How to boost mobile app rankings using App Rating Prompts

App Store Optimization
Dec 21, 2023

If an app has a low rating (less than 4.5), it significantly impacts the conversion rate and reduces the number of installs. Previously, developers used special exchanges of targeted traffic to solve this issue. It was possible to buy a certain number of ratings or reviews. However, this method belongs to the Black ASO and no longer works. Mobile store algorithms discover and delete almost all ratings and reviews (especially Google Play). In addition, the app can be blocked. The RadASO team offers an App Rating Prompts solution and explains how it works.

The RadASO team offers a service to prepare a strategy for the integration of the App Rating Prompt.

Is app rating and reviews important?

The average rating and reviews of an app are key elements for its successful promotion in the App Store or Google Play. They show users' reactions to the app, and its popularity, and significantly impact the rate from impressions to installs.

The average rating is a numerical value from 1 to 5 stars, where 1 is the minimum rating and 5 is the maximum.

Reviews are text-based feedback from a user who has already downloaded the app.

According to Alchemer, about 80% of users check ratings and reviews before installing a new app. More than 55% of users check ratings and reviews before making a purchase. Over 70% feel that their impression of a brand is influenced by the average rating.

Attribute
Value
Format
PNG
Color space
Display P3 (wide-gamut color), sRGB (color), or Gray Gamma 2.2 (grayscale).
See Color Management.
Layers
Flattened with no transparency
Resolution
Shape
Square with no rounded corners
Attribute
Value
Format
PNG
Color space
Display P3 (wide-gamut color), sRGB (color), or Gray Gamma 2.2 (grayscale).
See Color Management.
Layers
Flattened with no transparency
Resolution
Shape
Square with no rounded corners
Word
Frequency in service
Qimai(China)*
AppTweak
Mobileaction
Appfollow
课程 (course)
5387 (high)
56 (mid)
5 (low)
34 (mid)
外语 (foreign language)
5699 (high)
35 (mid)
5 (low)
34(mid)
播放 (play)
5496 (high)
35 (mid)
5 (low)
35 (mid)
*Search index in China provided by Qimai and based on multidimensional calculations such as search results, downloads and relatable keywords.
App Store
Google Play
1. Icon impact on user choice
Important, but not more than a video with screenshots, as they take up most of the screen
Icon is displayed with several other icons in search results, and therefore it has the greatest impact on the user's choice
2. Icon localization
1 icon for all locales
Can be localized for each country
3. Screenshots quantity, orientation
From 1 to 10, any orientation
From 2 to 8, any orientation
4. Screenshots the most important are the ones that are visible before you start scrolling
  • Vertical screenshots: 3 are visible
  • Horizontal screenshots: only the first one is visible
  • Vertical screenshots: 4 are visible
  • Horizontal screenshots: only the first one is visible
5. Screenshots size
Large — the content is legible
Much smaller — the captions are quite illegible
6. Video quantity
Up to 3
One video that must be uploaded to YouTube
7. Video orientation
Any orientation
Horizontal orientation prioritized
8. Video autoplay
Plays automatically for 30 seconds without sound
You need to click on it to play
9. Application cover
Displayed on the application and developer pages
There is no cover
10. Graphics update
After release only
Whenever

What are App Rating Prompts?

App Rating Prompts are pop-up review windows for requesting a rating inside an app. They are also called Rate Us Windows. They come in two types: standard and custom.

SPOILER: The rating window can give the result shown in the chart below.

The standard (native) is a pop-up review window from the store that appears in the selected position and cannot be edited. The App Store and Google Play recommend using it.


App Store Rating Prompt
Google Play Rating Prompt

The custom is a pop-up review window in the app that was created by the developer. You can display anything on it. After the custom review window appears, you can direct the user to the page to rate it (we do not recommend this to avoid losing the user when they quit the application) or display the standard review window.


When is it optimal to display App Rating Prompts to users?

  1. The pop-up review window should always be displayed after a positive user action (successful delivery, purchase, level completed, etc.).
  2. The pop-up should not be in the middle of a task (launching an app, placing an order, in the middle of a level, etc.).

Examples of successful strategies for implementing App Rating Prompts:

  • after several positive actions;
  • at the stage of onboarding (stores don't recommend it);
  • after a certain time in the app;
  • combo: external push notifications leading to the rating window.
Device or context
Icon size
iPhone
60x60 pt (180x180 px @3x)
60x60 pt (120x120 px @2x)
iPad Pro
83.5x83.5 pt (167x167 px @2x)
iPad, iPad mini
76x76 pt (152x152 px @2x)
App Store
1024x1024 pt (1024x1024 px @1x)
Source language
Target language
How much longer (+) or shorter (–) the text in the target language is
English
French
21.18%
English
Spanish
19.52%
English
Italian
17.91%
English
Deutsch
16.67%
English
Dutch
13.80%
English
Portuguese (Portugal)
14.29%
English
Portuguese (Brazil)
12.96%
English
Polish
9.33%
English
Russian
9.11%
English
Czech
3.70%
English
Arab
–6.25%
English
Japanese
–39.68%
English
Korean
–44.04%
English
Chinese (Simplified)
–61.97%
English
Chinese (Traditional)
–63.80%
*Search Ads Popularity (SAP)shows the popularity of the search term from 5 to 99.

How to add App Rating Prompt to the app and store recommendations

Documents for developers:

  1. Google Play In-App Reviews API
  2. Requesting App Store reviews

Tips from the stores:

  • Ask for a rating only after the user has had time to get to know the app.
  • Don't irritate users by asking for a rating too much. Repeated rating requests will negatively affect users' impressions of the app.
  • Don't push the user to leave you a five-star rating. You shouldn't ask "Would you rate this app 5 stars?" or give rewards for rating (although it happens, as in the example above).
  • Use the standard (system)pop-up review windows as they offer a consistent, low-impact way to ask for ratings and feedback.

How many requests can you make for the Rating Prompt through the standard system review window?

Google Play regulates the frequency of displays independently. On average, the rate-us window will appear once a month.

App Store - up to 3 times maximum in 365 days.

The system checks for previous reviews and, if there are none, displays a prompt (a rate us window) in the app with a request to rate and optionally make a review.

Device
Spotlight icon size
Settings icon size
Notification icon size
iPhone
40x40 pt (120x120 px @3x)
29x29 pt (87x87 px @3x)
38x38 pt (114x114 px @3x)
40x40 pt (80x80 px @2x)
29x29 pt (58x58 px @2x)
38x38 pt (76x76 px @2x)
iPad Pro, iPad, iPad mini
40x40 pt (80x80 px @2x)
29x29 pt (58x58 px @2x)
38x38 pt (76x76 px @2x)
Search term
Translation
SAP* English (U.S.)
SAP* English (U.K.)
truck games
games with trucks
62
39
lorry games
games with trucks
32
jail games
prison games
29
8
prison games
prison games
32
24
*Search Ads Popularity (SAP)shows the popularity of the search term from 5 to 99.
App Store
Google Play
What can be tested?
  • Short description
  • Long description
  • Icon
  • Feature graphics
  • Screenshots
  • Videos
  • Screenshots
  • Videos
  • Icon (has to be uploaded to the build*)
Number of simultaneously running tests
5 tests (each test is valid within a single country.

You can choose a default country test (details below): then it will run in all countries where there are no localized graphical or textual materials.
1 test (the test can be immediately extended to all countries where the application is available or opt for specific countries as needed)
The number of test variants that can be tested with the current version in the store
Compared with a maximum of 3 new variants
Can a test be launched while another item is under review?
Yes
No
Mandatory formats for screenshots uploaded to the store
6.5
  • 6.5
  • 5.5
  • 12.9 (if there is an iPad version)
*Build – is a new version of the application. Updating the icon is only possible when updating the application version in the store. In other words, the term "build" refers to a specific version or variant of the application that is ready to be downloaded and installed on the users' devices. It contains all the necessary files and data for users to install and use the application.
More about optimizing graphic elements in the App Store and Google Play can be found in the article 'Graphics in Mobile App Promotion in the App Store and Google Play (ASO) – How to Optimize Graphic Elements.'

Why are ratings and reviews important to ASO?

1. Increase in organic rate (more organic downloads).

On Google Play and the App Store, the average rating is displayed directly in the search and on the app's page under the icon. As a result, users are always comparing and analyzing apps.

In addition, Google Play has a special filter with a rating of 4.5+ or 4.0+, and if it is lower, the app will not be found.


2. Increase Explore/Browse traffic

Explore (Google Play) or Browse (App Store) sources capture traffic that an app receives when users browse the "Today", "Games", and "Apps", categories in app stores, or, for instance, editorial selections such as For You, Top Charts, etc.

Users can find an app on these pages, and almost every time, the average rating of the app is placed next to the icon.

3. Better ranking and indexing by keywords for apps

For the Google Play or App Store algorithms, many ratings or reviews mean high customer demand and involvement. This can affect the algorithms for ranking it for key search queries.

In addition, Google Play indexes keywords in reviews, and the developer's response to them is also processed. Therefore, if the number of reviews increases, the app will get a boost in search results. This can also help in keyword indexing for which the app does not rank well (for example, competitors' brands).

4. Useful feedback from your users

Users usually post many useful reviews. They can be suggestions for changes, bug complaints, or praise for a convenient feature. They can be used to improve the app and increase customer retention.

Note. If you solve the user's problem, they can change their previous rating:

5. The impact of ratings & reviews on brand awareness and purchase probability

Most users pay attention to the average rating and read reviews. This is the first factor that influences their attitude toward the app brand and affects their decision-making when purchasing.

A bonus for those who have read to the end. If you have a low rating in the App Store, use the option to reset the rating through the internal functionality of the store. This method won't remove reviews, but it will help you start building an average rating score from scratch. Read more in the article "The Impact of Reviews and Ratings on ASO and App Promotion".
Device size or platform
Screenshot size
Requirement
Screenshot source
6.5 inch (iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 11, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR)
1284 x 2778 pixels (portrait)2778 x 1284 pixels (landscape)1242 x 2688 pixels (portrait)2688 x 1242 pixels (landscape)
Required if app runs on iPhone
Upload 6.5-inch screenshots
5.8 inch (iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone XS, iPhone X)
1170 x 2532 pixels (portrait)2532 x 1170 pixels (landscape)1125 x 2436 pixels (portrait)2436 x 1125 pixels (landscape)1080 x 2340 (portrait)2340 x 1080 (landscape)
Required if app runs on iPhone and 6.5 inch screenshots are not provided
Default: scaled 6.5-inch screenshotsAlternative: upload 5.8-inch screenshots
5.5 inch (iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus)
1242 x 2208 pixels (portrait)2208 x 1242 pixels (landscape)
Required if app runs on iPhone
Upload 5.5-inch screenshots
5.5 inch (iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus)
2048 x 2732 pixels (portrait)2732 x 2048 pixels (landscape)
Required if app runs on iPad
Upload 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd generation) screenshots
5.5 inch (iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus)
2048 x 2732 pixels (portrait)2732 x 2048 pixels (landscape)
Required if app runs on iPad
Upload 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2nd generation) screenshots
Price
Traffic Source (Self Reporting Networks)
Facebook
Google
X (Twitter)
Apple Search Ads
Cohort reports
Impression tracking
Audience segmentation
At extra charge
Custom Dashboards
Custom Reports
At extra charge
Advertisement Cost
DAU/MAU (Stickiness)
Raw Data Export
At extra charge
At extra charge
At extra charge
API Reporting
Search term
Translation
SAP* French
SAP* French (Canada)
soldes
sale
25
5
aubainerie
sale
14
*Search Ads Popularity (SAP)shows the popularity of the search term from 5 to 99.
Device
Icon size
iPhone
180px × 180px (60pt × 60pt @3x)
120px × 120px (60pt × 60pt @2x)
iPad Pro
167px × 167px (83.5pt × 83.5pt @2x)
iPad, iPad mini
152px × 152px (76pt × 76pt @2x)
App Store
1024px × 1024px (1024pt × 1024pt @1x)
Icon format
PNG
Color models
sRGB or P3 (see "Color Management")
Layouts
Aligned without transparency
Sizes
Shape
Square without rounded corners
All the current requirements for icons are specified in the specification.
Icon format
32-bit PNG (with alpha channel)
Color models
512 х 512 pixels
Layouts
1024 КБ
Sizes
square, without rounding and shadows (Google automatically rounds the corners and adds shadows)
All the current requirements are specified in the specification.

Conclusion

  1. The average rating and reviews of an app have a huge impact on its promotion and position among other competitors.
  2. Purchasing ratings and reviews through platforms no longer works.
  3. Whichever version of the pop-up review window you choose (standard or custom), Rating Prompts are the only powerful way to increase ratings today.
The RadASO team offers a service to prepare a strategy for the integration of the App Rating Prompt.
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