Google has updated its review snippet guidelines with a key recommendation: only accept ratings that include a written review and the reviewer’s name.
This change aims to make review snippets in search results more useful and transparent.
What’s New?
Google’s updated documentation now suggests websites require ratings to be paired with a review comment and an identifiable author name.
While not mandatory for rich results, Google says this approach helps users understand the context behind ratings.
Google explains:
“We recommend implementing a setup that only accepts ratings and reviews that are accompanied by a review comment and author’s name, as this approach can help your users understand the context for a given rating.”
Why It Matters
Review snippets—those star ratings or review excerpts shown in search results—are meant to offer users helpful insights at a glance.
However, ratings without written feedback often lack context, leading to a less optimal experience.
This update should improve snippet quality in search results and minimize spammy or shallow ratings.
Key Guidelines
Here’s what Google recommends:
- Reviews must be visible on the page: Users should quickly find the marked-up review content.
- Context matters: Including written comments with ratings helps users understand the “why” behind a score.
- Valid author names: Reviewer names must be genuine (not promotional phrases) and under 100 characters, or the snippet won’t qualify for rich results.
Google doesn’t recommend aggregating reviews from other sites or manually compiling ratings. Ratings need to come directly from users.
For Developers
Developers should validate structured data using Google’s Rich Results Test and monitor performance in Search Console.
Properly implementing schema.org properties such as Review or AggregateRating is essential for eligibility.
Takeaway
Google’s recommendations are intended to add value to reviews by pairing ratings with meaningful feedback.
If you’re using structured data, it’s a good time to check your setup against Google’s updated guidelines.
For more details, check out the updated documentation.
Featured Image: Thapana_Studio/Shutterstock
