Every iPhone app developer knows how important it is to get good ratings and reviews on the App Store because they determine the app’s credibility and popularity. People check the ratings and read reviews, and only download an app if others say it’s good. But that’s not the main effect of app reviews and ratings.
The App Store’s search engine takes ratings into account, which means that your app reviews and ratings have a direct effect on your ASO and search ranking. Good ratings show that users trust an app. That’s why the App Store displays relevant apps with good rating above other relevant apps in the search results.
While we don’t know the exact algorithm the App Store uses, the formula could well be something similar to this:
Number of installs for the past several hours + Number of installs for the past several days + Number of reviews and the number of stars + User engagement + Sales
The combination of these determines your app’s position in the search results. As you can see, the more reviews and positive ratings you get, the better.
So, what can you do to improve your rating and get more people to review your app? First of all, you need to make sure your app isn’t buggy and provides a good user experience. Otherwise asking people to rate your app will have a negative effect. When your app is ready to be rated, you can try the following to get quality reviews and ratings:
• Use pop-ups and push notifications to ask users to provide feedback.
• Neutralize potential negative reviews by asking people if they are satisfied. If they are, ask them to rate your app and leave a review. If they say they’re not happy with the app, direct them to a feedback form.
• If you have an international audience, localizing your app will help you get more reviews
And one last thing. Never resort to fake reviews and ratings – they are not worth the trouble in the long run.
