There are two types of customers; one who shop from websites only, thinking why to download an app and put a load on mobile and others who find mobile apps easy and convenient to shop. Even though shopping such is comfortable for them, they keep complaining about the cons they face but are adamant about switching either. There, a solution was discovered to end the drawbacks of both, which is known as Progressive Web App (PWA).
Developed by Google, Progressive Web App (PWA) are websites with app-like qualities. They give the feel of native apps with the flexibility of sites utilizing modern technologies. They are fast, reliable, engaging, can be installed conveniently, progressive and responsive, capable of working on any device, available offline or on low-quality networks, and its content can be found via any search engine and shared easily. In short, it is a combination of the best of both the web and mobile.
Adoption of PWAs is proliferating. Organizations are discovering the myriad of real-world business goals they can impact with PWAs. But there is always a concern regarding where to focus your PWAs? Google SEO, or customers? PWAs impact both differently, which we are going to explain here today.
PWA for SEO
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is an essential aspect for the success of the website, in turn, the business itself. In the SEO world, Google crawls, means follow your website’s links as well as other linked pages on the site and also indexes them by adding web pages into Google search. A no-index tag means that that page will not be added to the web search’s index.
Now, as Progressive Web Apps make use of the versatility of JavaScript, they are often mistaken as single-page apps (SPAs) using heavy JavaScript frameworks. In fact, any site can be a PWA by fulfilling the following requirements;
- Using HTTPS
- Having a Valid Web Manifest
- Registering a Service Worker with a Fetch Event Handler
With a new URL for the PWA, the Googlebot will crawl the page just like it would for any AJAX or JavaScript site. But there can be some issues that can potentially impact the ‘crawlability’ — so developers must know how to optimize the website to ensure the page gets indexed appropriately. For which, Google has listed out some recommendations regarding PWAs SEO Best Practices.
-
Each page should be independently crawlable, and the content of each should be indexable. Use real URLs that don’t use fragment identifiers (# or #!)and follow SEO URL best practices by including keywords in the URL and keeping them short.
-
Each page should specify its canonical URL (the original one meant to be indexed) by using the canonical tag.
-
Run a test using Google Search Console’s Fetch and Render tool to see how Googlebot sees the page.
-
Have a responsive web design for your website, including a viewport tag that should be correctly configured, and it should pass Google’s mobile-friendly test because mobile-first is the priority for Google today.
-
Provide an accurate sitemap file to signal any changes to your website when using Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP). Don’t forget to register it in the Google Search Console.
-
Google measures every page’s load time. Measure your website’s speed using WebPageTest and Lighthouse to determine your time to the first interaction.
-
80% of the web uses HTTPS today. If your site doesn’t support HTTPS yet, then migrate today.
So, what are the PWA benefits for SEO?
- They speed up the process of your application being indexed.
- You get improved performance, better engagement, and conversion rates.
- You get faster site speed.
There are no special benefits in considering PWAs for Google SEO, in fact, it is the user experience you must focus on improving and getting benefits from SEO because if the customers are happy, everything else follows. Here’s how PWAs can transform your customer’s experience.
-
With its ready-to-use feature, PWAs delivers faster performance, unlike websites or apps which may take time to load.
-
They can be operated offline as well as in weak network areas, so users get uninterrupted services.
-
Its installation is no headache as they can be launched from the home screen directly and quickly.
-
They provide native-like interactions which mean users get a full-screen app experience but through modern web technologies.
-
Its multi-channel consistency allows users to access the site from anywhere, anytime.
When you deliver outstanding user experience, people want to visit your site over competing options, which means more clicks and conversions, which in turn will automatically improve your SEO. Hence, focusing on your customers will be profitable for you.
Wrapping Up
Customers always want something new and exciting and to make them happy is not at all a piece of cake, which is why responsive design is not enough today. PWAs can give you and your customers more than expected. By putting your customers’ experience at first, you can reap the incredible benefits of high organic search traffic.
You must keep an eye on the market and adopt new methods to stay relevant to your target audience. With a Magento progressive web application, you can provide your customers with a fast and frictionless journey on their mobile devices, without being forced to download an app for this superior user experience.
Here are other amazing SEO tips and tricks.