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Review snippet

A review snippet is a Google Search result with star ratings and a review summary, which Google may show when a page has valid review or rating markup.

How it works

The page describes its reviews in structured data: Review for one review, AggregateRating for the average and the count. On a product page both sit inside the Product markup, so the stars can appear in the product’s result next to price and availability. The rating scale is 1 to 5 unless the markup sets a different one.

Google sets conditions for the stars:

  • the rating is about one product, not a category;
  • shoppers can see it on the page;
  • ratings from other websites are not aggregated;
  • there are no fake reviews and no incentivised reviews without disclosure.

Google excludes reviews that a business controls about itself: its Organization or LocalBusiness markup gets no stars, even through an embedded widget. Which markup a store needs: product structured data.

Where you see it

  • Rich Results Test: whether the markup is eligible.
  • Search Console, Merchant listings report: errors and warnings in product markup on pages where shoppers can buy.
  • Search Console, Performance report: how often a page appears as a rich result and gets clicked.

Example

Example store, not client data.

The tableware shop’s crystal wine glass page has 25 reviews: 18 with five stars, 5 with four, 2 with three. Average = (18 × 5 + 5 × 4 + 2 × 3) ÷ 25 = 116 ÷ 25 = 4.64, shown as 4.6. The markup carries ratingValue 4.6 and reviewCount 25, and the page shows the same figures.

Not to be confused with

TermHow it differs
Product ratingsStars on Shopping ads and free listings, compiled by Google from several review sources.
Merchant listingProduct markup for pages where the item can be bought: price, shipping, returns. A rating is one optional part.
Seller ratingsA rating of the whole store, not of a product.

Right and wrong readings

  • Wrong: “The Rich Results Test passes, so the stars will show.” Right: the test checks the code, not breaches such as reviews hidden from shoppers. Even with valid markup, Google does not guarantee the stars.
  • Wrong: “Add our store’s rating from an external review site to every product’s markup.” Right: the rating must describe that product, and ratings from other websites must not be aggregated.

Sources