5 Key Lessons from Elevating Our App’s Rating from 2.1 to 4.8
When I took charge of our mobile apps, the ratings on the App Store and Google Play were dismally low, once dropping to 1.9. This posed a significant challenge, especially in our B2B context where users are typically mandated to use our products.
However, within six months, we managed to boost our ratings impressively to 4.6, even touching a peak of 4.8! Here are the five key insights I gained from this remarkable turnaround.
1 The Domino Effect of Poor Ratings
Our strategy has traditionally been more sales-driven than product-led, which hadn’t been problematic until faced with low ratings. Such ratings lead to three major issues:
Firstly, user perception is heavily influenced by others.
Seeing low ratings and negative reviews prompts users to complain, assuming a collective dissatisfaction. Conversely, high ratings accompanied by positive feedback lead users to introspect first, wondering if the issue might be on their end, rather than lodging a complaint immediately. This shift was evident once our ratings improved to 4.5, with our customer service team noticing a significant drop in complaints.
Secondly, poor ratings project a negative image to potential new users and decision-makers.
In the world of app stores where ratings are readily visible, anything below 3 stars can prejudice users against your product, even without detailed knowledge of its functionality. Even though we are not product-led, but at least we shouldn’t become product-drag. 😅
Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, low ratings can be demoralising for the team.
Working on a product that seems unappreciated can dampen morale and affect pride in one’s work. Realistically, it also reflects poorly on resumes. This can spiral into a negative loop where the team focuses more on assigning blame than on resolving customer issues, fuelled by a belief that the app is indeed subpar.
Each of these factors reinforces why maintaining a strong rating is crucial, not just for user satisfaction, but for the overall health and morale of the team and company.
2 App Ratings Reflect More Than Just the App
It’s rare for people to write reviews unless they have strong feelings about a product. Typically, negative reviews outnumber positive ones.
Often, the issues highlighted in negative reviews extend beyond the app. These reviews usually indicate two things:
First, users leaving negative feedback are deeply frustrated or upset. Their criticisms might be harsher because they’re compelled to use the product without adequate support to address their issues.
Second, it suggests that your product lacks effective channels for users to express their concerns. Most users turn to writing a negative review when they feel unheard and run out of patience. The easy option for venting frustration becomes leaving a 1-star review on app stores.
Therefore, to improve app ratings, the solution often lies in addressing these underlying issues. While it’s not always possible to immediately resolve every problem, finding ways to manage disgruntled users is essential. The goal isn’t just to convert unhappy users into satisfied ones but also to encourage satisfied users to share their positive experiences.
3 First Thing First, Ask for Ratings
Despite our app’s low ratings, we had never actively solicited feedback from our users. Consequently, the only ratings we received were negative ones.
In response, we conducted user research and surveys, and crafted a flow for rating requests. We initially considered segmenting users to target those more likely to rate us positively, but realised this was against app store policies. Therefore, we chose a MVP approach to test and tweak our strategy — by straightforwardly requesting our users to rate us after they’ve made a certain number of successful payments, using the native rating components provided by iOS and Android.
The results were astonishingly positive, far exceeding our expectations. Given our history of low ratings and constant complaints, we had braced for more of the same. Yet, to our surprise, within just a month, we received hundreds of reviews, surpassing the total number of ratings accumulated over the app’s 15-year existence. Our average rating soared to 4.7 on the App Stores.
Over six months, we received over 5,000 ratings in Finland alone, averaging at 4.5. This success wasn’t due to any dramatic changes in the app or service but was primarily the result of simply asking users to leave a rating. It turned out that a silent majority were actually satisfied with our app and services.
4 All Feedback is Valuable Regardless of Negative or Positive Reviews
Once we began requesting ratings from our users, we also created a means for them to send us open-ended feedback directly. Initially, much of this feedback was in the form of 1-star ratings accompanied by negative reviews or complaints, which was quite frustrating. However, I soon realised that all feedback, whether negative or positive, is inherently neutral and immensely valuable.
This feedback serves as a vital tool for product managers and designers to gain insights into the end-user’s experience and the issues they find most pressing. Often, the problems highlighted may not be directly related to the product itself but could provide valuable insights for customer support or sales teams. It helps them understand how users perceive the product and how to better address user needs or even enhance the product’s marketability, particularly from the perspective of a B2B business. In such settings, where teams and companies possess extensive domain knowledge, there can be a gap in empathising with end-users.
Instead of feeling frustrated, product teams should consider themselves fortunate to receive this feedback. For product managers, in particular, it’s an essential channel for gathering ideas and insights during the product discovery phase.
5 Ask More Often, and Make It Simple
Leveraging the positive outcomes of our initial efforts, we began incorporating more opportunities for feedback within the app. Particularly when launching a new feature, we consistently included an internal rating widget. This approach was designed to gather user feedback swiftly and early in the process.
Having a consistent, long-term approach to feedback acts like a benchmarking tool for the app and its features. It helps in quickly identifying any unexpected trends or issues. More importantly, by providing users with an easy and direct way to express their feedback or grievances within the app, we potentially reduce the chances of them resorting to leaving negative reviews on app stores. This proactive strategy not only aids in enhancing the product but also in maintaining a positive public perception.
In my journey of improving our app’s rating from 2.1 to 4.8, the key takeaway has been the importance of prioritising user engagement over merely chasing higher ratings. It’s essential to first understand and connect with your users before deploying any strategies. When efforts are directed, they should focus not just on enhancing the app’s ratings but more crucially on solving the real issues users encounter. This approach not only leads to improved ratings but also fosters a better overall user experience and product success.
