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After noticing the increasing number of progressive web app (PWA) users, if you are considering starting to use it on your WordPress blog, this article is especially for you. In it, we will help you install PWA on your WordPress website for free.
Enabling the progressive web app featured on your website is relatively easy. You have to install and configure the PWA plugin, and you’re done.
There are many free and paid plugins available. We suggest you go with Super Progressive Web Apps By SuperPWA or PWA for WP & AMP By Magazine3 for free options.
As we all know, a free plugin always has a limited number of features. If you have the budget, we suggest you go with the paid option, WordPress Mobile Soft.
It will cost you around $25, but this plugin offers advanced features like improved website performance on mobile and desktop, SEO-friendly URLs, and standard code structures.
PWA is also significant from an SEO perspective. Not directly, but it’s an SEO factor that Google considers when ranking your website. According to the Google PWA guidelines, your website should load fast, even on 3G internet connectivity. Every page must have a URL.
Click here to check the Google guidelines for installing PWA.
3 Best Progressive Web App Plugins For WordPress
1. Super Progressive Web Apps By SuperPWA
Regarding the best free progressive web app plugin, Super Progressive Web Apps By SuperPWA is the best option available. It is straightforward to configure and will take about 2 minutes to set up completely on your websites.
SuperPWA is not an entirely free plugin. A paid version with more premium features is also available. The paid version costs around $99 for one website.
Another good thing about it is that the plugin offers a clean uninstall. It will remove all the database entries and files created.
Check here to Download
2. PWA for WP & AMP By Magazine3
PWA for WP & AMP is another free option. This plugin offers AMP support, which means it is the best plugin for you if you are already using AMP on your website.
It has many features, including multisite and OneSignal support; you can easily change the start URL even with multisite. UTM tracking can also be enabled. Most importantly, you will get a cache expiration option.
Check here to Download
3. WordPress Mobile Soft
WordPress Mobile Soft is the best-paid option for a progressive web app. It offers all the necessary and more advanced features, such as SEO-friendly URLs and standard code structures.
This plugin costs around $25 on Codecanyon, but it is worth the price. The advanced cache system reduces your website’s loading time on desktops and smartphones.
Check here to Download.
How Can You Install PWA In WordPress?
To enable the PWA feature on your WordPress website, you must install and configure the PWA plugin, which is simple. For this tutorial, we are using a free plugin called Super Progressive Web Apps By SuperPWA.
You can install Super PWA directly from the WordPress plugin library. To configure PWA, your website should have SSL certification installed and served over HTTPS.
Follow the below instructions carefully to kick things off.
First, log into your WordPress admin area. Once logged in, Go to Plugins >> Add new >> Search for Super Progressive Web Apps. You will then be able to download the plugin.
Click on Install and Activate the plugin. The plugin has been successfully installed on your website; you must configure it. After the plugin is activated, you will be redirected to the configuration page.
You must fill in all the fields and enter your application name, a short name, description, and icons. There is an option to change the background color as well.
Scroll down. Here, you will find a few more carefully configured options. Like the Start Page, when someone opens your website, you must choose the page you want to load.
For Offline Page, choose the page you want to load when the user is not connected to the internet. After completing the configuration, click on the Save Settings button.
SuperPWA comes with a few add-ons for additional customization. You can activate and configure those add-ons to make your website’s PWA more user-friendly. To check the add-ons, go to SuperPWA > Add-ons.
Done. The PWA is now enabled on your website. You can check it by refreshing your website.
Google’s PWA Guidelines
Google has not mentioned it anywhere, but according to my experience, PWA is one of the ranking factors. You have to integrate it by following the guidelines. Below, we have listed a few essential things you should take care of while installing PWA on your WordPress website.
- SSL certificate should be installed
- The website should be responsive for different screen sizes.
- All app URLs load offline
- Optimized for speed, it should load faster in poor internet connectivity
- All pages must have a URL
- Websites need to have cross-browser compatibility.
You can use Lighthouse to check the implementation and errors of PWA quickly.
Is Progressive Web Apps Available For Desktop?
It has not been from the start, but now the PWA is available for desktop use. It is for desktops and all other devices, including macOS, iPhone, Android, and Linux. But it will not work on outdated browsers.
After installing the PWA, you will see the Plus Icon beside the Bookmark Button in the browsers when you visit the website. By clicking on this Plus Icon, visitors can install the PWA on their device.
Conclusion
You can enable Progressive Web App (PWA) on your WordPress website. There is no need to use a paid plugin; free plugins also have all the necessary options.
Although PWA is not a must-have feature for your website, it will help you increase its performance on desktops and smartphones. We hope this article about progressive web apps (PWA) is helpful to you.