Google Rolls Out March Product Reviews Algorithm Update

The Google SEO ranking algorithm is constantly changing, with new updates happening all the time. The March product reviews update is just one of the many recent changes that have been made to the Google SEO algorithm.

This particular update is designed to help rank product review-related content on the web according to how helpful and useful it is to searchers. The goal is to provide users with the most relevant and helpful information when they are looking for product reviews.

Google recently announced the release of its latest algorithm upgrade, the March Product Reviews update. This update is mainly concerned with improving product reviews for consumers.

The first product reviews update was launched on 8 April 2021, and the second was launched on 1 December 2021. And now, the third has been released on 23 March 2022.

March Google Product Reviews Update

Google’s recent update to its product reviews algorithm is designed to surface content that is “clear, concise, and helpful”. The company explained that it will promote these types of reviews in its search results rankings.

The release was not unusual, as Google has been implementing modifications to its search engine for the past several years in order to improve the overall user experience.

With that in mind, the search engine is not directly penalising shallow product reviews that merely summarise a large number of products on a website. Despite this, when a website’s ranking suddenly drops, with other similar websites being promoted above it, the demotion can feel like a penalty.

This is especially true when the site’s content is high quality but is simply being overshadowed by better content. In such cases, Google has stated that there is no direct punishment for the site in question; it’s just that the algorithm is rewarding other sites with more insightful review content with better Google SEO rankings and traffic.

Noteworthy Changes

Google’s third product review update builds on the work of the first two product review updates in boosting the search engine’s ability to identify high-quality product reviews. According to Google’s Alan Kent, this will allow customers to find better purchasing advice more easily and give credit to those who are genuine in providing assistance.

The following criteria are what matters with the product reviews update, according to Google:

• Include useful in-depth information, such as the advantages and disadvantages of a certain product. This also includes details on how a product works or how it differs from previous versions.
• Taken from people who have actually used the items and explain what they look like or how they’re utilised.
• Provide additional information, such as pictures, audio or links to other content that details the reviewer’s experience.
• Compare and contrast diverse items, or describe what distinguishes a product from its competitors.

What to Expect

It will take the update a few weeks to roll out, as with previous updates, so this should come as no surprise. The bulk of ranking fluctuation should occur during the earlier phases of this rollout.

Google added that this update would specifically impact English-language product reviews. The company has seen positive effects from this type of update in the past and plans to extend the feature to more languages in the future.

Do note, though, that these updates can be quite significant, with an impact almost on the level of core updates.

Takeaways from Previous Product Review Updates

In general, the main goal is to produce content that provides great insights and original research, written by experts or enthusiasts who know the topic inside and out. However, with the Google March product review algorithm update, there are more useful questions to consider in terms of product reviews specifically.

Do they give readers expert information about items where it is needed?

Do they give a sense of the product’s appearance or function, as well as unique information not provided by the manufacturer?

Do they provide numerical metrics that assess a product’s performance in many areas?

Do they describe how a product distinguishes itself from its competitors?

Do they identify similar products and compare them to determine which one is ideal for the customer’s needs?

Do they go over the benefits and drawbacks of a specific product based on their experience?

Do they explain how a product has developed from previous versions or releases to deliver enhanced features, solve problems, or otherwise assist customers in making a purchasing decision?

Do they evaluate the product’s category and how well it performs in those categories to identify key decision-making variables? For example, a vehicle review may recognise that fuel efficiency, safety, and handling are important decision-making criteria and evaluate performance in those areas.

Do they go beyond what the manufacturer says and describe important aspects of a product’s design, including their influence on consumers?

Do they offer evidence such as pictures, sound, or other links to their personal experience with the product to back up their knowledge and authenticate their assessment?

Do they provide links to a number of sellers so that the reader may purchase from their preferred vendor?

Google has also included a link to an earlier blog post titled Providing Better Product Information For Shoppers, which guarantees improved product information for customers.

Additional Key Points

Google has added three new pointers to its previous advice for the third release of the products reviews update:

• Are product review updates necessary when submitting comparison reviews and ranked lists? Yes. Product review updates apply to all sorts of review content.

The best practices outlined in this guide also apply. However, since ranking lists are brief, users may want to show expertise and authenticity in a more succinct way. Product reviewers may use relevant findings and unique images from tests they’ve carried out with the product as a way to do this.

• Are there any suggestions for product reviews that say, “This is the best thing ever?” By suggesting that a product is the finest overall or for a certain purpose, be sure to inform the reader why this is so. What distinguishes this product from other comparable ones on the market? What are some of the key features that make it ideal? Firsthand evidence should be included to support these claims.
• When writing a review that covers several products, should there be reviews for each product? Yes. It may be beneficial to create a high-quality ranked list of related products coupled with in-depth single-product reviews for each recommended item. Make sure there’s enough useful material in the ranked list by combining both writing styles.

Get Up to Speed with the Latest Google Algorithm Updates for Your Business

Businesses can gain valuable information from the Google product reviews update, which was designed to help rank product review-related content on the web according to how helpful and useful it is to searchers. This means that businesses need to focus on creating content that is truly helpful and useful if they want to rank higher in the search results. Additionally, businesses should ensure that their content is updated regularly to reflect any changes in the Google SEO ranking algorithm.

By keeping up with the latest Google SEO updates, businesses can ensure that their product review-related content is always up-to-date and relevant for searchers. We at position1seo.co.uk will do the hard work for you so that your website can stay ahead of the competition. We track all the latest changes and update our clients’ websites accordingly so that they always rank as high as possible on the search engine results pages.

Contact Position1SEO by calling 0141 404 7515 or emailing jason@position1seo.com for a free consultation!