Improving Play Store ratings without any design or code

As developers, we tend to focus on the quality of our code, working with the cleanest of architectures and best coding practices. As designers, we follow the Material Guidelines to ensure we are consistent with the platform, manipulating motion in our designs to get the message across. Does that really give any value to our users though? Are we really working towards making the life of our users easier?

In this talk, Alex will discuss how to improve the overall app rating without writing a single line of code or do any design. Instead we will see how to have a better understanding of our user-base by analyzing user reviews, doing user interviews and other methods and how to rise up the true issues the users are trying to solve by using your app.

Transcript

1. Improving Play Store Ratings
   without any code or design
   Alex Styl
   @alexstyl
   

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2. #androiddevsgr
   @alexstyl
   Greenfield project
   

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3. #androiddevsgr
   @alexstyl
   Angry Face >:(
   Ti einai auti i #$%@! Xeirotero

   app sto play. Tha vrw pou

   menete!!1!
   Notquitehappy Sara
   Του λείπουν τα βασικά
   Undecided Peter
   ΤΟ ΚΑΛΥΤΕΡΟ ΕΒΕΡ !!
   Notquitehappy Tim
   Δεν μου δουλεύει
   

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4. Most of us are tech-savvy

   Most of our users are not
   #androiddevsgr
   @alexstyl
   

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5. Android provides little to no help in

   letting the user rate your app
   #androiddevsgr
   @alexstyl
   GOOD READ

   Asking for app feedback — the effective way
   by Denis Akan
   http://surl.novoda.com/asking-for-feedback
   

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6. #androiddevsgr
   @alexstyl
   Google Play Developer Console
   

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7. #androiddevsgr
   @alexstyl
   User feedback is precious
   

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8. #androiddevsgr
   @alexstyl
   Reply to as many reviews as possible

   and prevent possible future fires
   

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9. #androiddevsgr
   @alexstyl
   Many people will directly update their bad review into better one

   only because you replied to them
   

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10. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    People want to have their voices heard
    

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11. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    Use Play Store Reviews as a starting point
    Find a better medium
    

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12. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    Ideally, build a community for your users
    TALK

    5 Best Practices of Top-Earning Mobile Apps and Games
    by Mario Viviani
    http://bit.ly/5BestPracticesAmazon
    

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13. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    Angry customers
    Angry Face >:(
    Ti einai auti i #$%@! Xeirotero app sto
    play. Tha vrw pou menete!!1!
    

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14. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    Even if you do everything right, angry customers will happen
    but that’s not a bad thing!
    

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15. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    They bothered reviewing your app

    A lot of people don’t
    GOOD READ

    Angry Customers: Learn to Deal with them 

    and Turn them Into Your Most Loyal Customers
    by Rikke Friis Dam
    http://surl.novoda.com/angry-customers
    

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16. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    Frustrated for the right reasons
    

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17. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    What if there is an safer way?
    

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18. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    Every day needs
    

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19. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    Every day needs
    

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20. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    Every day needs
    

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21. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    A flaw or a hiccup prevents users from achieving their goals
    

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22. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    Identifying User needs
    

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23. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    At the office, in some coffee shop

    or any other appropriate place
    User Interviews
    

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24. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    Asking questions from a safe distance
    Targeted Surveys
    

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25. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    Ensuring things work
    Prototype,
    Prototype,
    Prototype!
    

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26. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    Low Fidelity

    vs 

    High Fidelity

    

    prototyping
    GOOD READ

    The 5 steps of better product design: 

    step 3: Prototype & test

    by Leonie Brewin
    http://surl.novoda.com/prototyping
    

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27. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    See what people think of your prototype

    and document ALL the findings
    

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28. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    Checks how usable your app is

    Can be done by everyone in the team

    Does not require any special equipment
    Usability Evaluations
    GOOD READ

    10 Usability Heuristics for User Interface Design

    by Jakob Nielsen
    http://surl.novoda.com/usability-heuristics
    

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29. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    To sum up
    everyone has different needs and skill levels

    key is to know what your audience needs

    make your users’ voice be heard

    understand the needs before doing
    

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30. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    Thank you

    

    Any questions?
    Alex Styl
    @alexstyl
    

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31. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    http://androiddevs-gr.github.io/
    Greek Android Development Slack Group
    + =
    

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32. #androiddevsgr
    @alexstyl
    Image Credits
    gree´n`yellow by eLKayPics / Lutz Koch (https://goo.gl/AFs9z1)
    RX1P0103 by C-Serpents (https://goo.gl/BqVoJV)
    Skype Home by Ewan McIntosh (https://goo.gl/528FXe)
    This is Fine by Adult Swim (https://goo.gl/i3J6Nh)
    Light and Airy Coffee and Pancakes by AnnieAnniePancake (https://goo.gl/PfXdkP)

    e350 paper prototype by Samuel Mann (https://goo.gl/WisIbk)

    246029385 by Sean Murphy (https://goo.gl/W0m3Ay)
    Smartphone by Yacine Petitprez (https://goo.gl/Ml6Tqk)
    Filling out a survey for Rainbow Health Initiative by Wendy Berry (https://goo.gl/hgCWus)
    Overwatch is owned by Blizzard Entertainment
    Gravity Falls is owned by the Disney Channel

    

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