Google has recently made significant updates to its Misrepresentation policy, offering marketers detailed information on how to build trust and ensure eligibility for their products and offers in Search. The new policy outlines specific criteria that brands need to address to establish credibility and transparency, which can be particularly helpful for those facing misrepresentation suspensions or warnings.
The four key issues that businesses need to focus on to build trust, as emphasized in Google’s updated policy, are as follows:
- Business Identity: Brands should ensure consistency between the official business name and the domain name. An ‘About Us’ page on the website can establish authenticity and provide customers with insights into the brand’s unique journey. Additionally, linking to the brand’s social media profiles allows customers to follow and engage with the brand further.
- Transparency: To build trust, website content and messaging should be crystal clear, including details on shipping, returns, and privacy policies. Brands must be honest and transparent about their business model and operations.
- Online Reputation: Displaying genuine reviews and testimonials about the brand’s products and services can help customers understand how to use them effectively. Featuring badges or seals of approval from official third-party sources further boosts credibility. Providing clear contact information and mentioning the brand’s presence in third-party articles also contributes to building trust.
- Professional Design: Brands should prioritize obtaining an SSL certificate for their website to reassure customers about the security of their sensitive data. The website should be user-friendly, free from unnecessary redirects or broken links. Avoiding placeholders gives the impression of a fully functional and reliable website ready for search engine results pages (SERPs).
To assist Google in better understanding their businesses, brands can take several steps:
- Create and Verify a Google Business Profile: This helps establish a presence on Google’s platform and provides essential information about the business to potential customers.
- Provide Up-to-date Information in Merchant Center: Sharing accurate and current data in the Business information settings of the Merchant Center aids in building credibility.
- Link Relevant Third-party Platforms to Merchant Center: Connecting the business to reputable third-party platforms enhances trustworthiness.
- Follow Google’s SEO Guidelines: Abiding by Google’s SEO guidelines ensures a strong customer experience, positively impacting search rankings.
- Opt for Google Customer Reviews or Third-party Review Services: Participating in review programs improves eligibility for seller ratings and customer feedback.
- Consistent Product Data in the Product Feed: Ensuring that the information in the product feed aligns with the website’s content provides a coherent experience for customers.
In a statement posted on its Merchant Center, Google emphasized its commitment to creating a safe and trustworthy environment for both customers and retailers. The search engine giant aims to instill confidence in customers regarding the offers they explore and the businesses they purchase from. Google acknowledges that building trust is an ongoing process and that it relies on various signals from across the web to assess a business’s credibility accurately.
Google’s updated Misrepresentation policy offers valuable insights for brands to establish trust and credibility in the digital space. By addressing the four key issues and following Google’s guidelines, businesses can enhance their online reputation and improve their eligibility for inclusion in Search. A transparent and reliable online presence not only benefits businesses but also contributes to making the internet a safer place for users to explore products and services.
