What is SPA? : Its Benefits and Drawbacks
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Companies considering SEO strategies may often hear the term “SPA.” SPA refers to a website construction approach aimed at improving user comfort.
In this article, we will explain the basics of SPA, its benefits and drawbacks, and key SEO considerations.
What is SPA?
SPA stands for “Single Page Application,” referring to a website composed of a single application.
The main feature of SPA is that it allows switching content and pages without navigating away from the current page. In traditional applications, the server reads user input or actions, and the browser loads the search results.
On the other hand, SPA updates only the necessary parts. When there is user input or interaction, it requests only the required parts from the server. The returned data is then processed by JavaScript.
In other words, unlike traditional applications that reload the page each time it updates, SPA handles the processing solely on the browser side using JavaScript. This means that only the necessary parts are updated each time, making the operation more seamless and comfortable for users.
Benefits of Implementing SPA on Websites
There are four main benefits of implementing SPA on websites.
-Display speed increases.
-You can create apps similar to native apps.
-The design improves.
-The UI for animations gets better.
I will explain each benefit.
Faster Load Times
As mentioned earlier, the biggest advantage of SPA is the faster switching of pages and content compared to traditional applications. Google prioritizes page speed, and users prefer pages that load quickly.
SPA helps achieve this by loading only the necessary parts, resulting in minimal data transfer and faster operation, enhancing user comfort.
Related Article: How to Measure Page Speed and Improve Page Display Speed/Page Speed Insight
Creating Apps Similar to Native Applications
SPA allows the creation of applications that feel like native apps.
Traditional applications include “web apps,” which run on the web, and “native apps,” which are downloaded to devices (e.g., smartphone apps).
Native apps offer features like push notifications and offline access but require approval from app stores like Apple Store and Google Play.
SPA, however, offers similar conveniences without the need for such approvals, improving user experience.
Improved Design
Since SPA websites eliminate page transitions, they can achieve a cohesive design. Like Facebook and Google Maps, SPA websites often feature beautiful designs.
Enhanced Animated UI
SPAs frequently incorporate animations. Websites with video and animation tend to offer superior user comfort and satisfaction compared to other websites.
Drawbacks of Implementing SPA on Websites
SPAs have disadvantages as well as advantages. Specifically, the following two drawbacks are notable.
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- Initial page load times are long.
- Implementation costs are high.
We will explain each of these disadvantages in detail.
Longer Initial Page Load Time
While SPAs offer fast page and content switching, the increased amount of JavaScript can lead to longer initial loading times. Since HTML generation is handled on the browser side rather than the server side, the initial page load time can be longer.
In traditional applications, HTML generation is shifted from the server side to the browser side, which inevitably leads to longer initial page load times.
High Implementation Costs
SPAs require programming to handle processes traditionally managed by the browser. Although existing libraries cover some functions, custom implementations may be necessary to meet specific application requirements.
This need for custom programming increases development time and costs.
Failing to implement SPA might negatively impact user experience, making its implementation often essential despite the higher costs.
Be Aware of the Limited Number of Developers Who Can Handle SPA
Since SPA is a relatively new technology, a key drawback is the limited number of developers proficient in it. SPA requires not only web development skills but also a solid understanding of JavaScript, which means there are fewer developers who can handle both.
Additionally, building SPAs requires knowledge of libraries and frameworks in addition to JavaScript. Creating SPAs often involves writing extensive code, necessitating experienced and knowledgeable developers.
Websites That Can Benefit from SPA Implementation
There are two types of websites that can particularly benefit from implementing SPA.
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-Websites with long dwell times
-Websites with low bounce rates
We will explain the characteristics of each type of website.
Websites with Long Dwell Times
The main advantage of SPA is the faster switching of pages and content. Therefore, pages with long dwell times can greatly enhance user convenience by implementing SPA.
Websites with long dwell times sometimes make users uncomfortable during page transitions. There are many websites in the world that prioritize user comfort, and even a single issue can lead users to leave quickly.
On the other hand, with Single Page Applications (SPAs), user stress can be minimized. This means that even if a website has long dwell times, it can still be comfortable, which often leads to improved conversion rates.
Websites with Low Bounce Rates:
Due to the longer initial loading time, SPAs are not suitable for content that needs to be consumed quickly and has high bounce rates, such as blogs.
Instead, SPAs are recommended for pages with low bounce rates where users spend more time.
Related Article: Guidelines for Bounce Rates, Causes for High Rates, and Improvement Methods
Key Points of SPA in SEO Strategies
Because SPAs rely on JavaScript, Google’s crawlers may not correctly recognize or index web pages. To avoid this issue, pre-rendering on the server side is necessary.
In terms of SEO strategies, three rendering methods can be applied.
- Dynamic Rendering
- Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
- Prerendering
Each rendering method will be explained in detail.
Dynamic Rendering
Dynamic rendering refers to a mechanism for indexing content generated by JavaScript.
Specifically, it involves switching between content rendered on the client-side and pre-rendered content.
Dynamic rendering is suitable for SPA websites that use JavaScript. When using JavaScript, crawlers may not execute properly, leading to delays in indexing. Dynamic rendering addresses this by serving static HTML.
However, it is important to note that dynamic rendering is a workaround primarily for crawlers. Compared to server-side rendering, it is not considered the most effective solution.
Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
Server-side rendering (SSR) is a useful application feature where the rendering of a website is done on the server instead of the browser. SSR is characterized by generating HTML on the server.
Traditionally, servers would send different HTML for each URL, which did not work well with SEO crawlers. SSR solves this by running JavaScript on the server (Node.js) to generate and return HTML.
Prerendering
Prerendering is a technique where HTML files are generated and rendered in advance.
In typical methods, rendering occurs when the user accesses the page. In contrast, with prerendering, pre-generated HTML files are used when the user accesses the page.
This results in faster display speeds, providing SEO benefits. Websites using prerendering tend to perform better in SEO.
Related Article: What is Rendering Speed? Explaining the Causes and Solutions for Slow Rendering Speed
Summary
Since SPA enables fast switching of pages and content, it enhances user satisfaction. With improved design, including animations, SPA offers many attractive features. However, drawbacks such as high implementation costs and a limited number of developers proficient in SPA exist. Particularly, the high implementation costs cannot be ignored. Consider the pros and cons carefully when deciding whether to implement SPA.
Author Profile
Mr. Takeshi Amano is a graduate of the Faculty of Law at Nihon University. With 12 years of experience working in the advertising agency industry, he discovered SEO and began his research during the early days of SEO. He self-taught and conducted experiments and verifications on over 100 websites. Using this expertise, he founded Admano Co., Ltd., which is currently in its 11th year of operation. Mr. Amano handles sales, SEO consulting, web analytics (holding the Google Analytics Individual Qualification certification), coding, and website development. The company has successfully managed SEO strategies for over 2000 websites to date.
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