So I wrote the MyFRSC app which was given an unbiased review by the TechCabal Team and of course gained publicity on other sites. It was initially to be a project for my local FRSC CDS group
The design was my pre-material design days (and external browser links are in the app for strong reasons) so yes the review was justified and I’m working on it as we speak,
But the problem here is I contacted someone to write a review for me on a site maybe to get a little more PR,he immediately responded that I pay a certain amount. Courteously and instantaneously I replied that even TechCabal didn’t charge a dime and graciously bowed out. I woke up this morning to find an anonymous 1 star review , vendetta perhaps
My app fell from 5 stars to 3 stars and downloads dropped drastically
This isn’t good as I’ve been scheduled to make presentations for this app. I don’t know how to explain this bad review in professional light
After some research I noticed there are app developers that also rate 1 star on purpose to take your app off the best apps page. Also another viable possibility
As counter-active measures I’m thinking of limiting this app to Nigeria in case a foreigner was dissatisfied and downvoted since the product looked strange to him
(I stated clearly this app was for Nigerian Road users)
There could be a bigger picture we’re yet to see and someone might have answers.
Thanks.
EDIT:
For those who have relatable problems in future, brief summary:
There will always be bad reviews irregardless of what you build@Inducesmile @xolubi@lordzouga @davidamith8900 solutions seem very helpful
Although it seems to be a good app, I haven’t installed your app because I don’t need it at the moment. I don’t think the solution is to hide because no matter where you go or what you do there will always be people/startups to bring you down or downgrade/downvote/slander or throw dirt at what you are trying to accomplish. It all comes down to the numbers. The more positive ratings/reviews to even out and then overcome negative ratings/reviews. That’s why you have to stay on your toes. Matter of fact I think that whenever you get the chance, you should try attacking foreigner markets instead of defending your market from foreigners.
There are tons of articles/sites on how to counter bad ratings and counter negative reviews. Here are some that can help you below:
Your app seems to have only 100 - 500 downloads and you have gotten only 2 reviews, how is that enough to come to the conclusions you posted above?
I think there will always be bad reviews since you can’t possibly please everybody (you are not a jar of Nutella). The goal I think is to make sure that the number of people willing to say good things about your app is greater than the number of people that say bad things.
Anonymous 1 vote seems oddly suspicious
A rating as low as 1 will always have dissatisfied emotions and at least a little rant to follow,
I hope you’ll understand this
Honestly I was contented when there were no ratings
Indeed.
Say in the future,
If others have trolls in larger numbers attacking their work and leaving nasty anonymous reviews, do you have any advice for them?
All I can say is continue to better your product by any means possible. That’s the most important thing. Users. you’ll find, are quite ruthless and impatient when it comes to apps. Trolls are inevitable. If your product is good enough(and keeps improving), the positive reviews will usually drown out the bad ones.
I’m not an expert on this but @davidsmith8900 just gave you a trove of articles.
You can’t control user’s review and rating in app store. If your app is good and serves a need, the number of good reviews and ratings will dilute poor ones.
Most users download app without reading what the app is all about. By the time they find out it is not what they need, they do express their anger with negative and poor review and rating.
Your guess is not correct and I will tell you that as your download increases you will see more of this.
Some users will write good review about your app like “Best app I have seen in Play Store” and they will give you 1 in rating. Note that some little kids are having fun with rating in Play Store. So don’t lose sleep.
This is from experience, I have apps with 3000 and 5000 review / rating in app store so I have seen alot.
The key is to get more positive reviews that will overshadow the negative ones.
Also, if you look through the Google play ratings using your Android device you would be able to see all the people who have rated your app even without comments.
In everything you do, don’t go the route of manufacturing 5-star reviews for your app. You will become sucked into the feel-good cycle and inevitably start believing your own lie.
On the larger question, knowing the premise is a gripe over two reviews makes it hard to advise in context. Build something people will happily review positively. Naturally, humans have a greater tendency to want to review a negative experience than a positive one. Don’t believe me? Ask yourself if you have reviewed every single app that you had no complaints about. 5 star ratings are great, but even the popular apps screw up in an update and the droves of negative reviews pour in. It’s just how life works.
Lol. I wish I hadn’t seen this tip
The 1 star rating was from a personal friend. I don’t know if he knew it’d reflect his name
He criticised the app well enough and I started work on it. 3 days after to leave the rating
Be happy your friend even said something about your app… Good or bad, review is review… Its their opinion… Dont try to doctor it to make yourself feel good…