How to add user reviews and ratings in Bubble.io: Step-by-Step Guide

Adding User Reviews and Ratings in Bubble.io

 

Creating a feature for users to add reviews and ratings is a common requirement for many web applications. Bubble.io provides a flexible and visual approach to achieve this without needing to write code. In this guide, we'll walk through a comprehensive, step-by-step approach to implement a user review and rating system in a Bubble.io application.

 

Prerequisites

 

• An active Bubble.io account with a project setup where you intend to add the review and rating system.
• Basic understanding of Bubble.io's interface, including navigating between the Design, Data, and Workflow tabs.
• Familiarity with Bubble.io's database structure and element properties.

 

Setting Up the Data Structure

 

• Navigate to the “Data” tab in your Bubble.io editor.
• Create a new data type called "Review" which will store user reviews.
• Add the following fields to the "Review" data type:
  • Reviewer (Type: User) - to store the user who is providing the review.
  • Rating (Type: Number) - to store the numerical rating given by the user (e.g., 1-5).
  • Comment (Type: Text) - to store the textual review comment by the user.
  • Related Item (Type: X) - to tie the review to the specific item or service it's reviewing; replace 'X' with the relevant type or name.
  • Timestamp (Type: Date) - to know when the review was created.
• Ensure the "User" data type has at least basic fields such as Name and Email to identify who is submitting the review.

 

Designing the Review Submission Form

 

• Go to the "Design" tab and select the page where you want users to submit their reviews.
• Add a group element to the page to house the review submission form and set it up as follows:
  • Add a dropdown or a group of stars (using plugins or icons) for users to select a rating.
  • Add an input field for users to enter their textual review/comments.
  • Include a button labeled "Submit Review" to trigger the submission.
• If star ratings are desired, consider using a plugin for a more polished design.

 

Creating Workflows for Review Submission

 

• Switch to the "Workflow" tab to define actions taken when the "Submit Review" button is clicked.
• Set up a new workflow:
  • Start with the event "When Button 'Submit Review' is clicked".
  • Add an action "Data - Create a New Thing". Select "Review" as the type.
  • Assign values to the new review:
    • Rating: Obtain from the star rating or dropdown input.
    • Comment: Obtain from the comment input field.
    • Related Item: Reference the item or service being reviewed.
    • Reviewer: Current User (Bubble handles logged-in users automatically).
    • Timestamp: Current date/time.
• Optionally add a navigation action to reset the form or show a message saying "Review submitted successfully."

 

Displaying Reviews and Ratings

 

• In the "Design" tab, select the page where you want to display reviews and ratings.
• Add a repeating group to display individual reviews associated with a particular item:
  • Set the type of content to "Review".
  • Define the data source to retrieve all "Reviews" related to the current item or context.
• Within the repeating group, display the reviewer's name, rating, and comment using text elements and dynamic data.
• Optionally, calculate the average rating for an item by aggregating review ratings and display it using a text element or graphical representation.

 

Testing and Deployment

 

• Use Bubble.io’s preview mode to test the entire flow: from submission forms to displaying reviews.
• Ensure validations and protections (such as ensuring users are logged in before submitting a review) are functioning correctly.
• Deploy your application live once satisfied with the testing phase.

 

By following the steps outlined above, you can successfully implement a robust user review and rating system within your Bubble.io application. This system will allow users to provide valuable feedback and help enhance user experience by showing authentic user evaluations.