5 Biggest Mistakes of App Review Management
Wednesday, June 02, 2021
The higher your app’s ratings — the more users see it, and the more purchases flow in. However, you cannot please everyone. Sooner or later, negative comments appear. The way you handle them defines the future of your product. Sadly, too many developers ignore the golden rules of feedback management.
Should you reply to all reviews or just the negative ones? How often should you send requests for feedback? There are many questions to answer. With a system for automatic app review responses, boosting ratings is easy. Experts will help you avoid the deadly sins of app management, including these five mistakes.
- Delayed Responding
If a user complains about a specific feature, improving it requires time. Do not keep them in the dark, though. Reply to the comment promptly to show that their opinion counts and the team is working on a solution. This will contribute to trust and attract more positive reviews in the future.
- One-Sided Strategy
There is nothing wrong about asking for ratings — if you do it right. The key is not to make this a one-sided affair. After a user leaves their comment, reconnect with them. Let them know their review has helped you make the app better. This way, they will be more willing to leave positive feedback later on.
- Taking Criticism Negatively
Every product is rated poorly time after time. First, people’s expectations differ, and feedback is highly subjective. Secondly, bugs appear in nearly any app. Taking reviews personally is unreasonable, to say the least. Instead of attacking the critic, work to correct the wrongs (if they have pointed out a genuine flaw).
Every piece of constructive criticism is your opportunity to make the product better and more competitive. Forward-thinking developers understand this. Such comments may be very informative, so you know exactly what aspects of the app deserve special attention.
- Sending Rating Prompts Too Early
After a user installs your app, they need time to explore it. Avoid asking for feedback right off the bat. Not only is this useless — the prompts may backfire. A reader cannot write a book review when they have only opened it. Mindless prompts can spell the death of your app. This is exactly what happened with the music streaming service Rdio.
- Disruptive Prompts
Requests for feedback should not appear when the user is in the middle of some activity. For instance, some of the worst moments are when they are trying to repost something or upload an image. This is guaranteed to annoy. Instead, focus on positive moments when the users feel delighted. For instance, a dating app could display a prompt after a match has been found.
Final Thoughts
Avoid these errors at all costs. If you want your app to succeed, feedback requests should be timely and responses quick. Let the users feel that their voices count and that reviewing your app makes a difference.