Google Search’s reviews system and your website update 2023

It’s here!

Google Search’s reviews system and your website 2023 update!

Google had to release this for user experience and their search engine.

Let’s be honest.

The web is being flooded with content.

Google does not want spam AI product reviews in their database. They want solid reviews that actuall help eCommerce customer’s on the purchasing journey. Agree?

Here’s what Google recommeneds for their 2023 product review update

Publishing high quality reviews can help people learn more about things they are considering, such as products, services, destinations, games, movies or other topics. For example, you could write a review as:

  • An expert staff member or a merchant who guides people between competing products.
  • A blogger that provides independent opinions.
  • An editorial staff member at a news or other publishing site.

To help people discover your review pages in Google Search and on other Google surfaces, follow these best practices:

  • Evaluate from a user’s perspective.
  • Demonstrate that you are knowledgeable about what you are reviewing—show you are an expert.
  • Provide evidence such as visuals, audio, or other links of your own experience with what you are reviewing, to support your expertise and reinforce the authenticity of your review.
  • Share quantitative measurements about how something measures up in various categories of performance.
  • Explain what sets something apart from its competitors.
  • Cover comparable things to consider, or explain which might be best for certain uses or circumstances.
  • Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of something, based on your own original research.
  • Describe how a product has evolved from previous models or releases to provide improvements, address issues, or otherwise help users in making a purchase decision.
  • Focus on the most important decision-making factors, based on your experience or expertise (for example, a car review might determine that fuel economy and safety are key decision-making factors and rate performance in those areas).
  • Describe key choices in how a product has been designed and their effect on the users beyond what the manufacturer says.
  • Include links to other useful resources (your own or from other sites) to help a reader make a decision.
  • Consider including links to multiple sellers to give the reader the option to purchase from their merchant of choice.
  • When recommending something as the best overall or the best for a certain purpose, include why you consider it the best, with first-hand supporting evidence.
  • Ensure there is enough useful content in your ranked lists for them to stand on their own, even if you choose to write separate in-depth single reviews.

Reviews often use affiliate links, so that if someone finds a review useful and follows the provided link to purchase, the creator of the review is rewarded by the seller. If you do this, see also Google’s position on affiliate programs.

Reviews can be a great resource for people when making decisions. When writing reviews, focus on the quality and originality of your reviews, not the length, following as many of the above best practices as you are able. This will deliver the most value to those reading your reviews.

You can read more from the official Google documentation here

How to create good product reviews for customers in 2023?

Personally, I would be looking at the following metrics to create good product reviews. Apart from the above look at:

  • Custom UX
  • Custom Images
  • Tables that actually help users
  • Crawlable videos
  • Language that encourages a reader to engage with their emotions
  • High-quality CTAs that’s not just to make a sale but to encourage a customer to learn more

Why has Google released this update?

Google has released this update becuase poor content in the search engine, means drop in advertisment revenue.

Of course, AI product reviews are bad for customers.

Google wants the best content in search, hence this 2023 update ✌️

Louis Smith

ECOMMERCE SEO SPECIALIST

Louis Smith started with a computing degree learning to code and build website. Then, his career quickly changed when he falls into marketing, more importantly, SEO.

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