Nearly two-thirds of businesses (63%) actively collect and implement feedback from reviews into their apps, according to new research.
The study, from business news website The Manifest, found that 25% read reviews and only sometimes implement feedback, and just 10% read reviews and never implement feedback.
The Manifest surveyed 301 app developers and marketers across the U.S. to determine how businesses implement feedback from mobile app reviews.
Some standout statistics are:
• Businesses use a variety of methods to gather mobile app reviews, such as through their website (26%), in-app push notifications (25%), social media (21%), the app store (19%), and third-party websites such as SurveyMonkey (10%).
• Most businesses read reviews and actively implement the feedback (63%).
• It’s less common to read reviews and only sometimes implement the feedback (25%) and rare to read reviews and not implement the feedback (10%).
• Larger companies tend to dedicate more time to reading reviews and implementing feedback. A little under half (49%) of companies with 11-50 employees read reviews and implement feedback, compared to 61% of companies with 51-200 employees; 67% of those with 201-500 employees; and 67% of those with 500 or more employees.
• The most common incentives offered to encourage app downloads include a discounted item or service for downloading the app (71%), a free item or service for downloading the app (65%), or accrued in-app rewards such as points or coins (63%).
Implementing feedback allows a business to better respond to customer demands
“The best tip I share with my clients is to monitor and manage your online reviews,” wrote Ian Blair, CEO and co-founder of BuildFire. “Having a firm understanding of your customer’s feedback and pain points can make a huge difference for mobile apps as it allows a business to leverage customer feedback.”
Ultimately, a well-refined app earns more positive reviews and engagement and more effectively drives downloads.
Companies Most Frequently Encourage App Reviews On Their Websites
Companies most commonly encourage mobile app reviews through their websites (26%), through push notifications in the app (25%), by requesting reviews on social media (21%), by encouraging reviews in the app store (19%), and by using third-party sites such as SurveyMonkey (10%).
Collecting reviews from numerous channels helps a company gather a greater number of relevant reviews.
The ideal time to gather feedback is following an in-app success, such as a completed transaction. To do this, the developer must build a continuous feedback channel into the app.
For example, Apple’s SKStoreReviewController API allows users to rate and review an app while it’s still in use.
The ability to offer instantaneous feedback greatly increases the likelihood of gathering a positive review in an enthusiastic moment.
Larger Companies Dedicate More Time to Reading Reviews, Implementing Feedback
The availability of resources impacts how often companies read and implement feedback from reviews.
A little under half (49%) of companies with 11–50 employees read reviews and actively implement feedback, compared to more than 60% of larger companies.
Regardless of the size of a company, it’s important to respond to all negative reviews in a timely and professional manner.
Companies cannot disregard the importance of mobile app reviews. Overall, businesses should be paying close attention to all aspects of their mobile app.
“The app should be the primary focus of development and marketing,” said Vik Patel, CEO and founder of Future Hosting. “…Mobile is now the dominant computing platform, and it makes sense to put the mobile experience front-and-center.”
Overall, the survey suggests that acting on customer feedback from mobile app reviews is pivotal to creating a unique product that encourages engagement and loyalty.
The Manifest’s 2018 App Development Survey included 301 app developers and marketers from U.S. companies.