--- title: "Google adds review snippet rule on fake and incentivized reviews" url: https://seomadman.com/news/google-review-snippet-incentivized-reviews-guideline section: news language: en published: 2026-07-24T00:00:00.000Z modified: 2026-07-24T00:00:00.000Z author: Adam Hafez topics: ["Structured data", "SERP features"] --- # Google adds review snippet rule on fake and incentivized reviews ## The short answer Google added a guideline to its review snippet documentation telling sites not to include fake or undisclosed incentivized reviews on the page or in structured data markup. Google's documentation updates log dates the change 24 July 2026. The docs describe a rule, not an enforcement change. ## Key takeaways - Google's documentation updates log dates the new review snippet guideline 24 July 2026, and gives its reason as improving user review transparency. - The guideline bars fake or undisclosed incentivized reviews from both the page and the structured data markup. - Two examples are named - reviews not based on a genuine experience, and reviews written in exchange for a benefit without clear and prominent disclosure. - The documentation does not describe a new enforcement action or any ranking effect, and we do not claim one. - The same guidelines list also covers visible review content, no aggregating reviews from other websites, and self-controlled reviews on local business pages. Google's [documentation updates log](https://developers.google.com/search/updates) has an entry dated 24 July 2026 reading "Added a new review snippet guideline". ## What is the new rule? The log says the new guideline concerns fake and undisclosed incentivized reviews, and the reason it gives is to improve user review transparency. The [review snippet documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/review-snippet) now tells sites: "Don't include fake or undisclosed incentivized reviews on your page or in your structured data markup." It names two examples: - Reviews that are not based on a genuine experience of a product or service. - Reviews written in exchange for a benefit, such as money, discounts, vouchers or free products, that do not clearly and prominently disclose the incentivization. The second example is worded around disclosure. A review earned with a discount is not named as forbidden; one that hides the discount is. ## Does Google mention penalties? No. The documentation states the guideline and the reason and stops there. It does not describe new enforcement, a ranking effect or any change to how star ratings are shown, and we are not claiming one. The page's footer shows a last updated date of 8 September 2026, so it has been edited since this entry. ## What else is on the list? The new rule sits among older ones in the same technical guidelines section, which are worth rereading together: - The review content you mark up must be readily available to users on that page, and an aggregate rating must be visible too. - Reviews or ratings from other websites must not be aggregated. - If you include several individual reviews, include an aggregate rating of them as well. - For a local business or organization, pages are ineligible for star review features when the reviewed entity controls the reviews about itself, directly in its markup or through an embedded third-party widget. ## What should you check? Compare what your markup claims with what a visitor can see, and check where each review came from. If you collect reviews in exchange for a benefit, the page text should say so where the review appears. To test the markup itself, paste it into our [AggregateRating schema checker](/tools/aggregaterating-review-snippet-checker), and see our [Merchant Center store ratings coverage](/news/google-store-ratings-requirements-update) for a separate set of review requirements Google documented. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does Google's review snippet documentation allow incentivized reviews? Only if the incentive is disclosed. The guideline bars reviews written in exchange for money, discounts, vouchers or free products that do not clearly and prominently disclose the incentivization. ### When did Google add this guideline? Google's documentation updates log dates the entry 24 July 2026. The review snippet page itself shows a last updated date of 8 September 2026. ### Will my star ratings be removed if I have incentivized reviews? The documentation does not say. It states the guideline and the reason, not what Google does when a page breaks it, so treat any claim about enforcement as unconfirmed. ### Does the rule apply to structured data only? No. It names both your page and your structured data markup, so a fake or undisclosed incentivized review is a problem wherever it appears. ## Sources 1. [Review snippet (Review, AggregateRating) structured data](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/review-snippet) - Google Search Central (primary) 2. [Google Search Central documentation updates](https://developers.google.com/search/updates) - Google Search Central (primary)