Prism, a company that provides ORM Services in Dubai has learned that Google has released an update to its search ranking algorithm that aims to reward in-depth product reviews.
Google has released an update to its search algorithm that favors well-researched, in-depth content over brief product summaries. To be sure, this isn’t a major algorithm change that will have an effect on all search results. This update is aimed squarely at product feedback.
According to Google’s announcement, the product reviews update was created to reward content that users find the most useful:
“Google Search is always working to show the most useful and helpful information possible, through testing, experimenting and review processes. From this, we know people appreciate product reviews that share in-depth research, rather than thin content that simply summarizes a bunch of products. That’s why we’re sharing an improvement to our ranking systems, which we call the product reviews update, that’s designed to better reward such content.”
For the time being, this change only affects search results in English. This update would have no impact on sites that do not publish product reviews. Sites that do publish product reviews should keep a close eye on their traffic and be on the lookout for something unusual.
The algorithm update went live today, so site owners could have seen traffic and rating fluctuations already. Starting around April 8, any sudden increase or decrease in search traffic suggests that a site was affected by the product reviews update.
Regardless of traffic changes, site owners should notice that the product reviews update went live today in Google Analytics and other tracking tools.
What if the Product Reviews Update Had an Impact on My Website?
The revised product reviews are designed to provide consumers with content that includes in-depth analysis and original research. Google Search is attempting to prioritize product reviews written by experts or enthusiasts who are knowledgeable about the topic. Site owners who think their content has been harmed by the product reviews update should consult Google’s recommendations for better content creation.
While this is not one of their daily core updates, the advice they provide about creating high-quality content for those is also applicable here. The ultimate goal is to provide users with content that includes in-depth analysis and original research, as well as content written by experts or enthusiasts who are knowledgeable about the topic.
Examine the content critically to see how the product reviews on your site are:
- When is it necessary to demonstrate expert product knowledge?
- Show what the product looks like in person or how it’s used with exclusive material that goes beyond what the manufacturer provides?
- 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’s aim of awarding the most valuable product reviews is consistent with the above recommendations. If reviews only include brief summaries of items, they would have a tougher time ranking in search results in the future.
On affiliate sites that are more concerned with making fast commissions than with delivering real value to customers, reviews with short summaries of products are popular.
Site owners must also publish comprehensive product reviews that provide references to similar products as well as past versions of the same product. Where possible, use objective analysis, such as the results of speed tests if you’re analyzing a device, and other information that can help customers make a buying decision.
It seems that Google will pay careful attention to whether a review contains information that is not available from the manufacturer. To put it another way, we at Prism Digital Marketing Agency as an ORM services company advise that you don’t have to reinvent what’s already on the web on a product page.
We hope you find the advice given here to be helpful. For more general guidance about how to present shopping-related material, check out Google’s post Providing better product information for shoppers. Aside from that, the resources available on Google Search Central, such as tools, support pages, and our forums, will provide guidance on how to create good content.
