Are Progressive Web APP and Wechat Mini Program replacing APP?

Easily shared via links, App-like interface and navigation, engageable and hasslefree from app installation. If all these descriptions sound familiar to you, you might be thinking of Progressive Web APP, or it might be Wechat Mini Program. Getting sick of downloading APPs all the time, you might find Progressive Web APP and Wechat Mini Program a great alternative. There is a great similarity between these two relatively young and new functions, but also limitations.

 Progress Web APP: APP-like mobile site

The Progressive Web APP, developed by Google, is still finding its way into the mainstream. In essence, It's an APP-like responsive mobile website without the need to download the APP. It is searchable and 

Progress Web APP allows users to add the mobile site directly onto the home screen where you could receive notifications of new content as if you bookmark the website and receive RSS. It synchronizes the content under internet which allows to consume it offline. 

The traditional way is to build deeps link to redirect the mobile users who already processed the APP from mobile website to APP. But the question is: What if people drop off the APP during the installation process. It is said that every step leading to APP installation will lose 20% users, i.e. during the process of visiting APP store, pressing download-button and progressing download instructions by fingerprint or password. 

Wechat Mini Program: APP within the APP

Mini Program was launched in Jan 2017 but really started taking it off later that year. It's a mini APP within Wechat, without installation. Same as Progressive Web APP, Mini Program It aims to connect online with offline and create a scenario for the user. Local service-providers, based on Geo-location, provide service with a certain radius. 

Wechat has been experimenting and improving the Mini Program functions. In Nov 2017, Wechat enabled the link to a Mini Program as a form for Moments Ads. It means that users who click ads from their Moments (similar to Facebook Ads) can directly visit Mini Program. Mini Program entrance used to stand alone under Discovery Menu by search or geo-location only, whereas now, the traffic can be led into the Mini Program from rich media ads. Does it sound familiar? It shares the logic of App Installation campaigns from Facebook Ads, Google Ads or Twitter Ads. 

Then comes a problem of how to maintain and re-engage these users coming from ads. Due to the nature of Mini Program, there won't be an APP entrance living on the home screen. Wechat gave a solution. The five most recently visited Mini Programs will stay at the top of the chatting interface, if users scroll down the search bar, and you can also search Mini Program from the search bar. 

Other than Mini program ordering and paperless menu in the restaurant, the local services are still exploring the scenario building. Meanwhile, the e-commerce grabs the opportunity. As Mini Program is MINI, it must be simple and straightforward. E-commerce can't dump every single item onto the site but select the best sellers or the seasonal collection with a short but strong call-to-action, which actually benefits those who easily get overwhelmed and lost in front of a big selection. The Mini Program is also seamlessly connected with WechatPay. The interruption of whole user journey is reduced to the minimum. It is reported that the conversion rate in Mini Program doubles the one from the native APP. The traffic and stickiness of Wechat.

What is Mini Program?

Where is the limit?

Despite the convenience of Progressive Web APP for users and developers, it hasn't won the spotlight in the past two years. The lack of support from iOS shades the shadow on this Google-initiated concept.

On the other hand, Mini Program also encounters some trouble. The booming e-commerce Mini Program also brings up the counterfeit crisis. The counterfeit sellers utilize the keyword search and closed Moments sharing to spread the words, which is hard to trace and monitor. Wechat has closed down 856 Mini Programs that sell counterfeit products in Jan 2018.

It is the FUTURE

Though APPs like for gaming or with complicated functions such as messaging or time management are unlikely to be replaced by Progressive Web APP and Wechat Mini Program, the seamless experience and scenario building are the trends. Both Progressive Web APP and Mini Program remove some obstacles that may distract users from conversion, connect the traffic from search with content consumption. The APP-like functions such as notification, payment gateway encourage the re-engagement.

Two digital worlds seem to be progressing in parallel, sharing the same trends of diving deeper into the user journey and maximizing the lifelong value of customers. It won't take long for users to adopt a lighter "APP" under the existing acknowledge of APP, while it is easier for developers and companies to try Progressive Web APP and Mini Program thanks to the significantly less development effort and commitment.

That's the fun part of the digital landscape.

Progressive Web Apps: What, Why, and How?