New PWA of Housing.com increases conversions and lowers bounce rate by 40 per cent

30 Sep 2016 CW Team

Housing.com, after building Housing Go, a Progressive Web App (PWA), has seen a 38 per cent increase in total conversions across browsers. The new PWA also delivered higher-value users, with visitors spending 10 per cent longer per session and returning more often.

Challenges
Housing.com knew their mobile users would not tolerate slow load times, which significantly affect conversions. They measured the impact of users’ average page-load time and found that even a one-second improvement brought a significant boost in the conversion rate.

Poor connectivity and the prevalence of low-end devices also hindered Housing.com’s growth. They developed a native app so that mobile users could work offline and re-engage. But current and potential customers were very data-sensitive, because the cost of internet access was still high, and many consumers hesitated to use data or space to download the native app.

Solution
Relying on technological advancements and the improved capabilities of modern web browsers and web applications such as Service Workers, IndexedDB, Add to Home Screen, and Push Notifications, Housing.com set out to create a PWA that was fast, efficient, and reliable. The result was a mobile web experience that is fast, uses less data, and re-engages users in multiple ways. With the new PWA, Housing.com saw conversion rates rise 38 per cent and the bounce rate fall by over 40 per cent.

Most Indian users reach the internet via 2G and 3G networks, so a fast user experience is essential. To decrease load times, Housing.com added Service Workers and streamlined their site to help consumers quickly find what they are looking for. Users can continue browsing properties and reviewing previous searches, all while offline. “High-end smartphones are not that prevalent in our target user base,” says Vivek Jain, CPTO, Housing.com. “With our new PWA, we could get past our users’ hesitance to download our app in their low-end devices, yet give them a wonderful experience.”

Results
38% more conversions
40% lower bounce rate
10% longer average session
30% faster page load

Housing.com, after building Housing Go, a Progressive Web App (PWA), has seen a 38 per cent increase in total conversions across browsers. The new PWA also delivered higher-value users, with visitors spending 10 per cent longer per session and returning more often. Challenges Housing.com knew their mobile users would not tolerate slow load times, which significantly affect conversions. They measured the impact of users’ average page-load time and found that even a one-second improvement brought a significant boost in the conversion rate. Poor connectivity and the prevalence of low-end devices also hindered Housing.com’s growth. They developed a native app so that mobile users could work offline and re-engage. But current and potential customers were very data-sensitive, because the cost of internet access was still high, and many consumers hesitated to use data or space to download the native app. Solution Relying on technological advancements and the improved capabilities of modern web browsers and web applications such as Service Workers, IndexedDB, Add to Home Screen, and Push Notifications, Housing.com set out to create a PWA that was fast, efficient, and reliable. The result was a mobile web experience that is fast, uses less data, and re-engages users in multiple ways. With the new PWA, Housing.com saw conversion rates rise 38 per cent and the bounce rate fall by over 40 per cent. Most Indian users reach the internet via 2G and 3G networks, so a fast user experience is essential. To decrease load times, Housing.com added Service Workers and streamlined their site to help consumers quickly find what they are looking for. Users can continue browsing properties and reviewing previous searches, all while offline. “High-end smartphones are not that prevalent in our target user base,” says Vivek Jain, CPTO, Housing.com. “With our new PWA, we could get past our users’ hesitance to download our app in their low-end devices, yet give them a wonderful experience.” Results 38% more conversions 40% lower bounce rate 10% longer average session 30% faster page load