Algorithm Rolled Out: July 27, 2022
Algorithm summary: Overall Gist
Here are some points you can take to ensure your reviews meet Google’s new standards: On July 27, 2022, Google announced the release of a new product review update. This rollout will take about 2-3 weeks to complete and will affect many websites.
This update expands on Google’s previous product reviews update, which debuted in March 2022. The primary goal of this update is to provide users with more accurate and relevant information when conducting online product searches.
What Does This Change Mean for You?
This update is critical for running an eCommerce store or a product review website. Creating high-quality, accurate, and user-friendly reviews has become more important than ever.
Google now says that reviews should be “evaluated from the user’s perspective.” It means you should write your reviews from the perspective of someone using the product.
Your product reviews should also “show that you are knowledgeable about the products reviewed.” In other words, you know exactly what you’re talking about.
Google also states that reviews should “provide evidence of your own experience with the product, such as visuals, audio, or other links.” It is an excellent opportunity to include videos or images in your reviews to help readers understand what you’re talking about.
Another important aspect of this update is that reviews “share quantitative measurements about how a product measures up in various performance categories.” It encourages you to provide product ratings but back them up with actual data.
Google also states that product reviews should include links to additional sources of information.
Was this update predicted?
We shouldn’t be surprised, given that Google has already released two refinements to its original product reviews algorithm update.
Google’s latest product reviews update is the fourth in a series of product reviews released over the last 18 months. The first product reviews update is an addition to the product review algorithm update, which was first released in March 2021.
Who is impacted by the most recent product review update?
The only websites impacted by this Google update are those that publish product reviews. This update is likely to have an impact on e-commerce, affiliate, and general product review websites. It is important to note that any changes in rankings across other verticals over the next two weeks are unrelated to this update. Only websites that publish product reviews will see significant changes. Any other rankings changes could result from background search updates (which happen every day), changes to your website, or changes to competitor websites. Make sure that this is a minor update. If you’ve been impacted in different niches or verticals, it’s unrelated to this update, and you should consult Google’s general web admin guidelines for content quality.