Boost app ranking Both Apple and Google take ratings and reviews into their algorithms as one of the criteria of ranking. According to a research conducted in 2015, an app that has collected higher ratings and better reviews than its competitors is more likely to rush into the top charts and other type of charts. Although the app industry continues to thriving, the competition between developers is becoming increasingly fierce. With over 2.2 million apps glutting in Google Play Store, and over 2 million in the App Store, your app has to ascend to the front of the charts if you desire to win the game. So, you should try to improve ratings and get more reviews to position profoundly in app stores. Improve the app visibility and drive more traffic People often hold great affections on a good thing and are likely to know more about it. This rule goes to an app too. If your app gets enough high ratings and good reviews, it is likely rising to the top charts; then the app itself is more visible to users and henceforth convert more traffic. On the contrary, if an app gets low ratings and few reviews (or negative reviews), people seldom discover it when they are browsing the top charts. What’s worse, even if they find your app, they have bad impressions on your app due to the quality of ratings and reviews your app has. Influence downloads and installations High ratings and good reviews are important because they are proofs that convince users to download and install. From the perspective of users, they have millions of choices available in the app stores. Apparently, users are their own masters and are free of their will to choose any apps they like. Actually, they feel confused about so many dazzling apps, for they don’t which one fits them best. Luckily, users soon find that ratings and reviews are good guidelines to follow. They believe that an app with high ratings and good reviews has been tested by other users and can be trusted. As a result, they tend to download and install the app, and then experience it.
What a load of crap. App rankings are purely based on installations and nothing to do with reviews. There are many games in the top 100 that don't have reviews, some examples have been spoken about on the forum before. My self have had a game in the top 100 in three countries for over three weeks and not one review. So stop trying to sell your service with crap information. Reviews as you said are only there for other users to decide if they should bother downloading it. But you can tell when they are paid reviews. Good Icon & screen shots is all you need to get downloads, and if it is a decent game word of mouth will get you more downloads.
However, from my point of view, reviews and ratings are important to app developers. Because more than 8 out of 10 people will check the reviews and ratings before deciding whether to download an app or not. The more positive reviews you can get and the higher you app is rated, the higher likely to draw and more and more reviews. When you get high quality reviews from your users, it helps in improving the app's rankings. It will also provide an insight about your app to potential users.A well accepted app is highly likely to be download by new users.
