People search on Google billions of times every day. Our Search systems are designed to sort through all the information that could be a good match, and we’re always updating our ranking systems to make sure they’re working well.
Sometimes the improvements we make are broad and affect all types of queries. Others are more specialized, designed to improve results for more specific searches and the types of information we know people like to see.
Take product reviews, for instance. We know people appreciate reviews that share in-depth research, rather than simply summarize a bunch of products. That’s why over the past year, we’ve been working to improve the product reviews we display in Search, with the latest update launching today.
Our first updates were designed to, among other things, help ensure reviews come from people who demonstrate expert knowledge and first-hand research about products. Today’s update builds on this work to make sure that product reviews in Search meet certain criteria, such as:
- Include helpful in-depth details, like the benefits or drawbacks of a certain item, specifics on how a product performs or how the product differs from previous versions
- Come from people who have actually used the products, and show what the product is physically like or how it’s used
- Include unique information beyond what the manufacturer provides — like visuals, audio or links to other content detailing the reviewer’s experience
- Cover comparable products, or explain what sets a product apart from its competitors
Our work to improve product reviews will continue, including expanding these updates to more languages beyond English. Ultimately, our goal is to help people find trustworthy, reliable advice when they come to Search — no matter what they’re looking for.
For those who create reviews on the web, check out our tips for writing high quality product reviews.
