Yesterday, March 23, Google officially announced via its blog, the release of the third version of its product review update, an update to the search algorithm aimed at ranking product review-related content on the web that is more useful and useful for users.
The first product review update was released on April 8, 2021, the second was on December 1, 2021, and now the third is coming, called the March 2022 Product Reviews Update.
Google Product Reviews Update
Google’s goal with this update is to promote these types of product reviews in its search result rankings. Their intention is not to directly punish lower quality reviews with little content that simply summarize a bunch of products. However, it is very easy for websites with such content to see other websites rank higher. According to Google, this is not a penalty against that content. You are only rewarding the sites with the most useful content.
On the other hand, it is important to note that this update should only affect content related to product reviews and not any other kind of content.
Features of the March 2022 Product Reviews Update
According to Google, this third update builds on the previous two with the goal of improving Google’s “ability to identify high-quality product reviews.” And, he adds: “This will make it easier for us to get good buying advice in front of users and reward creators who are serious about helping.”
Google indicates the following criteria to take into account when updating product reviews:
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- Include helpful details, such as the pros or cons of a certain item, how a product performs, or how it differs from previous versions.
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- That they come from people who have used the products and show what the product physically looks like or how it is used.
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- Include unique information beyond what the manufacturer provides, such as images, audio, or links to other content that detail the reviewer’s experience.
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- That cover comparable products or explain what differentiates a product from its competitors.
Google has announced that, like the major updates, this update will be rolled out over the next few weeks. Also, although initially the release is for product reviews in English, this update may, in the future, affect those who create reviews in any language.
It’s also important to remember that Google has said on several occasions that product review updates are not the same as core updates. They are separate from Google’s regular core updates. However, keep in mind that these review updates can be just as big as the main updates.
New tips from Google
Google has added new tips to keep in mind when creating content related to product reviews:
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- Are product review updates relevant to ranked listings and comparison reviews? Yes. Product review updates apply to all forms of review content. The best practices we have shared also apply. However, due to the shorter nature of ranked lists, you may want to demonstrate expertise and reinforce authenticity in a more concise manner. Citing relevant results and including original images from tests you have done with the product can be good ways to do this.
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- Are there any recommendations for reviews recommending the “best” products? If you recommend a product as best overall or best for a certain purpose, be sure to share with the reader why you think that product is the best. What differentiates the product from others in the market? Why is the product particularly suitable for the recommended purpose? Be sure to include first-hand supporting evidence.
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- If I create a review that covers multiple products, do I still need to create reviews for the products individually? It can be effective to write a high-quality ranked list of related products in combination with detailed single product reviews for each recommended product. If you write both, make sure there is enough useful content in the ranked list for it to stand on its own.
Over the next few days, at Somos Sinapsis we will be aware of the possible effects of this new update to the Google search algorithm.