App ratings matter. For many users, the app store listing could be the very first interaction with your brand, and often the last, if your app rating isn’t convincing. In fact, 27% of participants in our pre-webinar LinkedIn poll said app rating plays a key role in whether they download the app or not. Another 43% say it is not a deal-breaker, yet it is still very important.

So, how can you make sure your rating reflects the true quality of your app, especially when most users don’t leave reviews?

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In our recent webinar, experts from the Etnetera Group walked us through effective strategies and AI-powered tools to enhance app ratings and user reviews. You’ll hear from Ondřej Franek, Head of Delivery at Etnetera Flow, and Martin Hoch, AI/ML Development Lead at Etnetera Activate.

Why Even Great Apps Struggle with Ratings

Organically, only 0.5% to 1% of users rate an app, and most of them are unhappy. That’s why even top-rated apps can suddenly dip below the threshold of 4 stars, which can lead to 50% fewer downloads.

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But did you know that even a 5-star rating can be suspicious? Research shows that the optimal range that signals consistent quality is between 4.2 and 4.8 stars, depending mainly on the industry and competition. 

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The goal isn’t perfection, but authenticity. To gain more balanced and representative feedback, you need to implement strategic approaches.

Reactive vs. Proactive Rating Strategies

To request ratings from your users, the best way is to combine two key approaches – the reactive (passive) approach and the proactive (interruptive) approach. Let’s break down the differences.

The Reactive (Passive) Approach

Place subtle, non-intrusive prompts within the app interface, such as a card between two pieces of content, a suggestion in the settings menu, or a message asking, “Enjoying the app? Rate us in the store.”

Pros:

• Doesn’t interrupt the user flow
• Appeals to loyal users who already like the app
• Higher-quality feedback
• Easy to implement and scale

‍Cons:

• Lower response rate

The Proactive (Interruptive) Approach

Trigger a full-screen prompt that directly invites the user to rate the app. But be mindful of when it appears; timing is everything. The prompt should follow a positive action or milestone, such as completing a payment, logging in successfully for the third time, or unlocking an achievement in a fitness app. Poor timing, on the other hand, can harm the user experience.

Pros:

• Relatively high, 10–15% response rate 

‍Cons:

• Wrong timing can backfire

How to smartly combine both approaches to generate high-quality ratings? Watch the webinar, and build your new strategy.

From Feedback to Action Using AI

Collecting feedback is one thing. Understanding it and acting on it, especially if it is a continuous flow of dozens or more reviews a day, is another. That’s where AI becomes your secret weapon. AI-powered tools can help you:

• Collect and analyze reviews from multiple sources like App Store, Google Play, social media, email, and more. 
• Detect sentiment and trends in real time.
• Identify recurring issues to improve UX.
• Generate automatic responses to user feedback.
• Prioritize fixes that will impact your rating the most.

Close the feedback loop with the help of AI, stay ahead of issues, and keep your users happy by acting upon their feedback.

Level Up Your App Ratings

See these strategies in action and learn more about how AI can support your mobile app success.

Key takeaways

• Why the optimal rating range between 4.2 and 4.8 stars.
• How to actively seek feedback and boost your conversion rate by 4–8%.
• The difference between reactive and proactive approaches, and how to combine them to engage your loyal users.
• How to use AI to automatically collect, analyze, and respond to feedback from sources like the App Store, Google Play, social media, and more.

Register and watch the full webinar 👇

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