FIELD NOTES / DATA GUIDE
Understand the numbers.
Then discuss growth.
Installations, rating totals and written reviews answer different questions. Consistent definitions make a progress review more useful.
Public install thresholds, third-party detailed counts, average ratings, rating totals and written reviews are not interchangeable. Record the source, market, version and collection date when comparing changes.
Installs: thresholds and detailed counts
A public listing may show an installation tier such as 1,000,000+. Third-party services may return more detailed numbers, but the field name or number of digits alone does not prove equivalence with developer-console statistics.
- Keep the original value and definition
- Distinguish public tiers from third-party counts
- Compare with your own Play Console data where possible
Ratings: the average and the participation
An average rating describes the score, while a rating total describes participation. Interpret changes alongside the market, version, time period and recurring issues.
- Track the average and the total separately
- Do not substitute written review counts for rating totals
- Read recurring themes as well as headline scores
Reviews: compare like with like
Providers can differ in update schedules and definitions. Use consistent sampling and record listing changes, releases and acquisition work on the same timeline.
- Record source, market and collection date
- Keep a comparable before-and-after baseline
- Do not treat correlation as proof of causation
GOOD QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
Are third-party detailed download counts always accurate?
A field named real installs or exact downloads does not, on its own, verify accuracy. Check the source, update cycle and definition, and compare with your own developer data when possible.
Will more installations necessarily improve ratings?
No. More users can generate more feedback, but the direction depends on their experience and needs. Acquisition and ratings should be evaluated separately.
LET’S BUILD WHAT’S NEXT