The reviews system is a Google ranking system that aims to reward high-quality reviews: content with insightful analysis and original research, written by people who know the subject well. It started in 2021 as the product reviews update and was later broadened to cover reviews of services, businesses, media and more. Google said in late 2023 that it would stop announcing separate reviews updates because improvements now happen on a regular, ongoing basis.
What it looks at
Google's guidance on writing reviews lists qualities it wants to see. The system works at the page level and, for sites with a lot of review content, can also evaluate the site as a whole.
- Evidence of first-hand use, such as original photos, test results or measurements
- Expert knowledge of the product or category
- Clear pros and cons, and what makes a product different
- Comparisons with alternatives and the situations each suits
- Explanations of how the reviewer tested or evaluated
Why it matters to SaaS
Software buyers search for “best X software” and “X review” constantly. The results are dominated by review sites and comparison articles. A SaaS company publishing roundups or alternatives pages is writing review content, and the reviews system applies. A list that only rewrites vendor feature pages, or always ranks its own product first without evidence, is the kind of content the system was built to demote.
Writing reviews that hold up
Show your work. Explain who tested each tool, for what use case, and over what period. Use real screenshots from accounts you created. Be specific about weaknesses, including your own product's. Disclose that you are a vendor when reviewing your category.
Example
A credible “best tools” roundup from a vendor
Hypothetical analytics vendor Metricfold publishes a roundup of product analytics tools. Instead of feature lists copied from each site, the team sets up a trial of each tool, instruments the same sample app, and reports time to first insight, pricing for a ten-person team and a clear verdict on who each tool suits. It states up front that Metricfold is one of the products reviewed.
Common mistakes
Ranking your product first with no evidence
Readers and systems can both see a biased list. Explain the criteria and let the evidence decide.
Using stock images and vendor copy
Without original evidence of use, a review reads as a summary and is unlikely to be treated as first-hand.
Questions
Google said in 2023 that it would no longer announce reviews system updates separately, since improvements happen continuously.
