Have no doubt, mobile apps are the future of the internet with between 70 – 80% of all traffic in the last few years being generated from a mobile device instead of a laptop or desktop computer. This has a lot of engineers and entrepreneurs putting their thinking caps on to hopefully come up with the next big thing in the app store.
There have been many long hours and late nights spent developing an app before it makes its launch debut in the app store.
Hopefully, you’ve spent a great deal of time coding, debugging and testing the app for perfection. If this is your first app then it might surprise you to know that how smoothly your launch goes has a lot to do with getting as many positive reviews as you get in the fastest amount of time.
In fact, according to DigitalAuthority, many apps will fail purely due to a lack of reviews. Get your review strategy in order before you launch to increase your odds of success.
Why Reviews Are So Important
Word of mouth recommendations from friends and family have always been an important factor in many people’s money spending decisions, but now that we have easy access to everyone’s opinions on the internet, online reviews are where it’s at.
In fact, according to Entrepreneur.com, 70% of people trust businesses more as a result of online reviews and 80% say they have changed their minds about a purchase based on negative reviews. Many people will check out the reviews in the app store before downloading, even if there is no cost.
The Importance Of Ranking In The App Store
Most companies will not rely solely on the app store to get downloads, but the App Store or Google play store is where most of the downloads will take place. 63% of app downloads take place from a search in the app store. That’s why it is vitally important that you get your app ranked up fast.
Much like ranking a website on Google, there is a systematic algorithm that will control which apps get seen at the top of the pile in search results and which apps get featured or suggested to users. Here are some factors to consider in order to rank near the top:
- Description
- Keywords
- Download rate
- Reviews
- Title
- Category assignment
- Ratings
Notice that reviews and ratings are part of the algorithm that ranks apps in the store.
Furthermore, the faster you can generate positive reviews, the more weight they will hold. But people aren’t just going to go to the app store to review your app on their own, they’re going to need a little nudge from you. Here are a few ways to get your first reviews after launch.
#1. Ask Family And Friends
Hey, why not? You know people, reach out to them and request they download your app and give it a try! Mention that if they love it, leaving you a review in the app store will be a great help to you. People want to help and support you, but you need to tell them how. This is how many apps get their first 5 or 10 reviews, there’s no shame in the networking game.
#2. Use Gamification
Make it fun for users to leave a review. You can offer incentives for leaving a review or make it into a contest. Be careful however, the app stores do have rules about these things. You’ll want to make sure you are in compliance.
#3. Use Social Media
Leverage social media to get attention for your app, start early so people are ready to download your app on day one of the launch. Have a countdown or a live video party for your launch. Get people excited, and remind them to review the app after they try it. This will help you rank higher in the app store and get you a lot of downloads and reviews on day one.
#4. Add A Plug-In
If you ask internet traffic expert Neil Patel, he’ll tell you that the best way to get more app reviews is to use an app plugin that will make review prompts a snap. You don’t necessarily have to add new fancy code, there’s a plugin for that!
#5. Make It Super Easy
Speaking of plugins that make prompting for reviews a breeze, how about we take some of the legwork out of leaving a review. Making a task very simple and easy is the best way to get a lot of results. People no longer have to leave the app, go to the app store, and leave their review. With the right plugin, they can leave their feedback from within the app itself!
#6. Know When To Ask And Don’t Be Annoying
Timing is everything and you’ll want to time your review prompts so that they don’t interfere with the user’s experience. You don’t want to interrupt their flow while they try out the app. Asking for a review right away or asking too often with pop-ups will get annoying very quickly. A frustrated user will not leave you a glowing review.
#7. Respond To Feedback
Make sure that you take the time to respond to feedback. If a user had a negative experience and left a less than a five-star review, take the opportunity to apologize and give an explanation or a promise to fix things. Even if they left a terrific review, you can respond and thank them. Back and forth conversations between you and the consumers will have a great impact on your bottom line. When people go to read the reviews, they will see that your company cares about the users and that builds trust right from the start.
Not sure where to start with your mobile marketing efforts? Check out the companies on this list of digital marketing giants who can help you get the results you are after.
