A Product Algorithm Update refers to the search algorithm updates by Google, gradually implemented since 2021. Unlike regular core algorithm updates, this one is limited to the English-speaking market and specifically targets product review sites.

While this update has had a significant impact on affiliate sites in English-speaking countries, Google has also provided official guidelines for handling it, indicating the potential for future expansion into multiple languages, including Japanese.

In this discussion, SEO consultants will elaborate on the Product Review Update, which does not affect SEO in Japan.

What is a Product Review Update? 

A Product Review Update is one of Google’s search algorithm updates, primarily targeting affiliate sites that publish articles introducing products. However, any site featuring product reviews could potentially be affected, not just affiliate sites.

As of September 2022, the impact is limited to English-speaking countries, excluding Japan. Nevertheless, this update reflects Google’s approach as a search engine and warrants attention for its potential future multilingual expansion.

While referred to as a Product Review Update, this update differs from typical core algorithm updates and possesses the following characteristics:

-Not a Core Algorithm 

-Updated Limited to English-Speaking Countries 

-Affects Websites that Introduce Products 

-Impacts Google Discover Despite

Being limited to the English-speaking market and product review sites, the scope remains considerable due to the abundance of affiliate sites worldwide.

Google prioritizes user experience, so it is safe to assume that this update aims to enhance it. However, despite being a Google engine, the accuracy of results is not flawless, and some search results may seem like product promotions through SEO-optimized affiliate sites.

For legitimate review sites, SEO-optimized yet substance-lacking affiliate sites are a nuisance and ultimately compromise the user experience.

Additionally, one could interpret Google’s underlying motive, particularly in English-speaking regions, as a means to prevent search users from flocking to prominent product introduction platforms, thus altering evaluations as a precautionary measure. 

This isn’t a Core Algorithm Update 

Core Algorithm Updates occur a few times a year (2 to 4 times), but this Product Review Update isn’t one of them. However, there’s a possibility of expanding to other languages ​​once enough operational data from English-speaking regions is gathered.

Limited to English-Speaking Regions 

The Product Review Update took place on April 8, 2021, for the first time, followed by December 1 of the same year for the second time, then on March 23, 2022, for the third time, and finally on July 27 of the same year for the fourth time, all exclusively in English-speaking regions.

As of now, there is no evidence of its impact beyond English, but considering cases like the BERT Update, which initially started in English but later expanded to other languages, a multilingual expansion is plausible in the future.

Update Targeting Product Introduction Websites 

While it is called a Product Review, this update excludes sites where users post reviews like those for self-owned product services or e-commerce sites.

The Product Review Update targets sites that introduce multiple products or services for comparison, mainly affiliate sites. However, even if a site does not engage in affiliate marketing but deals with product introductions, it falls within the update’s scope.

Furthermore, sites dealing with financial or cryptocurrency-related information in the YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) category are also included, so caution is advised.

Affecting Google Discover 

One notable feature of this update is its impact not only on Google Search but also on Google Discover. While most updates typically affect search results only, this one is somewhat unique in its influence.

Impacts Google Discover 

The Product Review Update also affects Google’s service called ‘Google Discover.’

Google Discover is a service that automatically displays information that users are likely interested in, based on various user data such as visited places, browsing history, and search history, on the top page of the Google app on smartphones. It was renamed from Google Feed to Google Discover in September 2018.

Google Discover delivers relevant information to users at the right time before they even search. However, with the Product Review Update, product review sites deemed ‘low-quality’ by Google may potentially be affected by the update.

Tips for Improving Product Review Quality 

The aim of the Product Review Update is not to penalize sites that review products but to reassess search results for low-quality product reviews. Therefore, it presents a significant opportunity for sites providing high-quality product reviews that benefit users to greatly improve their search rankings.

To improve the quality of product reviews, consider the following methods.

-Share expertise openly 

-Conduct accurate comparisons 

-Deliver original research 

-Clarify evidence

Sharing expertise openly 

Having content authored or supervised by individuals with expertise in the subject matter can improve SEO ratings, not just for product reviews but for all content. While general SEO practices emphasize E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), expertise plays a crucial role. Simply summarizing information from official sites or other media sources will not suffice. It is essential to provide expert insights into the characteristics of the product, its category or industry, competitors, and more.

Regarding this matter, Google stated the following on August 18, 2022

“We know product reviews can play an important role in helping you make a decision on something to buy. Last year, we kicked off a series of updates to show more helpful, in-depth reviews based on first-hand expertise in search results.

Quote: More content by people, for people in Search (Google The Keyword)

Conducting Accurate Comparisons

When users purchase a product, it is not solely about the price. Factors like functionality, convenience, durability, and design intertwine to influence their purchasing decisions.

Hence, instead of just introducing a product, it is essential to clearly compare it with competing services or products. Highlighting its superiority and shortcomings compared to competitors is crucial in providing reviews that aid users in decision-making.

Especially in product introductions on affiliate sites, a prevalent practice is to prioritize products with higher rewards, which solely serves the interests of the seller and disregards the user’s perspective. It is vital to contemplate what truly constitutes a helpful product review and to conduct accurate comparisons.

Delivering Original Research

While product reviews can be crafted by gathering information from official company sources, other media outlets, social media, Q&A sites, etc., relying solely on this can result in mundane and generic content.

To be valued by Google, delivering original information is preferred, and if possible, providing primary information yields better results. This can involve methods such as conducting interviews, surveys, or personally reviewing products to gather feedback from actual users.

Clarifying Evidence 

Accuracy and reliability are crucial for all types of content. Merely expressing personal opinions may not be helpful to users.

Therefore, when writing product reviews, it’s essential to provide evidence backing up the product’s features and effectiveness. If there are sources of information available online, such as academic papers or research results, linking to them and allowing users to verify the information is recommended.

Official websites often provide detailed specifications, and for efficacy-related information, providing links to sites disclosing researchers’ papers or research results is necessary.

However, when presenting evidence, always refer to primary sources (the original source of information). Secondary information may not be reliable.

Referring to Google Official Recommendations

In addition to implementing the Product Review Update, Google also shares best practices and recommended approaches officially (refer to the following four pages). When writing product reviews, make sure to read and reread them for guidance.

1.Write High-Quality Product Reviews

2.What Creators Need to Know About Google’s Product Review Updates

3.Updates on Product Reviews and Websites

4.Improvements in Product Review Rankings Over the Past Year

The four pages mentioned above contain highly important information, and it’s crucial for staff members to go through them. However, as the information is somewhat lengthy, the key points of high importance are transcribed below.

To make product reviews more accessible to shoppers on Google services like Google Search, consider the following recommended approaches.

“-Evaluate products from the user’s perspective. 

-Demonstrate expertise and richness of knowledge about the reviewed product. 

-Provide evidence that supports expertise, such as links to descriptions based on personal experiences with images, audio, or explanations based on personal experiences with the product. 

-Offer quantitative measurements of how well various product performance expectations are met. 

-Explain factors that differentiate the product from competing products. 

-Indicate the products being compared or describe which product is best suited for specific uses or situations. 

-Describe the merits and demerits of specific products based on proprietary research. 

-Provide information helpful to the reader’s decision-making, such as improvements made to products from previous models or releases and issues resolved, among other relevant details. 

-Clarify the main decision-making factors for the product category and evaluate the product’s performance in that field (for example, in automotive reviews, assess fuel efficiency, safety, and ease of driving, considering these factors as the main decision-making criteria in the field). 

-Show important options based on product design and its impact on users, apart from information from manufacturers. Include links to other useful resources (proprietary or from other sites) that assist readers in decision-making. 

-Consider including links to multiple sellers so that readers can purchase from any preferred retailer. -When recommending a product as the best one, whether it’s an overall evaluation or specific to certain uses, explain why it’s rated as such, including supporting evidence based on personal experiences. 

-Even when writing detailed product reviews for each recommended product, the list of products in order of evaluation must be sufficiently useful without the need to reference individual reviews.

Quote: Writing High-Quality Product Reviews For those creating content

Here are some points to consider from a product review perspective. Please check if your reviews cover the following.

“-Ensure you convey specialized knowledge about the product when necessary. 

-Include original content beyond manufacturer-provided information, introducing the product’s appearance and usage. 

-Provide quantitative measurements of how well various product performance expectations are met. -Explain factors that differentiate the product from competing ones. Indicate the products being compared or explain which product is optimal for specific uses or situations. 

-Discuss the merits and demerits of specific products based on research. 

-Offer information beneficial for user purchasing decisions, such as improvements made to products from previous models or releases and issues resolved. 

-Evaluate the product’s performance in its category’s main decision-making factors and within its field. For instance, in car reviews, evaluate factors like fuel efficiency, safety, and ease of driving, which are primary decision-making criteria in the field. 

-Offer important choices based on the product’s design and its impact on users beyond information from manufacturers. 

Quote: What Creators Need to Know About Google’s Product Review Updates

Here are two new best practices for product reviews that will be effective in future updates.

“-Provide evidence supporting expertise, such as links to explanations based on personal experiences with images, audio, or descriptions based on personal experiences with the product, to enhance the reliability of reviews. 

-Consider including links to multiple sellers so that readers can purchase from any preferred retailer, if suitable for the site. 

Quote: Updates on Product Reviews and Sites

Since the release of the initial update for product reviews, many questions have been raised regarding reviews for multiple products. We will address these questions.

“-Do product review updates affect ranking lists or comparison reviews? Yes. Product review updates apply to all forms of review content, and the best practices mentioned earlier also apply. However, ranking lists tend to be concise, so some may prefer to prove expertise and enhance reliability using a more rigorous method. In that case, it is advisable to briefly quote the results of product tests and include original images from testing. 

-Are there recommended methods for creating reviews recommending the “best” product? When recommending a product as the best in a specific category or for a particular use, share with readers why you believe the product is superior. What factors differentiate it from other products in the market? Why is it the ideal choice for specific purposes? Be sure to include evidence-based on validation to support your claims. 

-Do I need to create individual reviews for each product when creating reviews for multiple products? It is effective to create high-quality ranking lists of related products while also crafting detailed reviews for each product in the list. Combining both types of content is effective. Even if you create both, ensure that the ranking list contains sufficiently useful content and can stand alone without the need for detailed reviews of each product. 

Quote: Improving Product Review Rankings Over the Past Year

In the future of Product Review Updates 

Product Review Updates are updates limited to English-speaking regions, but they can have a significant impact even on major review sites in those regions.

Considering the updates are being rolled out in multiple stages, it shows the seriousness and importance Google attaches to them. Looking back at how the Panda Update went through several iterations before being incorporated into the regular algorithm, there is a possibility that the scope of Product Review Updates may expand in the future.

While many details are still unclear at this point, three points are of particular interest:

-When will the updates occur? 

-Will all content be affected? 

-Will Japanese content be targeted?

When will the updates occur? 

Google has already conducted four Product Review Updates. It’s quite unusual to repeatedly roll out updates with limited scope, indicating the significant emphasis Google places on them.

Some affiliates tend to focus on Google countermeasures without prioritizing user-first approaches. Until user-first content dominates Google search results, there is a possibility that updates will continue.

Will all content be affected? 

At the moment, the impact is limited, but the update contains elements that could be expanded to general content, such as the need for specialized knowledge, the requirement for original information, and the necessity to provide clear evidence.

Although currently separate from core updates, in the future, there is a possibility that all content, not just product reviews, could be targeted.

Will Japanese be targeted? 

Currently, it is limited to English-speaking regions. However, looking at Twitter discussions, it is evident that multilingual expansion is being considered for the future.

Summary 

The Product Review Update is a Google update targeting product review sites, but it differs significantly from regular updates in the following ways:

-Limited to English-speaking regions 

-Limited to product review sites 

-Google officially publishes countermeasures.

This update shows how much attention Google is giving to product reviews. Some sites in English-speaking regions have already been significantly affected, but Japan cannot afford to ignore the potential impact. There is a possibility of multilingual expansion and affecting all content in the future, so it is essential to prioritize user-first content delivery consistently.

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Author Profile

International Web Consultant Paveena Suphawet

A trilingual professional in English, Thai, and Japanese, she has numerous achievements in international SEO. She studied the latest IT technologies at Assumption International University, Thailand, and majored in International Business at the University of Greenwich, UK. Following her tenure at ExxonMobil’s Thai branch, she became a key member of Admano from its establishment.

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