So you’ve got your app all launched. You’ve poured blood, sweat, and tears (plus money and time) into creating what is a truly awesome app. But then it just languishes in an app store, not getting you the downloads you need. Despite all your work, it just sits there. So what went wrong and – more importantly – how do you fix it?

Like most of us, you probably turn to Google. Google will tell you that one of the key elements to a post-launch app marketing strategy is getting good App reviews. It’s how you get ranked in the app store; it’s how you get noticed by other app users, and it’s how you improve app downloads.

Now, not all app reviews are created equal. In fact, the last thing you want to do is hire a Content Farm. This is where hundreds of people crammed into an office writing favorable reviews, even though they’ve never even seen your app. Look, we understand: it’s the best way to get thousands of reviews. But it’s also one of the best ways to get your app taken down from both Google Play and the App Store.

Plus, Content Farms are based on quantity, not quality. Many of these businesses employ those with a poor grasp on grammar. On top of that, they get things wrong and are almost always clearly a fake review. While fake reviews may help for a month or two, It’s insulting to your users. More to the point it will come out and when it does it’s extremely harmful to your brand.

Fret not, however; there are plenty of ways to get good, real reviews. Keep in mind that a good review in this context is an honest one. Sure a 5 star review is great. But what’s better is a 4 star review with some suggestions on how to improve. Of course, a 5 star review with advice is also pretty sweet ;).

Another thing to remember is that getting honest reviews requires more time, but frequently less cash than hiring a content farm. To be clear, there are 100% legitimate companies that provide reviewing services. But, just like you should do before entering in any partnership, there are ways to vet a potential marketing partner.

1. Ask a potential partner how many reviews a month they can provide. If it’s something in the range of hundreds to thousands, be very leary. If it’s something like 5 – 10 that’s better. But what you really want is a partner who doesn’t offer X amount of reviews, but how to put you in front of real people who will review your app.

2. Ask how they plan to identify key influencers and early adopters. A good marketing strategy always involves identifying the big players in any market. Each gatekeeper (or key influencer, or early adopter – they’re all essentially the same) is worth much more than a standard user. These people use social media to influence other users – sometimes numbering in the thousands or more. In other words a good review from a key influencer can drive massive downloads. Also, it’s good to keep in mind that many marketing partners are also key influencers. SDI for example has been in the tech business for almost 20 years. When it comes to tech and Silicon Valley, we know who to talk to get the ball rolling.

3. If, during the course of your vetting process, a company offers to review your app without asking to see a build, hang up and call someone else. What you really want is a partner who wants to see not just a recent build, but the testing you’ve done. A good marketer wants to see this because it can help them identify key selling points from a user’s perspective. Additionally, modern consumers love a company that responds to their feedback by making changes. Of course, this is only a problem if you hired a different marketing team from your development team. Many of the best tech companies offer both services.

But hiring an app marketing company isn’t the only way to get decent reviews. This is the age of Social Media; we all have a profile on one site or another, with a huge network of contacts. This isn’t a call for blanket mass messaging all your contacts on Facebook (please don’t do that). What you need here is a tailored message. A good review request:

• Is personalized to the message receiver. Like a Thank You card, it makes the message more real and will have a higher response rate;

• Explain to them why your app can help them. Again, be personal.

• Be specific, but brief. Don’t add a bunch of filler words, but clearly explain what your app is and what it does.

• Include the necessary details and links for app sharing and app reviews (i.e. links to your store page). The easier it is to review and share, the more likely it will happen!

• Don’t just send it over – make the ask. Let the recipient know you’re asking for their honest review.

Bad: Hello, i made an app please give me a review.

Meh: Hey Jon, i made an app and would love it if you could review it for me

Room For Improvement: Hey Jon, I just made an EdTech app, could you check it out for me?

Good: Hey Jon, I just made an EdTech app and i remember that you’re a teacher. My app is designed to help students learn without altering a teacher’s preferred pedagogy.

Better: Hey Jon, I just made an EdTech app and i remember that you’re a teacher. My app is designed to help students learn without altering a teacher’s preferred pedagogy. I would love some honest feedback and a review, especially from an insider like yourself.

Best: Hey Jon, I just made an EdTech app and i remember that you’re a teacher. My app is designed to help students learn without altering a teacher’s preferred pedagogy. I would love some honest feedback and a review, especially from an insider like yourself. Here are the links to review the Android or iOS app. If you would like to pass it on to some friends, we include easy Social Media share buttons.

There are two final steps to creating a good app review request:

1. Listen to your reviewers. This cannot be stressed enough. These are your end users so their opinions are incredibly important to making an improved product;

2. Send the reviewers a new build once you’ve included their feedback. It’s an excellent way to not only make users feel valued but to re-engage users. Plus it could result in follow reviews with improvements in ranking.

Overwhelmed? SDI is here to help you create the perfect marketing campaign, to getting good reviews from improving a social media presence. Give us a call at 408.805.0495/408.621.8481 – or click to contact us!