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Update from the future: On September 26, both the September Core Update and the Product Reviews Update have been fully rolled out. Read about it here and find out how to know if you’ve been hit and what to do about it.
This is not a drill. I repeat – this is NOT a drill! Google is releasing multiple updates at the same time and it seems like the winter has finally come (cue GOT fans). Even Glenn Gabe is scared, who tweeted about this.
Big heads-up: I take back what I said the other day… Google IS rolling out several major updates AT THE SAME TIME. The September 2022 Product Reviews Update is now rolling out DURING the September 2022 broad core update. Good luck everyone. 🙂 https://t.co/AGs4Hm3JNz — Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) September 20, 2022
Currently, there is a September 2022 Broad Core Update rolling out. Google also released a Product Review Update during this one, Search Engine Land reports. So yeah, they both be rolling at the same time.
This is the fifth version of the product reviews update, the last one being released in July. It targets ranking product review-related content on the web. So, it ties in nicely with another major update the search engine released recently – the Helpful Content Update, which was said to be more serious with each new update, targeting content created for search engines first instead of humans. Google really is serious about this, with all of the sudden updates and all.
However, this update has been announced on Twitter already, by none other than Google itself.
Today we released the September 2022 product reviews update for English-language product reviews. We’ll update our ranking release history page when the rollout is complete: https://t.co/sQ5COfdNcb — Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) September 20, 2022
What Will This Update Do?
As usual – promote good content. Google repeatedly talks about the importance of offering content that is more than just a template. And with each new update, they promote review content that goes above and beyond the basics. What does that look like? Like rewarding pages with better content with a higher ranking. Does that mean that it penalizes the other pages by lowering their rank? Might feel like it, yes.
However, if you provide high-quality content, not just basic templates and SEO-focused content and follow Google’s best practices, chances are your website will be right up on its feet. It’s all about putting in the effort.
The initial rollout is targeted at content in English, but it might impact other languages in the future too. It usually takes about two weeks for these updates to roll out, however, the July one only took about five days.
September 2022 Broad Core Update Still Rolling On
Meanwhile, as mentioned, the latest broad core update is still rolling out. Google said it’s mostly over and should be completed within a week.
But, you must be asking yourself: How do I know by which update I got impacted with?
Google gave the most basic answer of them all to help you out, according to Search Engine Land:
“If you see a change and wonder if it’s related to the core update or the product reviews update:
If you produce product reviews, then it’s probably related to that.
If not, then it might be related to the core update.”
You’ve got to love that.
However, the search engine did provide us with some directions and best practices on how to create Google-updates-friendly content. Along with all the known advice on creating that type of content, like evaluating from a user’s perspective, showing your expertise, etc., Google also added three new points of advice:
When comparing products or listing a ranked list, try demonstrating expertise more concisely. You can do that by citing pertinent results and including original images from tests you performed with the product. That way, you also reinforce authenticity.
If your reviews recommend something as ‘best’, then have a clear explanation of WHY it’s the best. What sets that product apart from its competition? Why is it best for a specific purpose? Include evidence!
If you write both a high-quality ranked list of related products and an in-depth single product review for each recommended product, make sure there’s enough useful content in the ranked list for it to stand on its own.
