TIP - Boost Your App's Ratings

General (non-technical) Off-Topic
#1

For those creating iPhone apps, you may have come across an app or two that has a button asking you to rate the app. For example, in Doodle Jump, at the bottom they often have a link that recommends that the user give Doodle Jump a rating if they like the game.

When you click the button, it takes you directly to the Appstore App, and not only that, but straight to the review page where the big ‘Write a Review’ button is the first thing they see! I haven’t done any testing yet (the next version of my game, which will be built with Corona, will include this feature).

In the meantime, here’s how to put it in your app:

Make a button and use this function:

system.openURL( “itms-apps://ax.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewContentsUserReviews?type=Purple+Software&id=XXXXXXXXXXXX” )

Just replace the XXXXXXXXXXXX at the end with your iTunes App ID and that’s it! I tested it on my device and it works perfectly :slight_smile:

Alright well just thought I’d share that with everyone. I’ll report back after my next update is out to let anyone know if it actually boosted my app review count. [import]uid: 7849 topic_id: 1646 reply_id: 301646[/import]

#2

Oops, in the line that reads “I haven’t done any testing yet (the next version of my game, which will be built with Corona, will include this feature).” I meant to put, “I haven’t done any testing yet but I’m sure it helps boost review counts”.

I wasn’t talking about the code itself. That, I tested on my iPhone and it works great. [import]uid: 7849 topic_id: 1646 reply_id: 4761[/import]

#3

My advice…

When the app initially launches it will be showing in the “New” section of the iTunes store for your category, somewhere down the list depending on its name and number of other apps released that day.

You will have about 3 days of visibility on this section and ive found that a good number of users will find your app that way. In order to keep up momentum you will need to get some good reviews and if you manage to shift about 50 a day you may get into the new and noticeable.

This is the most important time for the app as once its out of the new section it will get lost with all the other millions of applications. Promoting you application on other websites (you need to pay, $70 for a week seems the average) will help generate sales.

If you manage to drive traffic, reviews and downloads in the first few days it will help set your app up for future success.

Once your app drops from the new section and users are finding it through normal searches you will need to find other ways to promote your app. If it is a paid app wait a couple of weeks for all the other websites that monitor / index the itunes store to pickup your app.

Once they are listing it you should initiate a price drop / free. Do this for a full weekend. The sites that monitor itunes will notice the change and promote your application automatically (I received about 2500 downloads a day from this) and hopefully you will get more ratings. The buttons promoting “Rate this app” is a good idea in this sense as I noticed that the people who download it for free are much less likely to leave a review.

Speak to people who run websites that you app might compliment. The app review sites are too busy and the big boys get top billing but if you are doing a cooking app speak to websites based around cooking / recipes etc… They will be much more open in working with you and can drive a steady amount of traffic to your site.

Like everything though, promotion in the key, and it will cost you. Angry Birds, even though very successful still promotes through paid adverts on iPhone app websites. Obviously chicken / egg scenario but you gots to spend money to make money! [import]uid: 5354 topic_id: 1646 reply_id: 4789[/import]

#4

Wow that’s some pretty awesome advice, definitely making note of the things you mentioned.

I like the idea of making it “free for a weekend” after a couple of weeks; however, is that just as simple as logging into iTunes Connect and making your app free?

If not, how exactly do you do that??

Thanks,

Jonathan [import]uid: 7849 topic_id: 1646 reply_id: 4800[/import]

#5

Yeah in iTunes connect you can set the pricing and the date range for the price.

So you want 2 entries…

1st An entry that never expires, which has the normal price if your app

2nd then you can add another entry, this time set Free and the date range you want.

iTunes connect is smart enough that it inserts the 2nd Free entry in between the never expires. That way once the Free price runs out it reverts to the normal price.

Weekends are best as sales in the store go up 20 - 30% I believe so you get more coverage for that period. [import]uid: 5354 topic_id: 1646 reply_id: 4824[/import]

#6

Awesome, I looked and see exactly where you’re talking about. Thanks for the advice Matt! [import]uid: 7849 topic_id: 1646 reply_id: 4826[/import]

#7

Great advice Matthew. Thanks [import]uid: 8192 topic_id: 1646 reply_id: 4838[/import]

#8

@Matthew: Yes, great advice. I just got done doing a “free” promotion for Doodle Dash! and it went from about 29 players on the OpenFeint Leaderboard to now 41,288 … it also ranked my game VERY highly for the term “doodle” so thank you very much for your advice to make your app free for a weekend.

I also should mention that I didn’t JUST set it to free… what helped my game get such a boost was that it was featured on OpenFeint’s FreeGameOfTheDay.com, but the free status still went on for 48 hours past the promotion… on which I got many more downloads than the actual day of promotion.

I think all paid apps should enter a free or at the very least a discounted period once their initial momentum goes down, just as Matthew described.

Thanks again! Glad we can all help eachother out here. [import]uid: 7849 topic_id: 1646 reply_id: 5413[/import]

#9

@Jonbeebe. Sorry, sent you an email then found this.

[import]uid: 8192 topic_id: 1646 reply_id: 9031[/import]

#10

When you say iTunes App ID, is that different from the App ID listed in Apple’s Provisioning Portal? You list 12 characters and the App ID is 10, which leads me to believe iTunes may generate a different ID.

Thanks. [import]uid: 1560 topic_id: 1646 reply_id: 9343[/import]

#11

Not in the provisioning portal, but in iTunes connect when you manage your individual app. I think it’s labeled Apple ID but I’m not 100% sure about that.

It’s also in your iTunes store link for your app (right before ?mt=8) [import]uid: 7849 topic_id: 1646 reply_id: 9385[/import]

#12

Hello JonBebee and Matthew,
Just would like to thank you guys for these info. Very good to know and usefull help about promoting.
Regards,
[import]uid: 89165 topic_id: 1646 reply_id: 61249[/import]

#13

For those of you who have ratings, generally speaking, how many downloads did you get before ratings registered on your apps?

Have you seen a big difference in number of downloads for free versions between countries? [import]uid: 40033 topic_id: 1646 reply_id: 61053[/import]