Source: Search Engine Roundtable by barry@rustybrick.com (Barry Schwartz). Read the original article
TL;DR Summary of Google Updates Review Snippet Structured Data Guidelines
Google has revised its review snippet documentation to clarify how to use itemReviewed and handle nested reviews and aggregate ratings. The update aims to reduce ambiguity and help Google better interpret review structured data. Site owners should avoid using multiple methods simultaneously to indicate the reviewed item, especially when dealing with nested schemas. These changes ensure more accurate representation of reviews in search results.
Optimixed’s Overview: Enhancing Review Snippet Accuracy with Google’s Latest Schema.org Guidelines
Clarifying Nested Reviews and Aggregate Ratings
Google’s recent update to its review snippet documentation focuses on how webmasters should mark up reviews and aggregate ratings using Schema.org structured data. The key takeaway is the correct use of the itemReviewed property, particularly in complex scenarios where reviews are nested within other schema types.
Key Changes Explained
- Conditional use of
itemReviewed: This property should only be included if the review is not a nested review. When reviews are nested, Google assumes the parent item is the reviewed entity, soitemReviewedcan be omitted to avoid confusion. - Updated wording for clarity: The documentation now explicitly states that for nested reviews or nested aggregate ratings, you should provide the parent item’s name instead of repeating
itemReviewedwithin the nested data. - Consistent naming conventions: The revised guidelines emphasize providing the correct
itemReviewed.nameor the parent item’s name, ensuring the search engine accurately associates ratings and reviews with the right entity.
Implications for Site Owners and SEO
By following these updated guidelines, developers and SEO specialists can:
- Prevent structured data conflicts that might confuse Google’s parsing algorithms.
- Ensure review snippets and aggregate ratings display properly in search results, enhancing visibility and click-through rates.
- Maintain compliance with Google’s best practices, which can improve the likelihood of rich results eligibility.
Overall, this update encourages a cleaner, more precise approach to marking up reviews, particularly when employing nested schemas, ultimately leading to better search experience for users and improved SEO outcomes for websites.
