San Francisco — Google users will soon be able to view consumer reviews and product ratings into inside Google AdWords, yet another bite of the search engine’s “experimentation,” announced at a conference earlier this week and later on the Google Merchant Blog. A newly forged alliance between Google and Bazaarvoice allows retailers and manufacturers to display online product reviews and ratings right within their AdWords campaigns.
The partnership, announced last week, presents product analysis on Google Web Search, Google Product Search, and through merchandise tied to Google AdWords. The search engine leader has commenced the program with the help of Bazaarvoice, a provider of user review systems to some of the biggest retail brands on the web including – from the travel sector – Thomas Cook, Norwegian Cruise Line, SpaFinder and eDreams.
Google has been testing out with two different kinds of ad categories known as product listing and product extensions. Retailers and business organizations using Bazaarvoice can use their product review content to drive more traffic from Google as well as provide brand exposure to shoppers.
Through AdWords, consumers will be able to access views and ideas from other customers as they research and complete purchases, adding more relevance to the process. In the product extensions, for instance, the addition close to the sponsored or paid ad link will feed people searching on a particular product more information in reviews.
Google states that the scheme will feature full-length product reviews and user ratings from retailers and manufacturers to help with the shopping experience.
The ads will display how many users have reviewed a product, in addition to the average rating offered in a five-star rating system. Bazaarvoice is Google’s first publicly integrated platform partner for product review content. The new features are being marketed as SyndicateVoice for Search.
The newly announced features are worthy because consumer shopping activity has changed in recent years as people more and more rely on information from their friends and peers to make purchase decisions, Bazaarvoice points out.
“Since the past four years, there has been a tremendous change in consumer shopping behavior as people increasingly rely on information from their friends and peers to make purchase decisions,” said Brett Hurt, founder and CEO of Bazaarvoice.
“Our clients’ innovative use of the voice of the customer has helped Bazaarvoice become one of the fastest growing technology companies today. Now, Google is affirming the power of social commerce with this partnership to integrate Bazaarvoice reviews content into Google.com – the heart of its business – as well as throughout product search and advertising vehicles. It is a big honor to be Google’s partner in this industry first, and this will be transformational for our retail clients and their suppliers.”
Here is an example from the eyewear sector:
Users see a short message outlining what is the product’s “rating”. Clicking through on the link will take users to a page with full product reviews.
SyndicateVoice for Search provides retailers and manufacturers:
- Full-length reviews with branding in Google product search: retail and manufacturer marketers can use reviews to gain greater visibility and brand recognition during key points in the shopping process. Reviews link back to the merchant’s product page.
- Ratings information through web snippets in Google.com search results: Bazaarvoice’s automated integration will allow review content to appear in Google’s natural search results, as well.
- Aggregate star ratings in Google advertising: advertisers will be able to use average star ratings in Google advertising products.
Bazaarvoice delivers product reviews for about 800 brands, such as Best Buy, Costco, Dell, Samsung, QVC, JC Penney, and Procter & Gamble (P&G). Bazaarvoice will present full-text product reviews to Google on behalf of retailers and manufacturers. The incorporation of product reviews represents a first for Google; the service is made available through SyndicateVoice for Search.
The alliance has been in the process for about four months. Most of the discussions have been on engineering and technology to prepare the foundation that allows Bazaarvoice to feed data to Google.