Google has added a section to its Merchant Center help page explaining how online stores can qualify for star ratings alongside their ads. Barry Schwartz reported the update at Search Engine Roundtable, crediting an earlier report by Hana Kobzová at PPC News Feed.
These ratings reflect customers’ experience with a store, rather than their opinion of an individual product.
What your store needs
Google says stores generally need at least 100 eligible reviews from customers who have completed a purchase, although the exact number can vary. For paid text and Shopping ads, the average score must be 3.5 out of 5 or higher. Below that, the stars stop appearing alongside ads.
Ratings are also calculated separately for each country. Reviews from UK shoppers, for example, count towards a store’s UK rating, not its US rating.
One way to collect feedback is through Google Customer Reviews. Merchants add a survey invitation after checkout, and buyers who opt in can receive an email asking them to rate their shopping experience.
There is one detail Google still needs to clear up. The new section says reviews count for 24 months, but the troubleshooting section on the same page still refers to five years. The page does not explain the difference.
Our take
Start by checking that the reviews you collect are being shared with Google. Meeting the review and score requirements does not guarantee stars on every ad: Google says their appearance also depends on the ad auction and other factors.
Source: Barry Schwartz, Search Engine Roundtable.
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