Getting great and more app reviews is what every app publisher craves for. It’s a way to get more visibility and get stamped as admired by your users. Being highly rated improves your search ranking in the app stores, helps convince users to select your app over your competitor’s app and best of all, if you make the charts, greatly increases your downloads. Not to mention, a 5-star rating on the app makes your eyes sparkle, gives a sense of achievement, and brings in more motivation to deliver content.
The first step to getting a boatload of great reviews should be obvious, build a great app. (We think it helps if you use the mag+ Designd platform.) Once you’ve done that, here’s how to get users to share the news about your stellar creation.
Ask your most loyal users.
Someone who opens your app frequently is someone who’s enjoying your product. Tailor your query for people who are happy customers. It’s okay if there are not a lot of them yet. Quality is better than quantity when you’re just starting out.
Don’t ask too soon.
Hand in glove with number one, you shouldn’t ask for a review from someone who downloaded your app yesterday. In real life, you don’t try to sweet talk someone you’ve known for five seconds into doing you a favor, so don’t do it in your app. People need time to fall in love with your stuff.
Don’t ask the second the app opens.
Your user is opening your app for a specific reason; to take a specific action. If you give them a pop-up box requesting a review instead of what they came for, it’s irritating and could lead to a bad review or direct exit. Give them time to go through your app and finish a task before presenting a pop-up asking for review.
Highlight your strengths.
Invest some quality time to identify your high points or the moments loved by the users most and make them visible to your audience. This will attract users long after you’ve created the content and give them more reasons to offer your app a five star rating.
Try non-pop-up methods of asking.
More app makers are discovering that offering an integrated query (presented on the page with other content) is less annoying to users than a pop-up.
Ask nicely.
Make your language casual, fun and polite. And accept no for an answer graciously. You may have seen pop-ups with a “no” button that reads some like, “No, I don’t want to change my life for the better right now.” Don’t phrase things so that your reader has to brand herself as a jerk.
Make sure to listen and connect to the audience.
Pay attention to what users have to say, their comments and feedback give you a chance to identify how your audience think. This can include questions about your app, suggestions for improvement, fan moments, or just a plain feedback. Reply to their comments and provide them with necessary help and who knows a happy customer becomes one of those app lovers.
Don’t sound desperate.
Begging for reviews is a sure way to get one of two results: no review or a bad review. Avoid saying things like, “Our success depends on your review!” People give positive reviews when they are genuinely pleased with their experience, not to do app makers personal favors. Frame your request in terms of the benefit they’ve gotten from you, or as a way for them to help others like them.
Capturing great reviews is part of any good marketing strategy. Follow the tips above and you’ll be reaping the rewards of good reviews in no time.
Start designing your app today!