11 Sep 2018
2 Things Your PWA Shouldn't Have
Progressive web apps are a great alternative to native apps. They are faster, more flexible, and don't make users download a large file. Most people describe them as a cross between native apps and traditional websites. The correlation has been made even stronger because of recent changes that almost universally allow push notifications, location tracking, and other app-specific features. However, there are several elements from the traditional website world that shouldn't cross over into PWAs. Here are two:
1. Complex animations.
Mobile sites already struggle with load times. There are a lot of different reasons for this, starting with how many companies haven't specifically created their sites for mobile users. But part of the problem is just the network access wherever the user is at. While your company can't control the Internet speed across the country, your PWA will still be associated with the slowness.
So simplify your animations and minimize the style elements. Consumers would rather have something fast and functional than pretty. If you still want to have them, make animations the last thing to kick in and create your site to work without them in a pinch.
2. Pop-ups.
Pop-ups are bad news on mobile devices. Almost every screen size is completely different, and most pop-ups can't adjust to that. That means users will be left with a completely filled screen that they can't decline or exit out of. The only way out in those circumstances is to go back to the search results.
PWAs have so many tools to get your message across that you shouldn't be using any pop-ups aside from a request to add push notifications or be added to your visitor's home screen. Even in these circumstances, make the messages short and the pop-ups small. Also, make sure the user can just tap away from them instead of having to tap the X.
Give our team a call today, for more news and design tips about PWAs.