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The fourth version of the product review update is currently in the process of rolling out. Google released a new search ranking algorithm update named – you guessed it – the July 2022 Product Reviews update, and announced the new version on Twitter:
Today we released the July 2022 product reviews update. We’ll update our ranking release history page when the rollout is complete: https://t.co/sQ5COfdNcb — Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) July 27, 2022
As mentioned, this is not Google’s first rodeo when it comes to product review updates: the first one launched in April 2021, the second one in December 2021, and the last one launched in March 2022.
The Update
As usual, the main focus of the update is on reward content that is unique, creative, and factual instead of being a boring template. The better the product review – the higher the ranking. This of course doesn’t mean the “template” content will be sanctioned or punished whatsoever – think of it as a point-based rewards system. Google is just rewarding content that is better than the rest, as harsh as that might sound.
What’s new about the update is that nothing is actually new. It seems like Google is now just making minor adjustments, unlike what they did in March when they were full-on inspecting every little thing.
It will take around two or three weeks for the update to fully roll out. Since these updates can be big, don’t be surprised if you notice some volatility in ranking.
How To Not Be Negatively Impacted By This Google Update?
Follow Google’s list of best practices. Here are some of them:
Flex the expertise – offer expert knowledge about products
Show what’s the product like, how to use it, say something interesting about it, valuable information people can use
Let your readers know why this product is better than the competition’s one
Go in-depth and do research – what are your main selling points? What piece of information would convince your readers to buy the product?
Be original and creative, don’t just put in the specs – no one cares about those – at least not so bad to make the buy. You must offer value and a good reason your product deserves to be in their hands. Do your best, follow Google’s best practices and get a reward with each product review update. The devil really is in the details!
Update from the future: High volatility was noticed on August 6th, leading the SEO community to think about how the tremors have something to do with this update. Read more about it here.
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