Cordova is an easy choice for many developers who want to build mobile apps that run on both iOS and Android. Why? Because Cordova is based on web technologies like HTML, JavaScript and CSS, making it incredibly easy to pick up for anyone familiar with web development. It’s a great framework for creating a smooth, cross-platform mobile experience with minimal fuss. But how do know if your users like the app? Learning how to collect user feedback in Cordova Apps is an important first step.
Building a great mobile app is only half the battle. To keep users engaged, you need to know how they’re interacting with the app, and that’s where collecting user feedback in your Cordava app comes in.
In this article, we’ll explore why collecting feedback is essential when developing Cordova-based apps.
We’ll dive into:
- What Cordova is
- Why collecting mobile feedback is important
- Best practices
- How to implement feedback in Cordova
What is Cordova?
Apache Cordova, originally known as PhoneGap, was created in 2009 by a small company called Nitobi. The goal was to make mobile app development accessible by allowing developers to build apps using HTML, CSS and JavaScript instead of native languages like Objective-C or Java. This innovation quickly gained popularity.
Adobe Systems purchased Nitobi and the PhoneGap project in 2011 and later released an open-source version of the software called Apache Cordova. Since then, Cordova has become a widely-used framework for developing hybrid mobile apps, giving developers a way to reach both iOS and Android users with a single codebase.
At its core, Cordova acts as a bridge between web technologies and native device features. It provides a set of plugins that allow JavaScript to interact with device capabilities like the camera, GPS and file storage – making it possible to create rich, interactive mobile experiences.
By using Cordova, developers can leverage their existing web development skills to build cross-platform apps, saving time and resources while delivering a smooth user experience on both major mobile platforms.
Why collecting mobile feedback in Cordova is important
Collecting mobile feedback in Cordova offers real-time insights into user experiences and preferences, allowing you to pinpoint which features are resonating with your user base and which ones may need refinement. This immediate feedback is essential for quickly addressing bugs or issues, ultimately enhancing the overall user experience and ensuring that your Cordova app meets user expectations.
Increased loyalty
Gathering feedback fosters a sense of engagement and value among users, making them feel that their opinions truly matter. This engagement can lead to increased user loyalty and retention, as users are more likely to stick with an app that actively seeks and implements their input.
Know your users
Your collected user feedback is invaluable for making informed, data-driven decisions. It guides the development of new features or updates that align with what users want. This ensures that the app evolves in a way that keeps it relevant and appealing.
High response
Collecting feedback directly within the app is incredibly convenient for users. This approach encourages higher response rates and yields more accurate insights compared to external surveys or reviews, ultimately helping developers create a better app experience.
Best practices for collecting in-app feedback
Collecting in-app feedback can yield powerful insights if approached with a few best practices in mind.
1. Use customer experience (CX) metrics
Incorporating CX metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Efforts Score (CES) or Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) can provide clear (internal) benchmarks for your app’s performance. This helps you gauge user satisfaction and loyalty. It also allows you to track progress over time to see if changes you’ve made to the app has led to improved scores.
2. Create more context
Enriching feedback with relevant metadata, such as user type, app version, OS and other device details, transforms feedback into actionable intelligence. Extra context is invaluable for understanding the specific circumstances or profile of the user, which helps your team troubleshoot issues more effectively.
For instance, if a user reports a bug, knowing they’re on Android vs. iOS can immediately narrow down possible root causes.
3. Use the right triggers
Timing is key. Trigger feedback requests during important moments in the user journey, such as after a purchase, upon completing the signup process or when an error occurs. This approach makes the feedback more relevant and fresh in the user’s mind, leading to richer insights. Open-ended questions at these moments can also reveal deeper sentiment, helping you uncover specific areas for improvement or new feature ideas
4. Stay agile
Your feedback system should be flexible and easy to adapt, as priorities will shift over time. A system that allows for easy updates enables your team to adjust without needing a full new app release. For example, it should be possible to modify surveys or change question sets from an admin panel.
Working with an experienced user feedback provider can simplify this process, ensuring your system aligns with evolving business and user needs.
5. Prioritise privacy and security
Privacy is essential when collecting feedback, as it often contains sensitive data like personal information, device details or account IDs. Ensure that your feedback collection complies with GDPR and other privacy regulations. This gives you control over data while protecting your users’ information.
How to implement Feedback in Cordova apps
Integrating feedback collection with your Cordova app is straightforward with the Mopinion Cordova Plugin.
The Mopinion plugin for Cordova makes it easy to add user feedback features directly into your Cordova app while ensuring compatibility.
Follow these simple steps to implement Mopinion in your Cordova app:
1. Create a Feedback Form
In the Mopinion platform, go to “Data Collection” > “Feedback Forms” to set up a new form specifically for your app.
Click “New form” and select the “in-app (mobile)” option.
Choose from one of Mopinion’s templates or build a custom form from scratch.
2. Set up a Deployment
Next, go to “Deployments” and create a new deployment for your Cordova app.
3. Add the Feedback Form to the Deployment
Drag and drop your feedback form into the deployment, then click “Publish”.
4. Install the Mopinion Cordova plugin
Install the Mopinion Cordova plugin by following the steps provided in our documentation on the installation page.
5. Grab Your Mopinion Deployment ID
Find your deployment ID by clicking the dropdown arrow next to the “Publish” button and add it to your Cordova project.
6. Trigger the form with events
You can send an event to open your form, for instance in a button handler, as explained in the documentation on Github.
And that’s all folks! Happy feedback collecting…
What Makes Mopinion stand out
Mopinion offers a powerful feedback solution across digital channels, including web, mobile and email: all within a single, easy-to-use platform. You can control everything from one place, with contemporary analytics and action management tools that go beyond simple data collection. With Mopinion, you can truly optimise digital experiences and make every piece of feedback count.
Mopinion’s Cordova plugin makes capturing mobile user feedback as smooth as a swipe!
Ready to see Mopinion in action?
Want to learn more about Mopinion’s all-in-1 user feedback platform? Don’t be shy and take our software for a spin! Do you prefer it a bit more personal? Just book a demo. One of our feedback pro’s will guide you through the software and answer any questions you may have.