Hi, I just noticed in the Google search results that my product reviews are showing as 'votes' instead of 'reviews'. I haven't noticed this before, but I think it must have changed at some point. Can you advise why this is and if it's possible to revert back to 'reviews'.

Richard.

Hi Richard

About two years ago I was chatting to someone regarding web stuff and this actually cropped up. I can only recall that it was thought that it is / may be something to do with Schema data. I am guessing the best person with a more complete answer is Vince. Maybe someone else has experienced this could chime in.

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Steve
Manchester UK

Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler.

Using the stock standard Ecommerce Templates microdata markup, mine show as:[quote][size=2][orange]*****[/orange] Rating: 5 - 6 votes[/size=2][/quote]

Gary
[img]https://itzap.com.au/pics/logo/itzap-website-design-works-mini-logo.png[/img]

Hi Richard
If this is a problem then a link would probably help.

Vince

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Hi Vince,

You can see an example Google result at https://www.google.com/search?q=diy001+dolls+house+door&oq=diy001+dolls+house+door&aqs=chrome.0.69i59.5679j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Our website should be the top result and it shows 'Rating 5 Votes 4' ..I think the listing used to show as '4 Reviews' rather than 'Votes 4'. I don't think this is a major problem, but I thought it should say reviews and wondered if it was possible to change it back.

Richard.

Hi Richard and Vince, this is an interesting question.

Perhaps I can offer a possible reason why Google sometimes shows "x Votes" and other times "x Reviews" in search results.
Running the latest stable Ecommerce Plus PHP v7.4.8, our Microdata product review snippets feed Googlebots data like this:

[size=3][code][font=Courier New]aggregateRating
type AggregateRating
[red]ratingCount[/red] 9
ratingValue 5[/font=Courier New][/code][/size=3]
Googling around, this question has been asked before [url="https://support.google.com/webmasters/thread/26584606/votes-or-reviews?hl=en"][blue]here[/blue][/url] and [url="https://webmasters.stackexchange.com/questions/118500/googles-review-rich-result-with-reviews-instead-of-votes"][blue]here[/blue][/url]. The best answer appears to be:[quote][size=2]If you only provide an AggregateRating, Google Search needs a way tell whether the ratings come from reviews or not ...

* By providing [purple]reviewCount[/purple], you convey that there are reviews. In this case, the "reviews" label in the rich result makes sense.

* By providing [red]ratingCount[/red], you convey that there are ratings, and [red]if you don’t also provide reviewCount in addition[/red], you convey that there are no reviews. In this case, the "votes" label in the rich result makes sense.[/size=2][/quote]
The relevant Google Developers page is [url="https://developers.google.com/search/docs/advanced/structured-data/review-snippet#microdata_1"][blue]here[/blue][/url] which states:[quote][size=2][purple]reviewCount[/purple]: Number

Specifies the number of people who provided a review with or without an accompanying rating. At least one of [red]ratingCount[/red] or [purple]reviewCount[/purple] is required.[/size=2][/quote]
On that basis, this alteration to our Microdata code should theoretically show "9 Reviews" in search results:

[size=3][code][font=Courier New]aggregateRating
type AggregateRating
[purple]reviewCount[/purple] 9
[red]ratingCount[/red] 9
ratingValue 5[/font=Courier New][/code][/size=3]
But I could be wrong The only way to find out for sure is try it.

Gary
[img]https://itzap.com.au/pics/logo/itzap-website-design-works-mini-logo.png[/img]

Well thanks again to Gary for some super-sleuthing on this issue. So my take is then that you have to have either one OR the other (or both) ratingCount / reviewCount but as ours are always reviews we can then change ratingCount to reviewCount. I've made this change in the v7.5 incproddetail.php file but if you don't want to update to v7.5 then just search in incproddetail.php for ratingCount and change that to reviewCount

Many thanks again Gary!

Vince

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Hi Vince & Gary,

Thank you very much for looking into this issue and providing a solution. I have made the recommended change to my incproddetail.php page.. The Google result hasn't changed, but I suspect it will take a while to be picked up and updated so I'll wait and see.

Thanks again,

Richard.

I can confirm that the microdata markup itemprop name change from [red]ratingCount[/red] to [purple]reviewCount[/purple] made in v7.5 back in April 2022 does indeed alter the rich snippet displayed in Google search results pages to:

[size=3][font=Courier New][orange]*****[/orange] Rating: 5 - [purple]6 reviews[/purple][/font=Courier New][/size=3]

Exactly what we wanted.

As an experiment, I did also try changing the snippet to read:
[size=3][font=Courier New]itemprop="[red]ratingCount[/red] [purple]reviewCount[/purple]"[/font=Courier New][/size=3]
but Google then just displayed "[red]6 votes[/red]" same as before, no good.

Gary
[img]https://itzap.com.au/pics/logo/itzap-website-design-works-mini-logo.png[/img]

That's great, Gary, and thanks for checking on that!

Vince

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I'm using 7.4.8 and edited incproddetail.php as advised, but my Google results are still showing as votes rather than reviews. Are any other changes needed or is it just Google being slow to update?

Also, I just noticed another possible issue where I have products with stock set by options which are showing 'Out of stock' on Google despite being in stock. I think this may be caused by the stock being set to zero on the product page and overridden by the option stock. Where the stock is set greater than zero on the product page and overridden options Google appears to show the items as in stock.

Richard.

Goodaye Richard,
Using Google Chrome and looking at your webpage here: [url="https://www.craft-products.com/diy001-wooden-interior-door-for-112-scale-dolls-house"][blue]https://www.craft-products.com/diy001-wooden-interior-door-for-112-scale-dolls-house[/blue][/url]

Right-click and "View page source". (or CTRL+U)
Scroll down to LINE 650 and note the JSON-LD script which says:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[font=Courier New][green]<!-- ECT Product Schema Markup Generator v1.0 - by DLSS -->
<!-- JSON-LD Structured Data -->
<!-- ************************************************** -->[/green]
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context" : "http://schema.org",
"@type" : "Product",
"name" : "Wooden Interior Door for 1:12 Scale Dolls House (TC6007)",
"image" : "https://www.craft-products.com/prodimages/large/DIY001-1.jpg",
"description" : "Wooden interior door complete with frame and architrave for both sides.  This is an opening 6 panel door with unpainted natural wood finish.  Fits most standard dolls house door openings.Dimensions (WxH): 86mm x 182mmTo fit 9mm thick wall with opening size (WxH): 75mm x 175mm approx.For smaller door openings sometimes found in dolls house basement and attic rooms please see item DIY049S.Customer Questions & Answers:Quesion:Will this door fit the opening in my Bay View dolls houseAnswer:The DIY001 internal door is the most common size and will fit most dolls houses including the Bay View. If in doubt the opening dimensions required are stated above.",
"sku" : "DIY001",
"brand" : "Streets Ahead",
"mpn" : "DIY001",
"itemCondition" : "http://schema.org/NewCondition",
"url" : "https://www.craft-products.com/diy001-wooden-interior-door-for-112-scale-dolls-house",
"offers" : {
"@type" : "Offer",
"url" : "https://www.craft-products.com/diy001-wooden-interior-door-for-112-scale-dolls-house",
"price" : "5.69",
"priceCurrency" : "GBP",
"availability" : "http://schema.org/InStock",
"priceValidUntil" : "2023-06-04T02:06:37+01:00"
},
[red]"aggregateRating"[/red]: {
"@type": "aggregateRating",
"ratingValue": "5.00",
[red]"ratingCount": "4"[/red]
},[/font=Courier New]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

==> [red]"ratingCount": "4"[/red] is the reason why Google still shows your product reviews as '[red]votes[/red]' instead of '[purple]reviews[/purple]'.

And if you run your webpage through the Google Rich Results Test: [url="https://search.google.com/test/rich-results"][blue]https://search.google.com/test/rich-results[/blue][/url]
there is another [orange]Warning: Invalid object type for field 'author' (optional)[/orange]
[orange]author type: Thing[/orange]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

To fix both issues your options are:

(1) Contact [url="https://www.ecommercetemplates.com/support/pop_profile.asp?mode=display&id=2195"][blue]Mike Beebe at DLSS[/blue][/url] and ask about an update for his Product Schema Markup Generator.

or

(2a) Re-activate the standard Ecommerce Templates Microdata schema.org markup by altering the [maroon]includes.php[/maroon] config entry: $noschemamarkup=[green]TRUE[/green]; to $noschemamarkup=[maroon]FALSE[/maroon];
(2b) If on latest stable v7.4.8, open [purple]incproddetail.php[/purple]

GO TO LINE 299 and find
[font=Courier New]itemprop="[red]ratingCount[/red]"[/font=Courier New]
AND CHANGE THAT TO
[font=Courier New]itemprop="[purple]reviewCount[/purple]"[/font=Courier New]
and UPLOAD to server.

or

(3) Update to the latest v7.5.0 Advanced Release.


I am not sure about your issue re products with stock set by options.
Regards,

Gary
[img]https://itzap.com.au/pics/logo/itzap-website-design-works-mini-logo.png[/img]

Hi Gary, Thank you for your reply. I must admit I'd forgotten all about the DLSS mod and hadn't realised that this was generating the markup. I will do as you suggest.

I'm grateful for your help, thank you.

Richard.