SEO
Google Recommends Original Photos For Product Reviews

Google’s Search Advocate John Mueller recommends using original photos when publishing product reviews in order to benefit from the algorithm update that rewards in-depth research.
This is stated during the Google Search Central SEO office-hours hangout recorded on February 4.
A website owner joins the livestream to ask Mueller about best practices for using images in product reviews.
He asks if editing existing photos found elsewhere on the web would be enough for Google to consider them unique content.
Or would it be better for the site owner to use original photos he’s taken himself?
Here’s Mueller’s response.
Google’s Recommendations For Images In Product Reviews
Google rolled out an algorithm update last year that’s designed to reward product reviews with in-depth, first-hand research.
To benefit from the algorithm update, Google recommends providing unique content beyond what is available from the manufacturer.
So the question is whether editing existing photos are enough to make them unique, or if Google wants to see original photos.
Mueller says “unique” refers to photos you’ve taken yourself, not artificially enhanced photos.
While Google’s algorithm can’t automatically distinguish between original and edited photos, this is something Google’s Quality Rater team will look for when doing a manual review.
“I think the guidelines that we have for reviews, or the recommendations that we have, should really be focused on unique photos that you create of these products, so not artificial review photos.
I don’t think our systems would automatically recognize that, but but it’s probably something that we would look at, at least on a manual basis, from time to time.
So looking at the recommendations that we have, with regards to reviews, it feels like it’s not really in line with what we’re trying to do there, where we’re trying to really bubble up reviews, where we can tell that someone is actually testing this product in real life.”
For clarification, the website owner follows up by asking if the best option is to go with original studio photos.
Mueller says:
“I think that would be ideal.”
The overarching goal of Google’s product review algorithm update is to boost content written by people who have personally tested what they’re reviewing.
One way an author can prove they’ve personally tested a product is to take their own photos of it.
That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to rank with stock photos.
In fact, since Google’s algorithm can’t tell the difference between original and edited photos, you may come across sites ranking quite well with images from the product manufacturer.
However, that doesn’t mean you should follow their lead.
When Google’s Quality Rater team, which consists of real people, goes in and evaluates product review search results they’ll notice which websites use their own photos.
Before long youmay not see the sites with stock photos ranking in the same positions they used to, while the websites with original photos get a boost.
Hear Mueller’s full response in the video below:
Featured Image: Prostock-studio/Shutterstock
SEO
LinkedIn Lists This Year’s Top 25 Marketing & Advertising Companies

LinkedIn lists the top 25 companies in the marketing and advertising industry in a new report that could be a valuable resource for job seekers.
The report aims to highlight the ‘best workplaces to grow a career’ in 2022.
Companies are chosen based on a methodology that looks at LinkedIn data across seven pillars:
- Ability to advance
- Skills growth
- Company stability
- External opportunity
- Company affinity
- Gender diversity
- Educational background
LinkedIn’s data illustrates the demand for professionals with experience in search engine optimization. Within the top 10, there are three companies where the most notable skills are related to SEO.
In this article I’ll highlight the most relevant data for search marketers, followed by a skimmable list of all the top 25 companies.
Top Companies For People With SEO Skills
LinkedIn’s list of top 25 companies in marketing and advertising includes three that are top employers for SEO-related jobs.
At number two on the list, the most notable skills of workers at Merkle include web analytics, Google Data Studio, and PPC advertising.
Power Digital Marketing, at number six on the list, hires a notable number of search engine optimization specialists.
SEO, Google Analytics, and social media marketing are the most notable skills among employees at Publicis Health, which is number 10 on the list. Search Engine Marketing Analyst is also the most common job title.
As LinkedIn’s report only includes companies with at least 500 employees, this list excludes smaller firms that may be considered top workplaces for SEOs.
LinkedIn’s Top 25 Companies In Marketing & Advertising
Below is the complete list of companies LinkedIn recognizes as the top workplaces in the marketing and advertising industry. It’s listed by company name followed by most common job titles.
- Havas Media Group: Media Planner, Media Supervisor, Investment Associate
- Merkle: Search Engine Marketing Analyst, Account Manager, Senior Analyst
- VMLY&R: Creative Director, Engagement Director, Account Manager
- Criteo: Account Strategist, Account Executive, Software Engineer
- Spark Foundry: Media Associate, Strategy Associate, Senior Analyst
- Power Digital: Marketing Strategist, Account Manager, Search Engine Optimization Specialist
- Quotient Technology: Customer Success Manager, Campaign Manager, Sales Director
- PHD: Strategy Supervisor, Media Strategist, Associate Media Director
- Digitas Art: Account Executive, Art Director, Producer
- Publicis Health: Search Engine Marketing Analyst, Account Manager, Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
- Area 23: Account Supervisor, Producer, Associate Creative Director
- RPA: Account Coordinator, Account Executive, Media Planner
- Intouch Solutions: Account Manager, Project Manager, Marketing Coordinator
- Digitas North America: Data Analyst, Account Manager, Art Director
- Horizon Media: Brand Strategist, Digital Media Planner, Strategy Supervisor
- Spectrum Reach: Account Executive, Account Planner, Local Sales Manager
- Ogilvy: Account Executive, Art Director, Copywriter
- Octagon: Account Executive, Event Specialist, Group Director
- McCann Workgroup: Account Executive, Art Director, Copywriter
- Starcom: Media Associate, Senior Analyst, Strategy Supervisor
- Saatchi & Saatchi: Account Executive, Art Director, Copywriter
- Walmart Connect: Partnerships Manager, Campaign Manager, Account Manager
- WPP: Researcher, Executive Assistant, Information Technology Operation Manager
- 360i: Media Manager, Account Manager, Art Director
- DDB: Account Executive, Art Director, Copywriter
LinkedIn notes nearly all of the above companies are hiring. For more information, including links to available job openings, see the full blog post.
Featured Image: Tada Images/Shutterstock
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