Unearthing user feedback in your mobile app can be a tricky endeavor, but it goes a long way towards optimizing your application. The feedback stage is critical, as gathering responses from users enables you to fix any problems both during the app’s beta testing phase and after public release. Collecting feedback is particularly important if you are revamping an application that did not perform as you’d hoped. Just as important is deciding how you will implement this feedback in your app without disrupting the user experience.
There are various methods of collecting user feedback on your mobile app, including contact forms, chatbots, surveys, in-app feedback forms, shake-to-send feedback and widgets that link your app with Twitter or Facebook. The goal is to find the right feedback method for your app based on your unique objectives.
Consider Your Industry When Seeking App Feedback
Adding feedback to your mobile app should begin by determining what exactly you’re looking to achieve. Thinking about what industry and category your app is part of can help you figure out what feedback to attain and how to go about it.
For example, financial services apps direct their feedback towards the company’s core business. The idea is to see if users are happy with your company’s products and services in order to determine potential areas for improvement. As such, this sort of app may be more concerned with gathering feedback on the products or services they offer and how the app facilitates purchases.
Alternately, some apps are more interested in learning about the user experience in terms of the app’s function and design. For example, Uber’s feedback compiling method is looking to understand if the user is satisfied with the app’s functionalities and user interface, while a retail app may ask users if its features are successfully improving the shopping experience.
By amassing data regarding what an app in your category looks like, you’ll be able to know what questions to ask in your feedback module. Your feedback system should be directly linked to what you’re trying to achieve with your app and what you hope the user experience will look like.
Features of a Good Feedback System
There are several factors to consider when developing a feedback module, including the design and development of an app’s user interface. In order to ensure it will not hinder the user experience, check that your feedback functionality is operating smoothly. The best feedback loops are unobtrusive, don’t take much of your user’s time and are presented in a logical manner. Consider your audience and their preferred mode of communication, such as texting vs. calling and short responses compared to long ones.
On the back-end, your feedback module needs to be designed with data analysis features. After you compile information from your users, your feedback module needs to be programmed to analyze this data in order to extract valuable insights that will lead to upgraded design and development choices. It is also important to respond to user feedback in a timely fashion to ensure users know their voices are being heard.
Make sure your user feels appreciated within your feedback module and invest on both the front- and back-end design of your feedback loop. Ultimately, your users should be able to share their thoughts via a distraction-free method. Plus, the information should be compiled and analyzed in a manner that reveals actionable insights with the end goal of satisfying your users.
How to Gather User Feedback For a Mobile App
The way you go about asking for feedback from users is of the utmost importance. Consider the different ways of gathering user feedback and which might be best suited to your app:
- Contact Forms and In-App Surveys: These are among the best feedback tools, as they are straightforward yet effective. Just be sure the form or survey is located in an area of your app that is accessible without taking up too much room.
- Module Spots: Some module spots include in-page headers, footers or a section of your “About Us” menu. These are all low-effort, high-value options.
- Ratings: You can take your feedback system further and ask one question or a few questions where your user can rank various aspects of the app with a rating of up to five stars. However, keep in mind that some users may find it annoying to be asked to provide an overall rating, so you may want to make this feature optional.
- App Pop-Up: Some apps ask for feedback with a pop-up on your app. While this is certainly an option, remember that pop-ups block the screen, preventing users from taking a screenshot of any bugs that need to be fixed, and some users find them irritating.
- Targeted Questions: You can segment your users based on the functionalities they use most on your app, then ask them targeted queries about that section of the app. Doing so will ensure your users are contextually cognizant of the questions you are asking them.
There are various ways to create a successful feedback module, but deciding how to approach it really depends on what you’re trying to achieve. Consider the type of app you are creating in order to determine the appropriate method of gathering user feedback and make sure your feedback module is unobtrusive. Upholding these tenets will help you strike the balance between not bothering your user and amassing the necessary data to determine what elements of your app need improvement.
In order to implement a successful feedback module in your app, you will need an experienced app developer by your side. The 7T team specializes in custom mobile app development and is well-equipped to implement a solid feedback module into your app. We also offer a variety of emerging technologies, including augmented reality, virtual reality, blockchain, artificial intelligence and natural language processing.
Although 7T is headquartered in Dallas, we also serve clients in Austin, Houston, and beyond. To discuss your app development project, please contact us today.
