Is it worth adding "rich snippets" to my site?

[GailH]

How much should we be using "rich snippets" and what real impact do these have on SEO and click-throughs?

From what I've read, it sounds like these are more for "how" you appear in Google results rather than "where" you appear. You can include additional info about your business/product (which may help with click-throughs): they're less likely to make any difference to where you appear on the page.

I'm wondering what (if anything) you think it's worth coding up as snippets.

BTW, a competitor has recently started using snippets to give himself a 5-star rating based on thousands of customer reviews (that don't appear anywhere on his site). If we're able to include pretty much anything we want in snippets without having to back it up, I wonder how much value they'll have moving forward, and whether it's worth spending any time on them.

Thanks!
Gail

[Bob Jones]

They will most likely attract more click throughs, but Google doesn't like fake reviews and considers them the same as spam: http://support.google.com/webmasters..._snippets_spam

I even believe it is illegal to have fake reviews for your product in several countries, nut sure about Australia.

You can create rich snippets for other purposes too though, perhaps this page might be of use if you want to start experimenting.

http://schema-creator.org/

Originally Posted by GailH

How much should we be using "rich snippets" and what real impact do these have on SEO and click-throughs?

From what I've read, it sounds like these are more for "how" you appear in Google results rather than "where" you appear. You can include additional info about your business/product (which may help with click-throughs): they're less likely to make any difference to where you appear on the page.

I'm wondering what (if anything) you think it's worth coding up as snippets.

BTW, a competitor has recently started using snippets to give himself a 5-star rating based on thousands of customer reviews (that don't appear anywhere on his site). If we're able to include pretty much anything we want in snippets without having to back it up, I wonder how much value they'll have moving forward, and whether it's worth spending any time on them.

Thanks!
Gail

[JohnW]

Originally Posted by Perth-Design

My name's Oliver, I am the co-founder of soon to launch (design company). We offer web/graphic design and SEO.

Oliver,
Before you submit another post you need to read the guidelines for posting in this forum. Welcome to the Flying Solo forums: please play nicely!
JohnW

[Perth-Design]

Originally Posted by JohnW

Oliver,
Before you submit another post you need to read the guidelines for posting in this forum. Welcome to the Flying Solo forums: please play nicely!
JohnW

Sorry John

[JohnW]

Hi Gail,
You've got it in one with "snippets" being about "'how' you appear in Google results rather than 'where' you appear".

Snippets have no impact on your ranking in Google.

That is not to say that anything that makes your listing in Google stand out from the rest of the results is unimportant. There are many ways to do this and snippets is another one to add to the list.

Snippets are created with meta tags on your own web pages. However, the stars and reviews don't appear on your own site pages. The "snippet" on your web page references a third party's page of reviews. Eg. A restaurant website could be showing the stars and reviews from the Eatability website in their Google search results.

As to people creating misleading reviews, Google hates it and I think it is quite likely illegal under various Australian trade practices laws - a lawyer's advice on this would be intersting.

I spoke to a company yesterday who had been manipulating their Google Places listings. Someone reported them and they then found all their Places pages were cancelled/banned.

If you think your competitor is trying to manipulate reviews, there are forms to report this sort of activity to Google.

Google knows that review manipulation is rife. You may not get much action with your one report but if G receives enough of them it will do things as extreme as cancel all Places listings for the category of "locksmith" world-wide. This business category is back in Google Places now, but it was cancelled for a long time because of wide-spread manipulation of results.

Regs,
JohnW

[victorng]

Originally Posted by JohnW

As to people creating misleading reviews, Google hates it and I think it is quite likely illegal under various Australian trade practices laws - a lawyer's advice on this would be intersting.

The Competition and Consumer Act (formerly Trade Practices Act) says it's unlawful to mislead people and tell porkies in business. This would include faking reviews.

[Bob Jones]

Originally Posted by victorng

The Competition and Consumer Act (formerly Trade Practices Act) says it's unlawful to mislead people and tell porkies in business. This would include faking reviews.

But what if porkies is the product you sell?

[victorng]

Originally Posted by Bob Jones

But what if porkies is the product you sell?

Real estate agents are exempted from all laws.

[Neddy]

Originally Posted by Bob Jones

But what if porkies is the product you sell?

If you're selling "porkies" then you need these domain names:

www.porkies.com.au

www.porkys.com.au

Accepting offers!

Cheers, Ned

[MaurizioMadeOfLight]

From what I know so far (and this is what my SEO specialist told me) google would even like you less if you do it in the wrong way.
There is not much to cheat. It is better to be a "nice and clean" person for google rather than trying anxiously to get more clicks on your website and then being "disliked" by google...