The best way to collect app user feedback is three ways at once: ask directly in the app, read the reviews in the app stores and measure what people really do. Together they give an honest picture. Asking alone gives opinions; measuring alone gives numbers without an explanation.
In this article you'll learn which methods work for an app run by a small or medium-sized business, when to ask for feedback and how to turn scattered reactions into a list of improvements.
Why you need feedback from app users
As the builder and owner, you know your app too well. You know where every button is and what every word means. New users don't. What seems logical to you can confuse them. Feedback shows where people get stuck, what they miss and why some give up.
It also stops dissatisfaction ending up in the app store. A user who can voice a complaint inside the app is less likely to write an angry review. And you can fix the problem before others run into it too.
Methods for collecting feedback in your app
- A short question in the app: one or two questions at a calm moment, such as 'How easy was it to book your appointment?' on a scale of 1 to 5.
- A feedback button: a fixed spot in the menu where users can report a comment or problem, optionally with a screenshot.
- Conversations with users: ask a few regular customers to spend fifteen minutes using the app while you watch. This often yields the most insight.
- Reviews in the App Store and Google Play: read them all, including the short ones.
- Customer contact: questions about the app that come in by phone, email or WhatsApp are feedback too. Log them.
- Usage data: measuring which screens people visit and where they stop.
Collecting feedback before your app goes live
Don't wait for the launch. Feedback is cheapest while your app isn't finished yet. Fixing a mistake in a design costs less than fixing one in a built app.
- Show a few customers clickable sketches of the screens and ask what they expect from each button.
- Prepare a test version for a small group. Apple has TestFlight for this; Google Play has test tracks for internal and closed testing.
- Give testers a few concrete tasks, such as 'book an appointment for next week', and watch where they hesitate.
- Ask your own staff too. They hear customers' questions every day.
That way you solve the biggest problems before the first review appears in the store. Read more about testing in our article on app testing.
When should you ask for feedback?
Timing matters a lot. A question at the wrong moment irritates and yields little. A few rules of thumb:
- Ask after a completed task, such as a successful order or booking. The user has an opinion then and isn't busy.
- Don't ask the first time the app is opened. The person doesn't know anything yet.
- Don't ask in the middle of a task, such as during payment.
- Don't ask too often. Keep track of who has already responded and leave them alone for a while.
- Ask happy users for a rating in the store. Use Apple's and Google's built-in rating prompt for this.
A good rating prompt also helps people find your app. Read more in our article on more app downloads with app store optimisation.
Usage data: see what people do
People don't always say what they do. That's why you also measure behaviour. With analytics in your app you can see, for example:
- How many people start a task and how many finish it.
- Which screen most people drop off on.
- Which features hardly anyone uses.
- How many users still come back after a week or a month.
- Where the app crashes or is slow, through crash reports.
Combine numbers with questions. If you see many people dropping off on a certain screen, briefly ask why at that moment. Do mind the GDPR (AVG in Dutch): don't collect more than you need, explain in your privacy policy what you measure and ask for consent where required. Read more in apps and privacy. If you're unsure about the rules, you can turn to a lawyer or the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens).
How to turn app user feedback into concrete improvements
Collecting feedback is easy. Acting on it is the real work. A simple approach:
- Gather everything in one place, such as a spreadsheet or a board with cards.
- Group responses about the same thing. Ten people saying the same thing in different ways is one problem.
- Rate each point on two things: how many users it affects and how much work the fix is.
- Tackle the points that affect many people and take little work first.
- Pick a few improvements per update, not everything at once.
- After the update, measure whether the problem has really shrunk.
Let users know you've listened. Mention improvements in the update notes in the store, or send a short message. It makes people feel their opinion counts, and they'll give feedback more often afterwards.
Common mistakes with app feedback
- Questionnaires that are too long. More than a few questions in an app rarely get finished.
- Only looking at the average score, not at the comments.
- Responding to every single wish, so the app fills up with features few people use.
- Ignoring negative reviews instead of responding calmly and fixing the problem.
- Collecting feedback but never planning time to act on it.
Handling feedback in your app with Violexa
At Violexa we build apps and web applications with feedback collection and measurement built in from the start. After launch we help you turn the responses into improvements. Read more about website and app development. A custom app starts from €1,799 excl. VAT (€2,177 incl. VAT) per project. For ongoing updates and improvements there are maintenance plans: Silver €179 excl. VAT (€217 incl. VAT), Gold €299 excl. VAT (€362 incl. VAT) and Platinum €699 excl. VAT (€846 incl. VAT) per month.
Want to know how to improve your app with the feedback you're already getting? Book a free quickscan. In 30 minutes, online or on site, we look at your app. Afterwards you get short written advice with a price indication, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
How do you collect feedback from app users?
Ask a short question in the app at a calm moment, offer a permanent feedback button and read the reviews in the app stores. Combine that with usage data, so you also see what people do. Conversations with a few regular users often yield the most insight.
How do you get more positive reviews for your app?
Ask for a rating right after a successful task, such as an order or booking. Use Apple's and Google's built-in rating prompt. Fix complaints quickly and respond calmly to negative reviews.
How many questions can you ask in an app?
Stick to one or two questions at a time. Longer questionnaires rarely get finished in an app. If you want to know more, ask a few users for a short conversation.
Am I allowed to measure what users do in my app?
Yes, within the rules of the GDPR (AVG in Dutch). Don't collect more than you need, explain in your privacy policy what you measure and ask for consent where required. For legal questions you can turn to a lawyer or the Dutch Data Protection Authority.
