The Impact of App Store Ratings and Reviews on App Visibility
by Sukanya Sur
Former Content Marketing Manager
— 9 min read
In the competitive landscape of the digital era, maintaining a positive presence on the app stores is crucial for the success of any mobile app. Your app ratings and reviews are primary indicators of how users feel about your app. This makes it imperative for ASO practitioners to monitor app reviews and ratings constantly and make it an integral part of their ASO efforts.
It’s important to understand that ratings and reviews significantly impact ASO, and negative ones can have adverse effects. In this blog post, we will explore how negative app ratings and reviews affect ASO and provide practical tips for effectively managing them.
App ratings vs app reviews
Let’s start with the definitions of ratings and reviews to better understand the differences.
- Ratings: A score is given between 1 – 5 stars that may or may not also include a written comment.
- Reviews: A score given between 1 – 5 stars that include a written comment.
The number of ratings and the average rating score are very visible in the app store search results and provide a quick insight into an app’s quality and credibility. Reviews display on the app store pages itself and can give insights about what users truly think about an app or game.
What is a good app rating?
A recent study from AppTweak, analyzing the top 1000 apps in the US found that apps have an average rating of 4.59 on the App Store and 4.35 on Google Play. Games have an average rating of 4.55 on the App Store and 4.37 on Google Play.
- Apps on the App Store: 4.59
- Games on the App Store: 4.55
- Apps on Google Play: 4.35
- Games on Google Play: 4.37
A high rating alone isn’t enough. Users also consider the number of reviews an app has received before deciding to download it. To put it simply, if your app only has a few reviews, its 5-star rating may not impress users. They might prefer an app with a 4.2-star rating that has hundreds of reviews.
So it’s not just about maintaining a top-notch rating, but also about gathering a substantial number of reviews.
Ratings and reviews on the App Store vs Google Play
On Google Play, the rating score is more visible than it is on the App Store. The rating score essentially appears everywhere an app icon does, such as featured app collection lists, category rankings, offers section, search results, and the store listing page.
On the App Store, ratings and reviews are only visible from the search results and when a user clicks through to the product page.
Google Play’s algorithm also puts more of an emphasis on recent ratings and reviews. This means an app’s overall rating score on Google Play is more impacted by recent reviews and ratings.
How can negative app store reviews impact your ASO?
Reviews and ratings are essential components of ASO. The app stores want to provide a good experience and favour apps with positive ratings and reviews in the search and browse results. Therefore, an app with numerous negative reviews and low ratings will likely rank lower than apps with positive reviews and high ratings. They will also be featured less often. This drop in visibility can lead to fewer downloads, and slower growth.
1. Lower rankings in the search results
Negative reviews lead to reduced visibility of your app/game in the app store search results. Both Google and Apple have officially stated that star ratings, user reviews, and the number of ratings are factors their algorithms consider when ranking apps. Store algorithms tend to favor apps with higher ratings, making them more likely to appear in search results and recommendations.
2. Reduced visibility in the app stores
Google has rolled out new guidelines to make it easier for users to discover high-quality apps and games. For example, to appear in the Top Charts on Google Play, Google requires your app to have a minimum rating of 3.0 stars.
Furthermore, if your app has numerous negative reviews, its chances of appearing in the “Suggested for You” section on the Play Store are significantly diminished. This reduced visibility directly impacts the app’s discoverability and, ultimately, the number of downloads.
3. Lower chance to get featured
The app store algorithms also take into account an app’s ratings when deciding on which apps to feature. Both the App Store and Google Play are more likely to feature apps and games that drive user engagement and downloads. Also, the app stores strive to maintain a reputation for offering high-quality content. Featuring apps with lower ratings could be perceived as endorsing subpar content, which may reflect poorly on the app stores.
Our data shows that 92% of featured apps on the App Store have a star rating of 4 or higher, while 80% of featured apps on the Play Store have a star rating of 4 or higher.
Therefore, a lower average rating not only affects your visibility and downloads but also reduces the chances of your app being selected for featured spots in the app stores.
Download the ASO Trends & Benchmark Report
4. Lower conversion rate
Poor app ratings can significantly impact your app’s conversion rates:
- Users tend to see ratings before reviews (due to their positioning on the store page), and they are a simple metric to understand. So users tend to pay close attention to it. A low rating communicates that your app may not meet users’ expectations or needs, leading potential users to look elsewhere.
- If a user is deciding between two apps and everything else is equal, they will download the app with the higher rating.
- Lastly, poor app ratings can undermine the success of your paid campaigns. Investing heavily in ads, only for users to land on an app page filled with negative reviews, isn’t a wise strategy. A balance between advertising spend and attention to user feedback is key for effective marketing and overall app success.
Read these useful tips to monitor your app reviews and ratings and drive conversion
5. Poor branding & user distrust
Negative ratings may sow seeds of doubt in the minds of potential users. Users often read reviews before downloading an app to gauge the experiences of others. If negative reviews are prevalent, it can create a sense of distrust, causing users to question the reliability, functionality, or safety of your app.
Negative reviews thus create a “snowball effect,” influencing potential users to question an app’s quality and reliability. For example, if a user sees numerous reviews mentioning poor customer service, they might perceive that the app developers don’t value user feedback. This negative perception can deter potential users from downloading the app, resulting in lower download numbers and slower growth.
User-generated feedback—across any customer touchpoint—shapes consumer perception. It’s important to find a way to turn those negative reviews into strategic advantages.
How to manage negative app reviews?
Negative reviews can significantly impact your app’s success, particularly in terms of visibility and downloads. However, negative feedback also provides an opportunity to improve your app, enhance user satisfaction, and ultimately boost your App Store Optimization (ASO) efforts. Here are some practical tips on how to effectively manage negative reviews:
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1. Respond promptly
Time is of the essence when it comes to addressing negative reviews. A swift response shows that you value your users’ feedback and are committed to improving their experience. It can also prevent potential customers from being deterred by a negative review. Make it a practice to monitor reviews regularly and respond to them within a reasonable timeframe.
2. Address the issue
A generic response will not suffice when dealing with negative reviews. It’s important to address the specific concerns raised by the user. This demonstrates that you have taken the time to understand their complaint and are actively working towards a solution. Be sure to communicate any updates or improvements made in response to their feedback.
3. Apologize if necessary
If your app has genuinely caused inconvenience or frustration for a user, don’t hesitate to apologize. An apology can help to diffuse any negative emotions and shows that you take responsibility for your app’s performance. Remember, it’s about acknowledging the user’s experience, not admitting fault.
4. Offer a solution
Alongside an apology, provide a solution or workaround for the issue. This proactive approach shows that you are committed to resolving the problem and can help retain unhappy users. If a solution isn’t immediately available, let the user know that you’re working on it.
5. Follow up with the user
Don’t let your interaction end with a single response. Follow up with the user to ensure their issue has been resolved. This reinforces that you value their feedback and are committed to providing a positive user experience.
6. Keep track of common issues
If multiple negative reviews highlight the same issue, take note and address it promptly. This not only helps improve your app but also shows users that their feedback is taken into consideration. Use these insights to drive your app development process.
7. Don’t take it personally
Finally, remember that negative reviews are not personal attacks. They are opportunities to gather valuable feedback and make improvements. Maintain a professional attitude and use this feedback constructively.
More tips to effectively reply to reviews
Conclusion
To summarize, it is extremely important to constantly monitor, analyze, and improve your app’s rating and reviews. Not only will having a low star rating negatively impact how users perceive your app, but it will also significantly hinder your ability to implement an effective ASO strategy. Having a positive rating score, in general, will make it much easier to reach your apps’ visibility potential and your ASO goals!
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