--- title: "November 2023 reviews update: dates, what changed and what to do" url: https://seomadman.com/updates/november-2023-reviews-update section: updates language: en published: 2026-09-26T00:00:00.000Z modified: 2026-09-26T00:00:00.000Z author: Adam Hafez topics: ["Core updates", "Ecommerce SEO"] --- # November 2023 reviews update: dates, what changed and what to do ## The short answer Google's November 2023 reviews update started on 8 November 2023 and finished on 7 December 2023, a 29-day rollout. It was the last reviews update Google announced: from then on, the reviews system is improved at a regular and ongoing pace without notices. It overlapped the November 2023 core update. ## Key takeaways - The Search Status Dashboard dates the rollout from 8 November 2023 to 7 December 2023, a 29-day run. - Google said it would no longer post future reviews system updates on the status dashboard. - The rollout overlapped the November 2023 core update, which ran from 2 to 28 November 2023. - The reviews system evaluates first-party review content, not user reviews on product pages. - Google published no impact figures, so treat any percentage attributed to it as a third-party estimate. ## What Google changed Google released the November 2023 reviews update on 8 November 2023. The dashboard entry carried the notable change: "we will no longer be posting about future updates on the status dashboard," because the reviews system "is now being improved at a regular and ongoing pace." Google had flagged this in its Q&A on Search updates on 2 November 2023, saying the update would "mark a point when we'll no longer be giving periodic notifications" about the reviews system. Google's reviews system page describes the system as rewarding reviews that provide "insightful analysis and original research" by experts or enthusiasts. It evaluates first-party review content such as articles and blog posts, not third-party user reviews on product pages. ## When it rolled out The [Google Search Status Dashboard](https://status.search.google.com/incidents/VqRTcmyQCwfpuYeaVNfn) logged the release on 8 November 2023 at 08:59 PST. Google posted on 7 December 2023 that the rollout was complete as of that day, a total of 29 days. It overlapped the November 2023 core update, which started on 2 November and finished on 28 November 2023. In its Q&A, Google said it tries to separate notable updates but that "it's not always possible." A change to review pages in November 2023 may come from either update. ## What is known about its impact Google did not publish impact figures for this update. Its reviews system page notes the system primarily works at page level, but for sites with a substantial amount of review content, "any content within a site might be evaluated." Treat any percentage you see attributed to this update as a third-party estimate, and check its method. ## What site owners should do Google's guidance for review content is its page on writing high quality reviews. The main points: - Evaluate from a user's perspective and show you know the thing you are reviewing. - Provide evidence of your own experience, such as visuals, audio or links. - Share quantitative measurements and explain what sets something apart from competitors. - Discuss benefits and drawbacks based on your own original research. - In ranked lists, explain why a pick is best, with first-hand supporting evidence. Google adds that content affected by the reviews system may recover over time if you improve it. ## How to check whether it affected you In Search Console, filter the Performance report to your review pages and compare clicks for the week before 2 November 2023 with the week after 7 December 2023, so both overlapping rollouts are excluded. Checking review and non-review pages separately helps tell the two updates apart. The [Google Algorithm Updates timeline](/updates) lists every confirmed update with its dates. ## Related updates - The [November 2023 core update](/updates/november-2023-core-update) overlapped this rollout. - The [April 2023 reviews update](/updates/april-2023-reviews-update) was the reviews update before it. ## Frequently asked questions ### When did the November 2023 reviews update start and finish? The Google Search Status Dashboard records the release on 8 November 2023 at 08:59 PST and a completion note on 7 December 2023, stating the rollout was complete as of that day. ### Will Google announce future reviews updates? No. Google said the reviews system is now improved at a regular and ongoing pace, so it would no longer post future reviews updates on the status dashboard. ### Did the November 2023 reviews update overlap another update? Yes. The November 2023 core update started on 2 November and finished on 28 November 2023, so the two rollouts ran together for three weeks. ### What should I do if my review pages dropped? Follow Google's guidance on writing high quality reviews: show first-hand expertise and evidence, explain what sets something apart, and cover benefits and drawbacks based on original research. ## Sources 1. [Released the November 2023 reviews update (incident)](https://status.search.google.com/incidents/VqRTcmyQCwfpuYeaVNfn) - Google Search Status Dashboard (primary) 2. [A Q&A on Google Search updates](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2023/11/q-and-a-on-search-updates) - Google Search Central Blog (primary) 3. [Google Search's reviews system and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/reviews-system) - Google Search Central (primary) 4. [Write high quality reviews](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/specialty/ecommerce/write-high-quality-reviews) - Google Search Central (primary)