Google recently rolled out its sixth Product Reviews Update in April, which focuses on the quality and richness of reviews. This update is no longer limited to product reviews, but also applies to service reviews. Google highlights well-written reviews that provide insightful analysis, written by experts or enthusiasts who know the subject matter well.
To write quality reviews according to Google, you need to rely on the expertise, authority, trust (E-A-T) system and emphasize experience. Here are some guidelines provided by Google for writing quality reviews:
Evaluate the product from the user’s perspective
Evaluate the product from the user’s point of view: You must position yourself as a consumer and give an honest analysis of the product. For example, one can evaluate the performance of a product by giving quantitative measurements, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of a product, and focus on the quality and authenticity of the review rather than its length.
If you are writing a car review, you can talk about the vehicle’s performance in terms of fuel consumption, driving comfort, and road safety using figures and concrete examples.
Show that you are an expert
Show you’re an expert: Google gives a lot of consideration to reviews written by experts in the field. To demonstrate expertise, one can identify key factors that influence the purchase of a product, provide key details about the product’s design beyond the information provided by the manufacturer, and explain why a product is the best or most suitable to meet a particular demand based on one’s own expertise.
If you’re writing a camera review, you can talk about the different types of image sensors, lenses, and shooting modes, explaining how they affect photo quality and giving examples of situations in which the camera would be best suited.
Provide evidence of experience
Evidence of experience reinforces the authenticity of the opinion. Photos, audio, video, or other elements that support the personal experience with the product or service can be included. For example, if you believe one product is better than another, you can provide tangible evidence to support your opinion.
If you’re writing a beauty product review, you may want to include before and after photos of yourself using the product to show results, as well as photos of the product’s ingredients to support your comments on their effectiveness.
Compare products
Comparison is a key element for Google. It is not enough to describe a product, you must also compare it with other similar products or with previous versions of the same product. You can explain what differentiates a product from its competitors, describe comparable products to be aware of, and provide information on the advantages and disadvantages of each product.
If you are writing a smartphone review, you can compare its performance, design, battery life, and features with other smartphones in the same market segment to help users make an informed decision.
Include relevant links
It is helpful to include links in your review to direct readers to other relevant resources or websites. This can help users get more information about the product or service you’re talking about, or compare prices and options from different vendors, which can help them make an informed decision.
If you’re writing a camera review, you can include links to price comparison websites, reviews from other users, or usage tutorials to help readers get more information and compare the offerings available on the market.
By following these guidelines, you can write quality reviews according to Google’s criteria and improve your chances of appearing in search results and helping users make informed choices when searching for product or service reviews online.
