4.2 Structured data, specific typesHighVerified
Self-serving/fake review markup
What it is
Manufactured ratings.
Why it matters
Policy violation; manual-action risk.
How to fix it
Only mark up genuine, policy-compliant reviews.
Impact
Medium-high; penalty risk. Direct.
Evidence
Review markup must follow policy. Google Search Central, Structured data general guidelines; Google Search Central, Spam policies for Google web search
Sources