Google updated its review snippet guideline documentation, recommending websites use ratings with a written review and author name.
The update aims to improve user trust and experience by adding context to ratings so people know why you got them.
The Update
Google’s updated review snippet guidelines now recommend that websites relying on ratings include reviews with comments and the author’s names to provide context for the reviews and explain why someone left it.
Some changes to the guidelines aren’t mandatory, but complying with the update should help improve the authenticity of the review system and increase user trust.
Local businesses, however, must display user ratings and not self-controlled reviews.
Google wrote on Search Central:
- “We recommend implementing a setup that only accepts ratings and reviews that are accompanied by a review comment and author’s name, as this approach can help your users understand the context for a given rating.”
Review snippet recap
Snippets appear in search results and aim to provide users with reviews and star ratings that offer insights into the quality of your product or service and encourage them to visit your website.
The problem with review snippets without context is they lack the “why” someone gave you a five-star review, and Google is less likely to show a rich snippet. Businesses can enhance their online reputation management strategy by using an online free invoice generator. It will streamline billing processes and encourage satisfied customers to provide detailed feedback. In turn, it’ll help increase the chances of earning meaningful review snippets.
Adding valid written reviews with an author’s name increases the user’s trust and the likelihood of Google showing a rich snippet with valuable information.
Here’s Google’s explanation:
- A review snippet is a brief excerpt of a review or a rating from a review website, usually an average of the combined rating scores from many reviewers. When Google finds valid reviews or ratings markup, we may show a rich snippet that includes stars and other summary info from reviews or ratings.
New Review Snippet Guidelines
The updated documentation now includes several guidelines for correctly implementing review snippets, including review visibility, written content, and author names, to improve viewers’ experiences.
- Content visibility: Reviews with marked-up content, including the review text, associated ratings, and aggregated ratings (if applicable), must be visible on your site.
- Written content: Ratings with written content help provide additional information about why someone reviewed your product or service.
- The author’s name: Google recommends adding an author’s name to your review, as it shows that a real person wrote it. Names must be genuine and under 100 characters to qualify for rich snippet results.
Local Business Guidelines
Google has added new requirements for local businesses, which include:
- Your business cannot use reviews you control on your websites.
- All ratings must come from the user.
- Local companies may not use human editor creation ratings.
- Google doesn’t recommend manually compiling ratings or using aggregating reviews.
Reviews must be specific
Google now has strict guidelines for managing your reviews, including:
- Your reviews must be for specific items or services.
- Google prohibits the use of review aggregation from third-party sites.
- Sites displaying multiple reviews must have an aggregated rating.
What it means
Google’s latest update to its review snippet guideline documentation aligns with its ongoing commitment to providing transparent and authentic reviews across all its platforms to ensure its users can trust the rating information it displays.Adding content with the author’s name to your reviews helps provide valuable insights at a glance, increasing the trust factor and experience, which all help Google achieve its goal.
