Progressive web applications defeated native apps and shown their value to businesses. For instance, the average conversion rate for PWAs is 36% greater than that of native applications, according to the TOP 30 PWA Benchmarking Study. As a result, progressive web app design has gained popularity among businesses looking to differentiate themselves from their rivals.
To help you build the greatest user experience for your website, we’ve compiled the most effective progressive web design best practices in one post.
Tips for making a fantastic PWA design:
Pay attention to designing progressive web apps for both desktop and mobile devices.
Because a PWA is cross-platform, it should have excellent UI and UX (user experience). It is a prerequisite for both desktop and mobile applications. But you should still give the smartphone version top emphasis.
Let’s contrast two PWA design examples from the desktop and mobile versions of the Impact fitness app.
Desktop PWA
Regarding the PWA design for the desktop, you may widen the grid, include some spacers, and use graphical elements like pictures or drawings (optional). The desktop version of Impact has a straightforward, consistent design. Impact’s PWA example for desktop is extensive and contains a variety of capabilities. A quick movie demonstrating the PC version is available below.
Mobile PWA
Determine the most essential and well-liked material before creating a version for a mobile device. Keep in mind that several essential elements are often used by visitors to your progressive mobile website. For instance, they could want to pay a bill and get a receipt, or they might want to look for a hotel and reserve the best room.
Add the navigation bar’s most necessary features while keeping this in mind. Users will always have access to the frequently utilized features in this manner.
The Impact PWA features a generally pleasing appearance as well as a simple and useful user interface. You can see a little video about the results our customer received after the mobile PWA development below.
Maintain simplicity
The likelihood that a consumer will leave increases the more obstacles they must overcome. And there is no doubt about this.
A user-friendly interface is an indication of excellent design. Remove any elements or information that end users may easily do without when developing the PWA.
Here is an illustration of the Tinder PWA. One of the most well-known dating apps nowadays allows users to like or hate other users, making it a very popular choice. Tinder attracts and keeps more users as a result of the PWA. A huge audience may use and appreciate the Tinder PWA since it is user-friendly and convenient with an easy-to-understand UI.
Tinder offers quick, responsive interactions. The navigation is simple and clear, which is this PWA’s major benefit. The bottom banner is standardized and fixed. As a result, it makes using the whole online solution really straightforward.
Lessen the number of adverts.
The PWA is a brief application. It indicates that you don’t have a lot of room to display several adverts. Remember that too many advertising make reading less enjoyable for consumers.
Ads are a necessary part of generating revenue for both you and your consumers, but you should discover the best approach to accomplish it. You may, for instance, leave fewer or smaller advertising or use a different revenue strategy.
Ulta, a company that sells cosmetics, minimizes adverts while giving customers the option to click on them.
Remove the footer.
Every page contains the same information in the footer. Copyright notices, terms and conditions of use, connections to social media profiles, and newsletter subscription are often found here.
This page component sometimes takes up too much space. Mobile device displays don’t have a lot of space, however huge desktop screens don’t have this problem. Given this, it is not unexpected that native applications lack a footer. Progressive web applications should thus follow their example.
Establishing a navigation bar and listing the most crucial navigational elements will be a fantastic idea. You can see how AliExpress used this strategy to good effect in the example below. The buttons are the appropriate size and fall inside the ideal thumb zone. As a consequence, consumers may access the most crucial sites or tasks right away.
You may transfer any extra information to the menu if it does not fit in the navigation panel. The Weather Channel provides an illustration of how to accomplish this correctly in the example below.
Save the list’s precise scroll position.
Let’s say a user browses a list of articles or goods. To learn more, they click on a certain item. The user wishes to go back to the list after entering the item data.
The key challenge is returning them to the precise scroll position they were in. If not, users will get irritated when they are brought back to the list’s top. In light of this, the “back” capability is now a crucial component of progressive web design.
An illustration of the Target store PWA may be seen below. Target clearly and prominently displayed a “back” button. Users won’t have to search for it, so. They can locate this button with ease. Users may easily navigate through web pages and go back to the place they were before. Speak with an expert
Display communication
Users must be able to see that their touch on a button, link, or menu item was registered. You may use a different hue to emphasize the chosen region for this reason. Additionally, you may include a transition that starts a website immediately.
However, it is crucial to make sure that when a user touches an app element to scroll, the quick start feature is not inadvertently activated.
A PWA that demonstrates interactivity in the appropriate manner is Wego. A new color is used to emphasize each click on the website. So, it facilitates and clarifies the user journey.
Check that it does not accidentally activate when you incorporate touch feedback as part of a progressive web app’s UX design. Users who just touch an element to scroll the page may see this.
Make sure the website loads quickly.
When creating a website layout, keep in mind that every HTML image element on your page should include the picture’s dimensions. These tags provide as guidelines for how to display an image on a website. In this scenario, even though the image has not yet loaded, a browser will be able to layout the screen appropriately.
Otherwise, when the graphics are downloaded, the material will jump. These jumps will have a detrimental impact on user experience. You may display a placeholder in lieu of the picture to prevent this blunder. It can be a blurry thumbnail or a grey square.
Include unique splash screens
Before an application runs, a splash screen—also known as a boot screen or launch screen—is shown for two to three seconds. To promote brand awareness, companies often use splash screens to show their logo, name, or tagline.
Additionally, this strategy improves how consumers engage with progressive web applications. If the splash screen is done well, people would eagerly start the app. If you get it wrong, people swiftly abandon your app.
Design a visually appealing home screen logo
Users will add your PWA to their home screens, where it will remain among other applications. Your goal is to make it distinctive from the competition. Why can’t you do this? The solution is to design a distinctive and eye-catching symbol.
The example that follows will demonstrate why it is so crucial. From left to right, see three PWAs. These are The New Yorker and The Washington Post.
Conclusion
We are certain that by using our top practices for designing progressive web applications, your PWA will reach a higher level. If everything is done correctly, you will provide your consumers a remarkable and effortless user experience. Users that are happy with your product or service will enhance your conversions and engagement as a result.
Contact us if you already have a plan for a PWA. Our staff has extensive expertise in PWA development and is willing to work with you to use this cutting-edge technology to expand your company.