Google
September 2022 Product Reviews Update
In brief
Product reviews update rolled out overlapping with the September core update.
Key points
- New iteration of the product reviews system, overlapping with the September core update.
- A stack of three recent signals (helpful content, core, reviews) over a short period.
- Interpreting the changes particularly tricky for review sites.
- Doctrine unchanged: a premium on real experience with the product.
Analysis
Deployed while the August-September core update was not yet finished, this product reviews update adds a layer of complexity for the publishers concerned. Three systems could have affected the same site within a few weeks, blurring the reading of causes.
At its core, the requirement remains the same: to demonstrate genuine hands-on use of the product and provide tangible proof. Review sites had to be extra cautious before attributing a drop to one signal rather than another.
What to do
- Segment the analysis by page type (product review vs editorial content) to isolate the effect of each update.
- Strengthen proof of direct experience on the most exposed review pages.
- Precisely document the dates of the changes to avoid hasty conclusions in a context of overlapping signals.
Impact
A pile-up of signals hard to untangle for review sites. Caution in interpreting the swings.