2.5x More pages/sessions in PWA.
Flipkart
Flipkart is an Indian e-commerce company for various product categories, such as consumer electronics, fashion, and lifestyle products.
Problem: More than half of Flipkart users have a weak internet connection and mostly use mobile devices to access their website.
Solution: Flipkart came up with their own PWA called Flipkart Lite, integrating their online and native application capabilities to provide an offline solution for more than half of its consumers. Flipkart Lite requires just 100 KB of data storage, 300 times less than their iOS app.
Wins: Their biggest win is that 60% who previously uninstalled their native app returned to use Flipkart Lite. This new app has led to 40% re-engagement and 3 times increase in customer usage.
Trivago
Trivago is a hotel search website where users may compare and get the lowest hotel pricing across 190 countries.
Problem: The most important worry of customers already overseas experienced was downloading heavy applications and getting a smooth booking experience, regardless of slow Wi-Fi or extremely poor cell coverage.
Solution: Trivago switched to a PWA that loads faster than the existing native app, has push notifications, and an offline mode to avoid downtimes for travelers around the world.
Wins: Trivago experienced a 150% increase in engagement, an almost 100% increase in click-throughs to hotels, and additional features for considerably less data storage – search for rooms by location, price, rating, and more. In addition, customers now click on hotel offers twice as much as with the native app (97% increase).
Alibaba
Alibaba.com is the largest B2B marketplace where buyers and sellers from over 200 countries connect. It is one of the three main e-commerce sites of the top Chinese e-commerce company, Alibaba Group.
Problem: Alibaba.com’s biggest challenge was user engagement. At first, they banked on a mobile-optimized UI UX design and tried to convert their 846 million mobile consumers to use their native app instead of mobile browsers. However, 51% of Alibaba.com’s users preferred to stay within the browser and rejected the idea of downloading a native app.
Solution: If users were rejecting the idea of native apps, the next best thing to consider was a PWA that would provide a fast, effective, and reliable customer experience within a mobile browser.
Wins: The overall conversions between browsers were up by 76%, 4X higher interaction rate from ‘Add to HomeScreen, and monthly active user rates rose 14% over iOS and 30% over Android.
These are just 5 of the most inspiring brands that reaped the benefits of switching to a PWA. Imagine the success of so many other companies that went ahead and made the switch. Take your business to the next level – Switch to a PWA today!
How to switch to a PWA?
So, if you are looking to switch to a PWA, LemonApp can help!
Based in Perth, Australia, we’re a fresh, full-service digital solutions agency specializing in web and app development. Our goal is to provide an affordable web and app development service to SMEs, NFPs and start-ups. Our highly talented, versatile team of designers, developers, and marketers will work with you to create a custom solution that will meet your business goals!
We’re ready to give your business the breakthrough it deserves. Every business has the potential to be in the same league as the brands mentioned above. You’re just a button away from your first step to success.
