Google announces a change to its product review algorithm.
Google has rolled out a new quality algorithm update that encourages users to leave excellent product feedback.
And MORE
Google has released a new Search algorithm update dubbed “Product Feedback.” According to a spokesperson for Google, this update is “designed to better reward” product reviews that “share in-depth analysis, rather than thin content that merely summarizes a bunch of products.” Google said that reviews that include “insightful analysis and original research” will be rewarded, particularly “content written by experts or enthusiasts who are well-versed in the subject.”
Google’s product reviews have been updated. The Google product reviews update aims to encourage review content that goes beyond any of what you’ll find on the internet. According to Google, these forms of product reviews would be prioritized in its search results rankings.
Lower-quality product reviews of “thin content that merely summarizes a bunch of items” are not explicitly penalized by Google. If you have such content and your rankings are degraded as a result of other content being promoted above yours, it will feel like a punishment. According to Google, this isn’t a punishment for your posts; rather, it’s a way of rewarding sites with more informative review content with higher rankings than yours.
Technically, this change may only affect product reviews, not other forms of content…but who knows with Google.
This isn’t supposed to be a major change. This is also not a key change, according to Google. They’re naming this a stand-alone update the product feedback update. This is distinct from Google’s daily core updates, according to the company. Google did, however, add that the advice it gave for core updates, “about delivering quality content for those,” is also applicable here. In addition to that advice, Google also included detailed instructions for this update.
On the product reviews update, I’d like to give some advice. Google stated that the update’s “overall emphasis is on providing users with content that offers insightful analysis or opinion and original researched content written by experts or enthusiasts who know the subject well.” That is similar advice to the above-mentioned core update guidelines, but there is also a list of “additional useful questions to consider in terms of product feedback.” Google suggests that your product reviews address these topics and provide answers to these questions.
Do the product evaluations answer these questions…
When is it necessary to express expert product knowledge?
Show what the product looks like in person or how it’s used with material that’s not available from the manufacturer?
Provide objective data on how a product performs across different performance categories?
What distinguishes a product from its competitors?
Consider comparable goods, or illustrate which products are suitable for specific uses or situations?
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a specific product based on your research?
Describe how a product has changed from previous versions or releases in order to include updates, resolve problems, or otherwise assist consumers in making a buying decision?
Identify the product’s category’s core decision-making variables and how the product performs in those areas? A car review, for example, might conclude that fuel economy, safety, and handling are important decision-making factors and assign a score to each of these areas.
Beyond what the manufacturer says, describe key decisions in the design of a product and their effect on users.
Google also included a link to a blog post from earlier this year about giving shoppers better product details.
This update is now available. The update is now live for English-language reviews all over the world, according to Google.
Why should we be concerned? If you have product review content on your website, you can check your rankings to see if you were affected. Is your Google organic traffic increasing, decreasing, or remaining the same?
Long term, you’ll want to make sure that you put a lot of thought and effort into your product review content in the future so that it is exclusive and stands out from the crowd.
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