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Google has officially released the April 2023 reviews update, making this the seventh review update since 2021. This latest update marks Google’s most significant and ambitious change to the review system.

Big Changes to Google’s Review System

Previously called the “product reviews system,” Google has changed the name to simply “reviews system,” extending reviews to cover more than just products. Reviews can now cover a variety of topics, including services and businesses, destinations, and any form of media like games or movies.

Google has also updated the review guidance documentation, changing the title from “product review guidance” to “review guidance.” They have also reworded multiple parts of the article, replacing wording like “product review” with more generic language to apply to all types of reviews. For example, any mention of a “product” has been replaced with the word “something” or “thing” or has been deleted altogether. While these edits may seem minuscule, they have huge implications and dramatically broaden the scope of reviews. Now, the update to reviews can be applied to virtually every possible type of review as part of the Google review system.

Google Search’s Reviews System and Your Website

Additionally, what used to be the “Google Search’s product reviews system and your website” page is now the “Google Search’s reviews system and your website” page, with Google adding further guidance for what this update means. On the page, Google writes:

“The reviews system is designed to evaluate articles, blog posts, pages, or similar first-party standalone content written with the purpose of providing a recommendation, giving an opinion, or providing analysis. It does not evaluate third-party reviews, such as those posted by users in the reviews section of a product or services page.

Reviews can be about a single thing, or head-to-head comparisons, or ranked lists of recommendations. Reviews can be about any topic. There can be reviews of products such as laptops or winter jackets, pieces of media such as movies or video games, or services and businesses such as restaurants or fashion brands.”

Google has stated that this update applies to numerous languages, including English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Russian, Dutch, Portuguese, and Polish.

Connect With BluShark Digital Today to Learn More

This new update could impact anyone in the SEO industry. If your website publishes any kind of content that can be reviewed, it’s crucial to keep an eye on your rankings to see how your organic traffic changes.

With Google constantly updating its systems, it can take a lot of work to keep track of all the updates and know how it affects your business. This is why it’s essential to have a team of SEO professionals on your side to oversee all things SEO and monitor your traffic for you, so you can put all your focus on expanding your business. For more information on how to get started, contact BluShark Digital today!