What is Shopify Hydrogen and why does it matter to you?
It goes without saying that there are many brilliant options for building the perfect eCommerce website, but there are always standout performers. As web developers and designers, we believe that Shopify simply must be mentioned in the conversation if we’re talking about the best.
In case you were unaware, Shopify is the biggest name in the US eCommerce market and is responsible for around 30% of all eCommerce websites. The platform is used by businesses in over 175 countries, so Shopify updates are always worth exploring. Let’s discuss Shopify Hydrogen and see how it can improve your website.
What’s headless commerce?
In recent years, the eCommerce world has been ever-evolving. This is primarily due to the increasing number of touchpoints available to businesses (e.g. ordering items via voice command or through in-store interfaces). However, this has created a scenario whereby most companies can’t keep up with the ever-changing market and we’ve ended up with what is known as headless commerce.
Headless commerce is where the front-end of a website becomes separated from the back-end (or commerce layer) because of the constant demands being placed on both to keep up.
We know this sounds like a huge problem; however, for those who have managed to keep their website in check, it’s actually been advantageous. The headless commerce approach has allowed content-focused businesses to chop and change their front-end to align with the latest trends, keeping them fresh and user-friendly.
A traditional website works by intertwining the back-end and front-end and remaining rigid. However, with a headless approach, all of the different user interfaces work independently and communicate via APIs as to the functionality required from the back end, meaning websites can look and feel differently depending on where they are being used.
What does all this have to do with Shopify Hydrogen?
Shopify Hydrogen provides functionality that wasn’t previously available. By bringing the tools developers need to build responsive websites that focus on user experience and running on a React-based framework, the eCommerce giants have created a mind-blowing site builder that is far more manageable.
The end-goal for Hydrogen is to enable developers to build more malleable websites, by placing the focus on how much you can customise the front-end without requiring external software. The beauty of Hydrogen is, of course, that it’s a Shopify product, so all of the back-end commerce will still be seamless.
When you choose Shopify Hydrogen for your website, you’re picking the perfect hybrid of unique UX-based experience, deep-lying coding capabilities and amazing aesthetic achievability.
eCommerce with Create8
At Create8, we pride ourselves on building eCommerce websites that help our clients convert their traffic. Our team of experts can take care of your whole website package, from the coding and programming of your desired functionality to the graphic design and aesthetic elements.
Creating something game-changing is always on our agenda. We believe that if you want to be remembered, you have to be willing to push boundaries and create something brilliant. That’s why, when you choose Create8 as your web design agency; you’re positioning your business for success.
Follow the link below to see some of our recent web design projects.
How does Hydrogen work?
Hydrogen has primarily transpired due to the desire and demand of the user; Shopify has monopolised on the way its audience interacts with websites and their need for flexibility.
The initial problem developers encountered was that to run a responsive eCommerce website, you had to integrate countless add-ons and plug-ins, which in turn meant sacrificing site speed. Well, with Hydrogen, those worries are alleviated! The frameworks are already built in, so speed and responsiveness don’t suffer.
Hydrogen provides your developer with the necessary tools to achieve the perfect balance between functionality and aesthetics. And, the programme comes with a starter template which is a great place to start!
How Hydrogen will help me?
Increased level of design freedom.
Hydrogen will increase the freedom you have to vary your design elements by applying the headless approach to development and separating the front-end from the coding constraints. The platform provides the ability to build your storefront the way you want, and the possibilities are truly endless.
Hydrogen will help you to focus on delivering a user experience like never before and tailor your content for your visitors.
A whole new level of scalability
If there’s one positive problem that you don’t mind your business facing, it’s one that’s related to scalability. You have to grow to worry about growth and now Shopify has you covered.
Due to the issues with site speed that were related to the extra plug-ins needed to build a responsive website, you almost always had your hands tied when it came to growth. As you can imagine, if your speed is already suffering, an influx of traffic can be what pushes it over the edge.
How has this issue been solved? Well, your website won’t need to be hosted externally because it will be hosted directly on Shopify Oxygen.
Site performance
The obvious thing to highlight is that Shopify Hydrogen will improve your website’s overall performance massively. The separation of front-end and back-end means that you can unlock unbelievably fast loading whilst also having high performance elements provided by the coding.
The way your users judge your website’s performance will largely depend on the personal experience you provide and the customisation to meet their specific needs. With Hydrogen, you can give everything they are looking for at speeds they won’t believe – win-win.
Unimaginable eCommerce experience
With all of the optimisation available on Shopify Hydrogen, it can be easy to forget that the overall goal is to sell your products. Personalised marketing is far from a new phenomenon but, when it comes to websites, offering something personalised is a problem that hasn’t quite been worked out.
Hydrogen seems like the answer we’ve been waiting for. With flexibility and capability, we have a personalised solution; personalised storefronts to keep your customers happy And loading speeds due to the Oxygen combination TO get them talking about your website and recommending it to others.
But the one thing that’s really going to drive this movement is how well you know your audience. Carefully balancing your website’s capabilities and your customer’s desires will be difficult if you don’t understand their habits. So, before you think about implementing Hydrogen, ensure you and your audience are intrinsically aligned.
We believe in building websites that redefine preconceptions and keep your audience coming back for more. At Create8, we leverage all of our experience and technical know-how to help our clients succeed in creating conversion-driven websites.
You don’t have to take our word for it, have a look around our website – you can find previous projects we’ve worked on as well as handy blogs, top tips and secrets from a creative agency that strives to make a difference.
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