Overview
Rich Snippets are enhanced search results that display gold stars and review details under your website’s URL in Google’s organic search. These stars improve click-through rates (CTR) and boost SEO visibility by making your site stand out among search results.
However, Google has strict rules about when and where rich snippets appear. This guide walks you through how to implement them using RaveCapture Trust Elements, how they affect SEO, and the best practices to follow for success.
If you’re looking to enable product review snippets, visit our product reviews guide.
Rich Snippets are a powerful feature that can help you display gold stars under your website URL in Google organic search results. This guide will walk you through how to get Rich Snippets to display on your site, how they help with SEO, and our best practices.
RaveCapture uses the latest Google guidelines for Rich Snippets by utilizing JSON-LD for review markup. You can read more about this guideline by Google here.
WHY Are Rich Snippets Important?
Rich snippets are a powerful SEO tool that make your website more attractive in search results, driving more organic traffic. Here’s why they matter:
Increased CTR: Gold stars next to your website URL attract more clicks and improve search performance.
SEO Boost: Google sees rich snippet data as an indicator of high-quality content, which can help your site rank higher.
Improved Trust and Credibility: Displaying review ratings directly in search results reassures users that your brand is reputable.
Important Note: Google’s 2019 Update
In September 2019, Google changed its guidelines for company reviews (CR). Now, rich snippets for company reviews only display on the review provider’s domain—in this case, RaveCapture’s profile pages—not on merchant websites.
Product Reviews are NOT affected by this change and will still display rich snippets.
Rich snippets for company reviews will show on RaveCapture-hosted profile pages but no longer appear on your website’s pages.
This change applies across all third-party review providers—not just RaveCapture.
How to Implement Rich Snippets on Your Website
To get rich snippets working on your site, follow these steps:
1. Add a Trust Element to Your Website
RaveCapture provides several Trust Elements that include the necessary markup for rich snippets. However, not all elements support rich snippets due to Google’s content requirements.
Trust Elements that Support Rich Snippets:
Trust Page
Trust Carousel (Recommended: Block Design or Vertical Design)
Trust Blocks
These elements are updated as Google’s guidelines evolve.
2. Place the Trust Element on Key Pages
Limit the element to 5 key pages to avoid being flagged as spam. Good options include:
About Page
Testimonials Page
Landing Pages
FAQ or Services Page
Contact Page
Note: While adding a Trust Element to your homepage is allowed, rich snippets won’t display there due to Google’s restrictions.
3. Copy and Paste the Code Snippet
Select your preferred Trust Element (e.g., Trust Carousel - Block Design) from your RaveCapture account.
Copy the code snippet and paste it onto the relevant pages of your website.
If you need assistance, contact your web developer to implement the snippet correctly.
Submitting Your Site for Google Reindexing
After adding the Trust Element to your site, Google needs to crawl and reindex your pages before rich snippets can appear in search results. Follow these steps:
Login to Google Search Console and select your website.
Navigate to Crawl > Fetch as Google.
Enter your website URL where the Trust Element was added and click “Fetch and Render.”
Verify the “I’m not a robot” checkbox and select “Crawl only this URL.”
Repeat this process for each page where you’ve placed the Trust Element.
It may take 6-8 weeks for Google to index your pages and display rich snippets. Google controls snippet approval, so results may vary.
Best Practices for Implementation
Follow these tips to improve the chances of Google displaying rich snippets for your site:
What to Do:
Limit the Trust Element to 5 pages to avoid spam penalties.
Place the element in visible areas to build trust with your visitors.
Follow Google’s guidelines by including clear review scores, review content, and links to the original reviews.
What Not to Do:
Don’t place the Trust Element on every page—Google may flag it as spam.
Don’t expect instant results—rich snippets are subject to Google’s crawl schedule and approval process.
FAQ
Can I add rich snippets to my homepage?
No. Google’s 2016 guideline change prevents rich snippets from appearing on homepages. Use inner pages such as your About or Testimonials pages instead.
Why do only certain Trust Elements support rich snippets?
Google requires specific content—like review scores, actual reviews, and links to the full review list—before displaying rich snippets. Some Trust Elements meet these criteria, while others don’t.
How long does it take for rich snippets to appear?
Rich snippets typically take 6-8 weeks to appear, depending on Google’s crawl schedule. If they don’t show immediately, try submitting your page again via Google Search Console.
Why do my rich snippets appear on Google but not on Bing?
This is because Bing doesn’t currently support JSON-LD, the markup format required by Google for rich snippets.
What should I do if my rich snippets disappear?
If your snippets disappear, they should return during Google’s next crawl. This is a normal occurrence—just give it time.
What if my rich snippets never appear?
Rich snippet approval is entirely up to Google. Even if your site meets all the requirements and RaveCapture has implemented everything correctly, Google has the final say.
Need Help?
If you have questions or need support, contact us:
Live Chat: Available through the RaveCapture app
Email: support@ravecapture.com