Does your local site show real customer reviews?
It looks for customer reviews and for item reviews that could need markup.
What Check Engine measures
The test needs a supported prose language and a site that qualifies for local business checks. It reads up to 3000 text characters from each of the first 25 pages intended for search. Review markup is checked across all indexable pages. It checks whether review phrases are negated or supported by other details. A business identified as LocalBusiness with no recognised reviews can receive a medium finding. Visible reviews of supported items without review markup can receive a low finding. Check eligibility before marking up ordinary business testimonials. For example, wording outside the first 3000 text characters can be missed in a sampled page's review search.
The check reads review and rating markup, sampled text and review-page context. It cannot verify the writer's identity or whether a review is authentic. You need to confirm the source.
How to read the result
Missing business reviews and missing item-review markup describe different issues. Read what the review is about before adding ratings. The visible review and declared subject need to match.
Why it matters
Real customer experiences can help a visitor understand a service. The wording needs context and a sound source. Finding a review phrase leaves its authenticity for a person to verify.
How to fix it
Publish reviews only with a sound basis and permission where needed. Keep the review attached to the business or item it actually describes. Add suitable markup only when the visible content and type support it. Review negative statements and examples before changing a page that merely discusses reviews.
What we found in field audits
Problems in Local business SEO were found on 12 of the 14 sites we audited. These are area totals. Read the field-audit method.
Method note
backend/seo_engine/checks/local_seo.py, reviews, revision 0bb8e8d3.
Common questions
How much text is sampled for local review wording?
Each of the first 25 sampled pages contributes up to 3000 text characters. Review markup is inspected across the wider indexable set.
Does every business testimonial need review markup?
No. Ordinary business testimonials need an eligibility review before markup is added. The declared subject must match the review.
Can missing local reviews and missing item-review markup have different severity?
Yes. The LocalBusiness case can receive a medium finding when reviews are unrecognised. Missing markup on a supported item review can get low severity.