April 2023 reviews update

What changed

Google expanded the scope of the system from product reviews to reviews of any subject — services, businesses, destinations, games and media — and renamed it accordingly. The update ran from 12 to 25 April 2023. Google's guidance was rewritten to apply to reviewers generally, retaining the emphasis on demonstrated first-hand experience, evidence and comparison against alternatives.

Timing

Rollout began 12 April 2023. Google declared it complete on 25 April 2023, 13 days later. Rankings typically remain unstable for the whole rollout window, so measurements taken inside it are not a reliable read on the outcome.

What it affected