Does adding review schema guarantee gold stars in Google?

No. Schema is a prerequisite, not a guarantee. Google decides whether to display review rich results per-page based on content quality, the schema being valid, and the reviews being about a supported type (Product, LocalBusiness, Recipe, Book, Movie, Software, Event, etc.). Self-serving reviews are ineligible — see the policy section above.

Should I use Review or AggregateRating?

Both. AggregateRating summarises the overall star rating and review count for search results, while Review provides the individual review objects that back it up. Reviews Widget outputs both automatically.

What's the difference between JSON-LD and Microdata for reviews?

JSON-LD is the format Google recommends — a single block. Microdata sprinkles attributes across your HTML. Both work; JSON-LD is simpler to maintain and easier to validate.

How do I test my review schema?

Use Google's Rich Results Test at search.google.com/test/rich-results. Paste your URL and it tells you whether the review markup is valid and eligible for the review snippet.

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Reviews, schema, and local SEO — explained plainly

Deep, practical guides on the mechanics behind Google reviews and how they move rankings and conversion. Written for local business owners and the freelancers who build their sites.

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Reviews, schema, and local SEO — explained plainly

What is a Google reviews widget?

Review schema explained

UGC and SEO

The psychology of star ratings

How to respond to Google reviews

How Google ranks local businesses

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