This blog post is once again about bad reviews. Just a few days before I got a really awesome feedback from a customer. In it he wrote that he would never install a plugin with only 4 stars. But that is exactly what is currently the case with my plugin on WordPress.org. What can I do? Here are some thoughts.
What’s on my mind right now is how to get more traffic to my plugin landing page to generate more sales. These small blogposts, which I summarize in the category “The journey with my plugin“, come about because I read the book “Traffic Secrets“. In it, the author also describes that it would be a good idea to share the journey with your own product with your readership.
Bad comments
What always annoys me are the comments that say: “It’s just not the Pro version”. I only get one or two stars on such reviews. I had already reported about it once. It sucks because it kind-of ruins my day.
My idea was to go the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) direction the other day. Now I’m wondering if I could move faster to get more positive reviews for my Structured Data and Schema plugin at WordPress.org.
What to do?
Idea 1: Feedback plugin?
My first idea was to include a feedback tool. I use the Userback, which was recommended to me by one of my mastermind buddies. The fact is that I only got one feedback in the last 14 days and that was from a buyer who somehow couldn’t reach out to me (anymore).
The goal was actually to share feedback via the tool instead of immediately submitting a review to WordPress.org.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say that the it wasn’t a good idea to include the feedback tool. Because in the end, you never really know why it doesn’t work. After all, it may be that I would only need to change the button label, for example. And that’s what I just did. I set it to “Need help?”. Let’s see what happens.
Todo: Change button label. Check. ✅
Idea 2: Reduce sales buzz?
The reality is that the free Plugin must earn money. Just by selling the PRO version. Accordingly, there are some hints about it. But the fact that users complain so dramatically about the fact that the free is just not the paid version is striking and must be changed.
So my idea is not to give so many hints about the PRO version anymore. And to no longer greying out the functions that are restricted, but ultimately not to make them available at all.
🔜 Todo: Pro functions should not be included in the free version at all. Also no references to it. In addition, perhaps more discreet references to the PRO version.
Idea 3: Ask for positive feedback?
I just noticed that I have not yet included a hint asking for positive feedback. I have to do that urgently.
Currently there are about 10 installations per week. These are people who have SNIP installed. So there must be definitely customers who are satisfied. I need to get the feedback from them.
🔜 Todo: Get feedback from existing users.
What to do next.
Setup Wizard
The negative comments are really sad and I must act urgently. I will take care of that as soon as the setup wizard is ready. While I’m at it, it occurs to me: At the end of the Setup Wizard I could also a) add a hint to the PRO version and b) ask for positive feedback. Yes, I need to do that!
Todo: Ask for positive feedback after using the setup wizard.
Back to the topic: the setup wizard is almost done. I’ve been busy again this week and am almost done. There are still a few technical hurdles, but roughly I could possibly integrate it into the plugin next week or the week after at the latest.
Here is the link to the prototype 2.0. Protoype 3.0 I will be able to show next week.
Marketing tips from customers
As noted in the last blogpost, I will implement some marketing tips from my customers. One of them is to integrate a forum. This has been planned for a long time and finally has to be done. What is still holding me back is an integration with CodeCanyon (purchase code querying), which I have yet to develop. I think this is more time consuming than I thought. But I can do it!
Todo: Set up forum and link it with CodeCanyon.
Backlink building
I’m a bit slow on this one, unfortunately. The other activities are more important for me right now. Let’s see if I can reach my goal of doubling the traffic within 6 months 😅