Mark Ratings Only Under Permissible and Verifiable Conditions

Under what conditions may ratings be marked up in a structured way?

Source, rating subject, scale, number, and aggregated value must be consistent and traceable on the page. Company ratings must not be treated indiscriminately as self-markup eligible for rich results; the current guidelines for the respective type remain decisive.

Visible Aggregation

1. Document the rating source, subject, scale, moderation, and update process in a professional and legal manner.

2. Assign individual ratings and aggregations to the same entity ID and output visible values ​​from the same calculation.

3. Review type and search guidelines before publishing and completely remove numbers from the markup if they lack verifiable data.

Genuine individual basis

• Genuine individual basis Each counted rating originates from a real process and can be assigned to the correct offer, product, or location.

• Visible Aggregation Average, scale, and count are displayed to users with the same meaning as in the structured output.

• Valid type context The rated entity and its embedding comply with the applicable requirements of the intended search function.

Self-Referential Markup

• Self-Referential Markup – An organization marks aggregated statements about itself on its own page, even though this context is not supported.

• Mixed Items – Ratings of various products, locations, or services are added together and attributed to a single entity.

• Unclear Third-Party Source – External star ratings are copied into the markup without guaranteed updates, usage rights, or a verifiable individual basis.

Use Case: "Self-Referential Markup"

A platform displays ratings per course but calculates an average across all courses offered by the provider in the markup. The data is separated by course ID and only displayed where the individual basis, count, and visible value describe the same item.

Valid type context

Which questions about "Using review markup in compliance with regulations" trigger further audits

Consistently assigning entity IDs for locations, services, and brands Answers the next practical question: How do you assign consistent entity IDs for locations, services, and brands?

Using Schema.org cleanly and completely for LocalBusiness Continues this line of thought with another question: Which LocalBusiness information belongs on a genuine location page and must be consistent?

If you want to practically implement "Using review markup in compliance with regulations," you can refer to Robust Website Systems . The focus there is on "Commercial Types and Rating Markups" and "Genuine Individual Basis."

Conclusion: Use Rating Markup in Compliance with Regulations

Rating markup requires more than just an attractive number. Traceable origin, correct entity, and synchronous, visible display protect both users and data quality.

Sources and Further Information

Primary sources define the technical framework for "Using Rating Markup in Compliance with Regulations."

• Product snippet structured data – Google Search CentralOfficial type, property, and content requirements for product snippets in Google Search.

• Local Business structured data – Google Search CentralOfficial guidance on selecting appropriate Local Business subtypes and location, opening hours, and business data.

• Review snippet structured data – Google Search CentralOfficial rules for permissible review objects, required properties, and self-referential reviews.