logo

Mueller Discusses Reviews Eligibility for Rich Results

how to improve Google SEO for a website

Google said they would not show enhanced search results if site owners republish customer reviews from other sources on their Google SEO website, even if they use valid structured data markup. For a web page's review snippets to appear in the Google SEO results, they should be submitted directly to the site.

If SEOs want their web page to appear as a rich result, they should ensure that they don't get reviews from other places on the Internet and post these on their site. This issue was addressed in the most recent Search Central SEO office-hours hangout, which took place on 19 November.

One business owner, who owns a photography company, asked Google's John Mueller why their review snippets do not appear in the search results despite a valid Schema markup. The photography company's owner told Mueller that they have a web page dedicated to republishing reviews from Google Business Profile, formerly known as Google My Business.

As a response, Mueller differentiated between the reviews eligible for snippets and those that aren't. He said that there is no problem with taking that approach, but the truth is, Google only shows enhanced results for reviews that are directly submitted to the Google SEO website.

Mueller said that Google probably wouldn't include that as a review in the search results since it is a testimonial. On the other hand, reviews would need to be product-specific and left on the page itself by visitors.

So, if an SEO is taking reviews from other places on the web and posting these on their site, Google wouldn't pick those up as structured data reviews. SEOs may keep them on the page, but the search engine company wouldn't utilise the review markup.

After Mueller's explanation, SEOs may well be tempted to ask how Google distinguishes a review from a third-party source from a direct submission. The answer is that Google's system can identify that automatically. However, Google isn't always correct, and one could find websites in the search results with review snippets even if they were not submitted directly. But that is just an exception, not a rule. If users leave a review elsewhere and an SEO takes a copy of it, the original place it was found would be where the structured data should be applied.

Mueller admits that it's a little tough because Google tries to recognise this scenario automatically, and sometimes they don't detect it properly, so it just shows it anyway. However, Google does try its best to avoid displaying reviews that have been copied and pasted to a website. He reiterates that site owners may still include them on their site; it's just that they won't get the same level of prominence in search results.

What Businesses Could Do About the Matter

If the company's goal is to obtain review snippets in the search results, they must provide a mechanism for consumers to submit reviews directly. It must be accomplished for each item or service on the website. If the reviews rate the company overall, meaning they are not specified to a product or a service, they cannot be eligible for review snippets.

The easiest way to do so is to include a review submission form on every service or product page on a website. Each product page should encourage its buyers to submit a review. Applying the same idea and valid Schema markup to one's website will make the product and service pages eligible for review snippets.

Google Stars from Consumer Reviews

One example of a review for rich results are Google star ratings. Google uses consumer reviews from various properties to generate its star ratings, and the algorithm and average are used to determine how many stars are shown. These star ratings appear on a scale of 1 to 5.

When people search on Google, they will see star ratings on typical blue link listings, ads, and rich results like third-party review sites, local pack results, recipe cards, and app store results.

According to Mueller, customer reviews and star ratings are not taken into account in web search rankings. However, Google has stated that star ratings do impact local search results and rankings. The more positive ratings and reviews a website has, the better their business's local rankings would be.

Even though star ratings aren't used in organic searches, they may be an important conversion factor since they can demonstrate social proof and help a business develop credibility.

Obtaining Google Stars from Third Party Review Websites

Some businesses rely on third-party review sites to help their consumers make the right choices. Any website that a brand does not control where consumers may post reviews is known as a third-party review site. And many of these websites can show star ratings.

The best way to obtain a third-party review is dependent on which website is most effective for the business or brand. So, if one has many active consumers on a particular third-party review site, they should engage with their clients there; for instance, they could conduct an email campaign with their customer list and ask them to leave a review on the third-party review site.

Google reminds businesses that they can't opt out of third-party reviews and that they should speak with the website owners if there are any problems with a third-party review.

Position1SEO Can Help You Manage Your Schema Markup

Position1SEO is a Google SEO agency that specialises in boosting our clients' search rankings and site traffic. We can also manage your website's schema markup and reviews and interact with customers in forums and other threads related to your products and services.

We take care of all the hard stuff so you can focus on what matters most - running your business! Website content optimisation is just one area that we specialise in. Our team of experts makes sure that every page has a unique title tag, meta description, and heading that makes optimal use of your target key phrases. We can also manage your Google Search Console and other accounts if necessary.

Call us today for more information about what we can do for your website's SEO.

Reviews Eligibility - Google SEO Website | Position1SEO
Author: Jason Ferry
Jason Ferry is an SEO specialist based in the United Kingdom. Taking pride in his many years of experience in the search engine optimisation industry, he has honed his skills in various digital marketing processes. From keyword marketing, website auditing, and link building campaigns, to social media monitoring, he is well-versed in all of them. Jason Ferry’s excellent skills in SEO, combined with his vast experience, makes him one of the best professionals to work with in the industry today. Not only does he guarantee outstanding output for everyone he works with, but also values a deep relationship with them as well.

Related  Posts

the benefits of an search engine optimisation audit
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is an essential ingredient for website success in the digital arena. The process of indexing and ranking websites on Search Engine Results Pages (SERP) requires constant evaluation. Therefore, it is vital to conduct an in-depth SEO audit to identify areas that need improvement. SEO audit is the process of evaluating a […]
search engine optimisation company
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a crucial aspect of building a strong online presence. While many website owners focus on using keywords to rank higher on search engines, an SEO company can optimise your website in more ways than one. In this blog, we will explore the three areas an SEO company can improve upon […]
The importance of hiring a search engine optimisation consultant
Are you struggling to get your business noticed online? Is your website buried under a sea of search results? If your answer is yes, then it might be time to consider hiring an SEO consultant. With the ever-growing importance of online presence for businesses, it has become crucial to employ the right strategies to make […]