Google Review RATINGS Just Got More Important

[Linda Buquet]

Just noticed a minor Google update that could have major consequences for certain types of businesses.

We know Google keeps making review more prominent and easier to get to. One recent change was showing reviews in an overlay right in the SERPs instead of sending searchers to the Place page to view them.

But up until now, Google only rewarded quantity of reviews not quality!

Now Google review ratings just got more important for "Local Carousel" listings.

Not sure when it happened, but I just noticed a new "filter by user rating" option on carousel listings.

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Then I found certain searches that trigger filters by both rating and price.

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I have to say as a consumer, shopping for a new restaurant to try, I love this option. I'm a compulsive Amazon shopper and she's trained me well to use that review rating filter. I ALWAYS shop 4 stars and up.

Will this new rating option move beyond the carousel to the regular 7 pack results?
Don't know. Is it a possibility? Heck yes. But only time will tell.

What do YOU think???

 

[mblumenthal]

Linda
Is this the same as what appeared at the end of July or something different?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Shoot Mike, err... I mean Professor, you got me!

I don't work with food/lodging market much, so seldom pay attention to carousel listings. Thought it was new. Guess I missed that post.

So ya folks. You read it there 1st!

 

[sergiuliano]

Probably the quality of the reviews is what maters for Google to rank a website on the Local Carousel top position.

I have analyzed 100 brandnames listed on Local Carousel ( hotel industry ) and here is the result related to the number of reviews they've got.

19% of them have less than 20 reviews, and the number of reviews does not affect the position in Google Carousel. Only 15% have more than 200 reviews and this doesn't seems to help for better rankings, at least not for now,

For sure there is a minimum number of reviews needed in order to be listed, but not the quantity seems to make the difference, but the quality.

Other factors are also important to be analysed in order to understand the strategy used by the Google Carousel Top Ranking websites.

Ratings and Review Authors shall be also analysed for better understanding how the ranking algorithm works.