How to Increase Your Mobile App Reviews Online reviews can make or break your business.

You might be wondering whether reviews really matter when it comes to your app … Let's jump straight to the conclusion and say yes, it does matter (and much more than people realise). This article will guide you through tips to increase mobile app reviews.

Online reviews, in general, are extremely important; they can make or break a business. Reviews are part of a consumer's online research efforts, and the opinions of others can directly affect your business. In other words, reviews play a major role in people's purchasing decisions, whether the opinions are about restaurants, movies or apps.

• 70 percent of people trust local businesses more as a result of positive online reviews.
• 80 percent of consumers have changed their minds about a purchase based solely on the negative reviews they read.
• 88 percent said they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
• 57 percent of consumers visit a local business website after reading online reviews, and another 15 percent call the business.

With respect to apps, these opinions and reviews also affect how visible they will be in the app store search results. Users tend to download the first app that appears in their search result and app reviews are one of the factors that decide which app gets this highly coveted spot. It is also important to note that not having any online reviews can be just as harmful -- if not more so -- than having some negative reviews.

Unfortunately, people are not lining up to review your app, even if they are in love with it. Users won't go back to the app store on their own accord to write a review, but they might do so with a gentle nudge in the right direction.

Here are 4 ways to increase mobile app reviews:

1. Create a great app

It might seem obvious, but you need to have a good app to generate good reviews. If your app does not function well in the first place, you cannot expect many users or positive reviews. You need to create a great app that provides value to its users. The happier the users are, the more positive reviews will come in. Make sure you update your app regularly to keep it relevant and functional.

2. Encourage user feedback

The key to increasing and improving your app reviews is by providing exceptional customer service. By allowing unhappy users to easily get in touch and express their concerns, you show them how valued their opinion is. How? Include a "Send Feedback" button in your app that connects straight to an email form. You can use this as a two-way channel of communication to improve your app. This way problems get solved much quicker, and the customer is left with a more positive feeling after they deal with support. Once you have helped your customer, you can politely ask them to review your app. As a result, bad reviews are minimized and your (now) happy customers will leave good reviews.

3. Use gamification

Gamification, according to Badgeville, is "the concept of applying game mechanics and game design techniques to engage and motivate people to achieve their goals." In this case, you will try to entice users to leave a review by creating a game around it. Think of a contest or a giveaway. You can offer a small prize, like a gift card or a discount code, that will go to a randomly-chosen winner. Keep in mind that both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store have rules about contests, so make sure to check these out before you set up a game.

4. Integrate social media

Ask the people who are already a fan of your company to use and review your app! Leverage the power of your social media channels to increase app downloads and, simultaneously, increase reviews. Remind users to rate and review your app by cross-promoting through email, newsletters and social media. Another strategy is to ask social media users and influencers to rate your app during the beta stage. This way your app will already have a good amount of reviews before the full version is launched.

Remember, never purchase fake reviews or you will run the risk of having your app suspended from the app store! Anyhow, organic reviews are a win-win for the user and the app developer: it helps to improve the app for its users, as well as increasing its ranking and downloads. Now that you know how to increase mobile app reviews, go out there and rake in those good ratings!