Google Search’s Reviews System and Your Website
Google has recently rolled out the 2023 Google Reviews update, which has expanded the scope of the product reviews update to encompass services and other things and has also impacted them. As a result, this update’s effects are significant for the websites that have been affected.
However, unlike core updates that typically result in widespread impacts, the effects of this review update are not as extensive across the board.
The reviews system aims to enhance the recognition of top-notch reviews. These reviews are characterized by their insightful analysis, original research, and expertise in the topic, written by experts or enthusiasts.
This page elaborates on the functioning of the reviews system and offers guidance on how to evaluate and enhance the quality of your content.
Google Has Added Some New Guidance
The review system is designed to assess articles, blog posts, pages, or other standalone content created by the first party to offer recommendations, opinions, or analysis. It does not assess third-party reviews, such as those submitted by users in the reviews section of a product or service page.
Reviews can cover a wide range of subjects, including single items, head-to-head comparisons, or ranked lists of recommendations. In addition, they can pertain to various topics, such as products like laptops or winter jackets, media such as movies or video games, or services and businesses such as restaurants or fashion brands.
What’s New with Google’s Product Review Update?
Google’s “product reviews system” has undergone a name change and is now called the “reviews system.” Furthermore, Google has updated the language in various sections of its guidance documentation regarding reviews to encompass all types of reviews.
Google’s latest Reviews documentation heavily emphasizes the Double-E-EA-T content quality paradigm, an advanced version of E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) officially introduced by Google in December 2022.
The additional “E” in Double-E-EA-T refers to Experience, a crucial factor that Google’s Review System may seek. For example, some reports suggest that using phrases such as “in my experience” or “my hands-on analysis” in reviews can boost the ranking of product review pages in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).
How The Google Reviews update System Works
The reviews system aims to promote high-quality reviews that offer in-depth research rather than shallow summaries of products, services, or other items. This system explicitly assesses first-party standalone content, such as articles, blog posts, or pages that aim to provide recommendations, opinions, or analysis. It does not evaluate third-party reviews found in product or service review sections.
Reviews can cover many topics, including single items, comparisons between items, or ranked lists of recommendations. They may cover products like laptops or winter jackets, media like movies or video games, or services, and businesses like restaurants or fashion brands.
While the reviews system primarily evaluates content per page for sites with a substantial amount of review content, the system may evaluate any content within the site. However, a site-wide evaluation will likely occur if a site has fewer reviews.
What Do This System and Updates To It Mean For My Site?
For further guidance on crafting effective reviews that perform well on the platform, refer to our help page on writing high-quality reviews.
From time to time, we enhance the functionality of our reviews system. When significant updates are implemented, we announce them as a “reviews update” on our Google Search Status Dashboard.
If a review update affects your content, it may regain its previous performance once the next update is rolled out. Nevertheless, please bear in mind that our algorithmic evaluation of review content is just one of several factors utilized to rank content, and alterations can occur at any point for diverse reasons.
How to Easily Increase Content Quality
1.Know Your Audience
2.Know Your Topic
3.Write The Way You Speak
4.Include Data
5.Use Examples
6.Include Visuals
7.Format Properly
8.Edit and Proofread
What To Do If a Site is Affected by the Update?
Google algorithm updates have always resulted in ranking changes that may be temporary. Therefore, if your website is affected by an update, it is advisable to remain patient and wait until the update is completed.
Google Reviews update – In Conclusion
Take home this essential factors even though they are not new. Keep them in mind.
- User perspective evaluation
- Show expertise in the subject.
- Provide evidence of Experience
- Quantitative performance measurements
- Explain unique features compared to competitors.
- Consider comparable options and circumstances.
- Discuss the pros and cons based on the research.
- Describe product evolution and improvements.
- Focus on crucial decision-making factors.
- Describe design choices and their impact.
- Include helpful resource links.
- Provide multiple seller options.
- Justify recommendations with evidence.
- In-depth content for ranked lists.
Sources
- https://developers.google.com/search/updates/reviews-update
- https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-february-2023-product-reviews-update/480580/#close
- https://searchengineland.com/google-releases-april-2023-reviews-update-395561
