Gökberk Güner 🇹🇷

⌘ UX Lead @Vodafone

Gökberk Güner 🇹🇷

⌘ UX Lead @Vodafone

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Rating Pop-ups: Good or Bad?

🇹🇷 Türkçe versiyonu için tıkla

Pop-ups may seem like small elements in your application, but they actually play a crucial role in user experience. When integrated correctly, they can enhance the user’s journey within the app. However, when implemented poorly, they can become a major annoyance.

In 2014, even the inventor of pop-up ads publicly apologized after these types of advertisements became one of the most disliked features among internet users.

"I'm sorry. We had good intentions."

Now, let’s get to the point. Pop-ups that ask users for feedback, such as "Please rate our app!", have become a common frustration. The overuse of such requests can lead to user dissatisfaction. To be honest, we tend to take the easy way out.

This article will focus on how we can encourage users to leave ratings and reviews without annoying them.


Why is this important?

Ratings and reviews are critical factors influencing user experience and the credibility of an app.


Reliability and Quality Indicator ✅

Users rely on the experiences of others to assess an app’s reliability and quality. Positive ratings and reviews signal to potential users that an application is trustworthy.

This concept is closely tied to "social proof."

Social proof refers to the phenomenon where people evaluate the value and quality of a product or service based on the experiences of others.


Competitive Advantage 📈

For an app competing in a crowded marketplace, strong ratings provide a competitive edge. High ratings help improve an app’s visibility in App Store and Google Play search results, increasing the likelihood of new users discovering it.

Positive reviews and high ratings attract potential users, boosting the app’s popularity and setting it apart from competitors.


Enhancing User Experience 👍🏻

Reviews provide valuable insights into users' experiences within the app. By analyzing this feedback, developers can continuously update and improve the user experience.


How Can We Improve?

User experience is undeniably impacted by rating requests, and this is an area that can be optimized. Even without major changes, positive results can be achieved.


Asking at the Right Time ⏰

Unfortunately, many apps choose inappropriate moments to ask for ratings, often displaying a request immediately upon launching the app. This is one of the worst possible moments to do so.

It’s not surprising that showing a rating request upon app launch increases the likelihood of the app being closed by 50% compared to other moments.

A better approach is to prompt users for a rating after they have completed a certain number of actions or at a moment when they are highly satisfied with the app. This increases the chances of receiving higher ratings and more thoughtful feedback.


Identifying the Right Users 😇

Considering that an average of 747 million apps are downloaded from the App Store every week, not all of these downloads represent real, engaged users.

The key focus should be on users who actively use the app, successfully complete actions, and have established a connection with the product. Asking this specific group for feedback is more likely to yield meaningful and valuable insights.

One example of this approach is the "Earn Points" method used by Trendyol.


Providing Value to Users 🎁

Although not directly related to pop-ups, offering users rewards such as bonus points or gift vouchers in exchange for a rating can make them feel valued rather than exploited.

The "Rule of Reciprocation" suggests that before asking users for something, you should first offer them something in return. This fosters a more positive interaction.


Avoiding Forced Pop-ups 👁️

A common issue apps face is the negative impact of intrusive pop-ups. To mitigate this, integrating a "Rate the App" option within the application itself eliminates the need to disrupt users with pop-ups.

From a user experience perspective, this is beneficial. However, it may not be as effective in terms of the number of feedback submissions received.

While user ratings are crucial, it’s also true that users generally do not enjoy the process. Finding a smoother and more user-friendly approach to gathering feedback can enhance the overall experience within the app.