In short. AggregateRating describes an item’s average rating, while Google’s review snippet rules require its identity, score and at least one rating or review count.

Definition: AggregateRating structured data describes the average rating of a specific item based on multiple ratings or reviews. It records the combined score and the number of ratings or reviews, and identifies the item being rated.

Key facts

Schema.org's AggregateRating definition describes an average based on multiple ratings or reviews.
As of 17 October 2026, Google's Review snippet documentation requires ratingValue, the rated item's name, and at least one of ratingCount or reviewCount; a standalone aggregate also requires itemReviewed.
Google's General structured data guidelines require markup to represent the page's content and prohibit marking up content hidden from readers.

Which properties are required?

Google's AggregateRating property table specifies the fields needed for its review snippet feature, a search result presentation that can include stars and rating summaries.

Property	Requirement
`ratingValue`	The average score for the item.
`ratingCount` or `reviewCount`	At least one count is required.
`itemReviewed`	Required for a standalone aggregate; omitted when nested through another item's `aggregateRating` property.
`itemReviewed.name` or the parent item's `name`	The rated item's name is required in either arrangement.

The same documentation treats bestRating and worstRating as recommended properties. For a numeric score, the default scale runs from 1 to 5. A different scale uses these properties to state its bounds. Decimal scores use a dot, such as 4.4.

What does the markup look like?

JSON-LD is a format for expressing structured data. Google's nested aggregate example places the rating inside a Game named “Firefly”:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org/",
  "@type": "Game",
  "name": "Firefly",
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": 88,
    "bestRating": 100,
    "ratingCount": 20
  }
}

This documentation example represents an average score of 88 on a scale whose upper bound is 100, based on 20 ratings. The parent object's name identifies the game, so the nested rating omits itemReviewed. The values are example data; a website's markup must describe the rating visible on its own page.

Which ratings qualify for Google's review snippets?

Google's technical guidelines require ratings about a specific item and prohibit combining reviews or ratings from other websites. The aggregate score must be visible on the marked-up page. When multiple individual reviews are included, the guidelines also require their aggregate rating.

For LocalBusiness and other Organization types, pages are ineligible for the star review feature when the reviewed entity controls the reviews about itself. Google's example covers reviews placed on the entity's own website, including embedded third-party review widgets. Ratings for local businesses must come directly from users; editors must not create, curate or compile them.

How is an implementation checked?

Google's implementation instructions call for validation with the Rich Results Test and correction of critical errors. After deployment, the URL Inspection tool checks how Google sees the page, including whether access is blocked by robots.txt, noindex or a login requirement.

The same documentation recommends monitoring the relevant rich result status report in Search Console after indexing. It also explains that the Rich Results Test cannot identify every policy problem, so validation includes reviewing the visible ratings and the eligibility rules above.

FAQ

How do ratingCount and reviewCount differ?

Google's property definitions define ratingCount as the total number of ratings for the item on your site. reviewCount counts people who provide a review, with or without an accompanying rating. At least one of these properties is required.

Must every rating include a written comment?

Google recommends accepting ratings accompanied by a review comment and the author's name, but describes this as optional in the same documentation. An aggregate rating can therefore include ratings without written comments.

Can an aggregate describe a whole product category?

Google's review snippet guidelines require review information about a specific item. A category page or list of items falls outside that requirement.

Sources

Check how a page reads to answer engines. Open the GEO score analyzer