10 Easy Ways for Requesting App Reviews (Backed by Data)

Imagine you’re an indie developer who’s just launched a killer app in the market. What should be your next move? Why, getting reviews for your product, of course. Focus on two aspects, specifically:

• How to generate more app reviews
• How to achieve better reviews.

Remember, next to the number of downloads, the volume of ratings and reviews your app receives will affect your rankings in the search results and top charts significantly. Thus, find ways to secure more application reviews if you want to boost the visibility of the product.

Also, expect to get a lower ranking if your application is consistently rated low. After all, app stores will always promote ‘good’ apps and bury the ones with low star ratings.

Thankfully, following the curated list of techniques given below should help your app find success:

Always Keep It User-Focused

Believe it or not, sincerity is something every consumer appreciates. That, and personality. Think about how many app review notifications you get. Sure, the feedback benefits other customers and the developer. But what’s in it for the user?

Make them see the positives. For example, if there’s a bug in your app that prevents users from accessing it, their reviews notify the developer and motivate them to work on a fix. User feedback not only helps the application get better, it guarantees user satisfaction. Once customers realize the power of their opinions, they will help.

Position the rating request as more than just another pop-up. Request a review and thank the users. Create the impression they are contributing. Show them you care and use this opportunity to create a rapport. It will distinguish you from the competition.

Note that it’s okay to be basic about your app rate request. After all, customers only care about three options –

• Yes
• No
• Later

Check out this example of how to do things right:

Read the requests. Don’t they feel more personal, almost like a conversation? Think of it as the perfect alternative to asking bluntly, “Rate my app.” Increase the sense of contribution among your customers and automatically get more app reviews. Stats show this method is 5 to 10 times more successful than asking for a rating.

Simplify Things

Allow customers to leave reviews for your app easily. Avoid any complications. Minimal effort – that is the keyword here. Never implement complex forms that ask too many questions; it only serves to discourage your users. Make everything effortless and smooth.

This is how it should be!

Or, make things easier by redirecting your customers to the app store.

Remember, most customers won’t actively search for ways to leave feedback about your app, unless they intend to share a negative experience. So, it’s up to you to subtly ask them for ratings and reviews, and make the process as snappy as possible.

Foster the Feeling of Community

Let it be known that by submitting reviews, users are helping others just like them. New apps are being launched in the store on a daily basis. Depending on the reviews and ratings of users, thousands of people decide if they want to download and use a particular app at any given moment.

What’s more, 56 percent of consumers say they are more likely to trust reviews coming from someone they know. People rely on the opinions of others quite heavily since it helps them figure out the decision they wish to take when it comes to downloading a certain service or game. It works to motivate end users by telling them how they can contribute to the community by letting others know how their app experience turned out.

Perfect Timing of App Review Requests

Remind customers about leaving a review for your app, but don’t disrupt their user experience in the process. Understand the importance of timing. Make sure no pop-up randomly appears on the screen. Instead, time it to appear once the consumer has finished a task.

Look at the image above; it’s an example of a pop-up that encourages users to submit a review for the app just BEFORE they exit the program, not DURING.

Wait to ask for consumer feedback until customers have engaged with the app several times in a certain timeframe. Make sure users have had enough time to get to know your app before asking them to leave a helpful, constructive review. Also, provide the option of skipping the review process altogether.

Use Plugins

Want to know the fastest way of getting a customer review? Ask them to rate it in-app. Download turn-key plugins for both Android and iOS platforms. Use these nifty tools to prompt the user and secure an app review without hassle.

Try Appirater, for example. This well-known plugin is compatible with both iOS and Android devices, and integrates with your app in under 2 minutes. Once installed, prompt customers to submit feedback after they’ve used the app a specified number of times or a certain time period. Clicking on “Rate” will direct users to the app store for review submission.

Be sure to set up the plugin carefully. Display review popups too soon or immediately after the user downloads the program, and you might stand to lose customers or get negative reviews.

Offer the Best Possible Support

Practice grouping app reviews into topics.

See the image above. Notice how the developers have allowed customers to rate each aspect of the app individually, from Gameplay to Controls to Graphics. This makes it easier to acknowledge the problems in the program and fix them based on user feedback. Such level of detail points to a solid customer support system. Aspire to this level and you’re sure to see a steady improvement in the reviews of your app.

Provide Incentive

Try asking customers for app reviews. When that fails, bring out the big guns. Give them the extra motivation they require to invest a bit of time and write a review. Include a lucrative offer, like a discount on in-app purchases. Secure more reviews this way, and improve your chances of doing repeat business.

Start by setting up the discount.

• Decide on the type of discount, the amount, and whether you wish to auto-generate a non-reusable code for every review.
• State the incentive in the review request notification or email. Edit your copy until the intent becomes clear.

• Make discounts easily applicable. Generate discount codes that users can apply easily in the store.

Value Honesty

Be it negative or positive, customers find it therapeutic to express their thoughts about a particular app in review form. While positive reviews allow them to enthusiastically explain why they love the product, negative reviews – especially the constructive ones – play a more cathartic role. Think of them as an outlet through which customers vent their frustrations but still get their problems resolved.

Give your users a platform to honestly state what they appreciate or dislike about your product. Not only does this provide potential users an authentic look at the advantages and disadvantages, it offers existing customers a platform to share their opinions where they know they’ll be heard.

Thus, take the good reviews with the bad as constructive criticism. Also, don’t forget to let your users know that their voices are being heard.

Respond to App Reviews

Respond to user feedback, especially the negative suggestions or reviews, to show your target audience that you care. This is a smart, easy way to let customers know you’re reading their opinions and their efforts aren’t in vain.

Do not ignore positive reviews, however. Be sure to thank all the users for leaving positive feedback on your app.

Motivate app users to leave further reviews and increase their engagement by responding to the feedback. Ensure your response is an empathetic one. Word your response carefully to get the message across to users that their views are taken seriously.

Try to address the users by name, since it makes your response appear a lot more earnest and personal. In some instances, customers are so happy with the developer’s response that they even change their original reviews.

Interact with customers to make it known that you are committed to an extended investment with the user.

Send Visual Reminders

Use the fact that humans are visual creatures to your advantage. Remember that reading textual opinions takes a conscious effort on the part of the user and takes longer for their brains to process. And when it comes to reviews, first impressions are important.

So, use images to evoke emotions, a vital factors for many app feedback conversions. The human brain is hardwired to analyze visual details. In fact, our power to process visual information is 60,000 times greater than text. Visual content like colors, shapes, and images reach the brain quicker than text.

So, even before your visitor has a chance to go through the textual reviews of your app, they make up their minds about downloading the program based solely on visual cues. So, be sure to highlight the positives of your app.

Include CTA In Your App’s Release Notes

Believe it or not, but many consumers do take the time to go through the release notes of an application. So, use it as a means to communicate with your target audience. You will notice many apps requesting reviews in the release notes itself with great effect.

And, even if you think it won’t yield much result, what’s the harm in testing it out? However, be sure to keep the app review request to a minimum.

Customize the Review Request

Take advantage of the power of customization. Remember, you boost conversions by 27.5 percent when you personalize the message. Customize review request content to better fit your target consumers.

Boost open rates and increase the volume of reviews generated with the following tips:

• Highlight the incentive. If you’re sending an email, include the email in the subject line.
• Host a contest to ignite your customers’ competitive spirit. Offer them a chance to win great prizes when they review your app.
• Play up the humorous angle. Inject some fun into the conversation and write light-hearted content for app review request.
• Express interest in the users – what they want. Customers want to know that developers care enough about the experiences they have with the apps.
• Highlight the app’s emotional benefit. Take advantage of your app’s strengths to appeal to the user’s emotions and drive decision-making.

Experiment with various copy options to understand what works best for your app.

Maintain the Word Limit

Please pay attention to the character count in your app review requests. If you are planning to ask users to review your application via push notification, don’t ramble on. Get to the point as soon as possible. Make sure your push notifications do not exceed 100 characters. Otherwise, you might find it difficult to convince users to leave reviews on your app.

Create a Solid Application

Last but not least, focus on building a good app. A subpar app will escape the audience’s attention, or even worse, fail to retain customers. Unless you have a decent user base in place, there won’t be anyone to rate your product.

So, develop the best possible app and give customers the services they want. Prize user happiness above all else. People will automatically spread word of your app once they realize you deserve the positive feedback.

Concluding Remarks

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to develop the perfect application. But to garner more positive reviews, you must realize that ratings and reviews are not about ranking higher in the app store, they are about striving to be the best. Do not make the mistake of trying to seem perfect by removing negative reviews. Not only does this set a bad precedent for your reputation as a developer but it affects your reviews as well.

Instead, make customers understand the importance leaving an app review has on your product and company. Make them feel a part of this continuous circle that promotes the growth and innovation of the software industry, and pushes the boundaries for digital solutions and products offered worldwide.