Review volume has become one of the most decisive factors for visibility in today’s digital marketplace. The online ecosystem has grown extremely crowded over the last decade, and competition continues to intensify. For businesses and app developers with limited marketing budgets, standing out has become increasingly difficult. With more than 1.5 million apps in the Google Play Store and over 1 million in the Apple Store, gaining exposure for a product is a serious challenge.
Among all growth signals, ratings and reviews can help the most. A strong review volume sends powerful signals to both users and platform algorithms, directly influencing discoverability, trust, and ranking. The more authentic reviews a product has, the higher its chances of being noticed, clicked, and ultimately chosen over competitors.
How do reviews help decision-making?
Today, people rely on their social networks not only to stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues, but also to gather recommendations before making almost any purchase decision. Reviews and ratings act as modern word-of-mouth, helping consumers reduce uncertainty and feel confident about their choices. When someone shares a review or rating, they are actively shaping how others perceive a product, service, or brand.
Psychologically, reviews serve as social proof. When potential customers see that others have already used and evaluated a product, they assume the choice is safer and more reliable. This is especially important online, where buyers cannot physically inspect products or interact with a salesperson. According to BrightLocal’s consumer survey, a large majority of consumers read online reviews regularly and trust them as much as personal recommendations.
Reviews also play a critical role in platform algorithms and visibility. A strong example is Apple’s App Store. When Apple adjusted its App Store search algorithm, reviews and ratings became significantly more influential in how applications rank and are discovered. While Apple and Google do not publicly disclose the full details of their ranking systems, multiple industry analyses confirm that user feedback is a core performance signal.
Based on publicly available insights and industry consensus, ranking and visibility are influenced by several review-related and behavioral factors, including:
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Quantity of reviews and ratings
A higher volume signals popularity and relevance. More reviews generally increase trust and visibility. -
Quality of reviews and ratings
Higher average ratings and detailed, meaningful reviews indicate satisfaction and reliability. -
Number of downloads or purchases
This reflects real-world adoption and validates demand. -
Engagement
The amount of time users spend using an app or service shows perceived value and usefulness. -
Uninstalls or churn
A high number of removals can indicate dissatisfaction or unmet expectations. -
Growth trends
Consistent growth in reviews, downloads, or usage suggests momentum and ongoing relevance. -
SEO of the landing page
Well-optimized pages with relevant keywords help search engines understand context and intent.
Together, these factors demonstrate how reviews go far beyond opinions. They actively influence rankings, visibility, trust, and purchasing behavior. In both eCommerce and app ecosystems, reviews are no longer optional. They are a central driver of decision-making, discoverability, and long-term success.
How important is the quantity of reviews?
As we mentioned earlier, there is a great possibility that the quantity of reviews is crucial in the ranking system. And it is also the same case for customers. When people see an app with three 5-star ratings with great reviews next to one with hundreds of 3, 4, and 5-star ratings with various reviews, they tend to choose the latter because they know that every product owner can ask three friends to give them great ratings and reviews.
Having just one more review than others makes a difference, but imagine having even more on your site. Also, it might not seem like much, but outranking your competitor even by a single rank can make all the difference.
How does review volume and ratings correlate with number of orders?
According to latest analysis, the volume of reviews, even with an average rating, is a significant factor in online conversion. The increase of review volume and ratings can have positive results on the sales of products and applications. The analysis also showed that the volume of reviews tends to impact more in the early stages of volume growth.
Summary
All in all, we can conclude that the importance of review volume is one of the top factors when we talk about conversions and number of sales. It must be a priority for every product owner and retailer to have as many reviews and ratings on their sites as possible. Plenty of best practices can be found all over the Internet that help you to gain as many consumer reviews as you can.
