Google’s April 2023 Reviews System Update: Emphasis on Experience and New Quality Standards
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Unveiling Google’s Latest Reviews System Update, and What It Means for Content Creators and Publishers
On April 12, 2023, Google launched the April 2023 Reviews Update at noon EST (9 AM PDT). This update emphasizes the role of experience in assessing content quality. Accompanied by new Google Search Central documentation, the update sheds light on the kind of content that the updated Reviews System Algorithm seeks. It’s essential to understand this update as a part of Google’s broader algorithmic ecosystem.
Reviews Update: Putting the Spotlight on Experience
The latest Reviews documentation highlights the Double-E-EA-T content quality paradigm, which Google introduced in December 2022. This paradigm goes beyond the previous E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) standards by incorporating an additional “E” for Experience.
Google’s Reviews System now looks for evidence of experience, raising the bar for content quality. Mere textual expressions of experience, such as “in my experience” or “my hands-on analysis,” may no longer suffice. Publishers must now provide tangible proof of experience.
Key Signals of Product Reviews Experience
The updated documentation outlines the following experience indicators:
- Visual evidence
- Audio
- Links to evidence of experience
- Quantitative measurements
These indicators collectively confirm that a product has been examined, tested, and evaluated.
Visual Evidence
Original photographs of reviewed products, rather than stock images, now hold more value in demonstrating experience.
Quantitative Measurements
Assessing a product’s performance through quantifiable metrics can bolster the credibility of a review.
Audio and Visual Experience
Google doesn’t specify the role of audio or visual experience, but these elements may be relevant in certain contexts, such as evaluating a product’s noise levels.
Affected Languages
The April 2023 Reviews System Update impacts the following languages:
- Dutch
- English
- French
- German
- Indonesian
- Italian
- Polish
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Spanish
- Vietnamese
Redefining Reviews Quality in Search Results
The latest update raises the standard for all types of reviews—not just for products but for businesses, services, destinations, media, and more. While low-quality reviews may still rank in the absence of better alternatives, this doesn’t imply the Reviews System is ineffective; it merely reflects the existing quality of product reviews.
To stay ahead, consider providing genuine evidence of experience, such as original photos and quantitative measurements (where applicable), and avoid relying solely on textual expressions of experience.
Google’s April 2023 Reviews System Update emphasizes the importance of experience in content quality evaluation. By understanding and adapting to the new standards, content creators and publishers can create more valuable and credible product reviews, ultimately benefiting both their audience and their search engine rankings.