Naver is resuming disclosure of cumulative average star ratings on SmartPlace reviews as it moves to offer a more reliable place-search experience.

Naver said on June 1, through a notice to SmartPlace business owners and users, that it will switch accumulated numeric information on Place reviews to full disclosure from July.

Naver in April unveiled plans to add numerical supporting indicators to existing qualitative reviews to strengthen the user search experience. Users can now record satisfaction with their place experience as a star rating on a 5-point scale, alongside existing qualitative reviews such as text and keywords when posting a Place review.

Eligible categories include restaurants, shopping and distribution, services and industry, daily life and convenience, facilities and buildings, sports and entertainment, lodging, travel and attractions, culture and arts, place names, travel (hotels, overseas attractions), pop-up stores and Naver Reservations (performances, exhibitions, festivals and events).

To ensure the stability of star-rating data, Naver did not disclose the indicator for 3 months after resuming star ratings. From July 9, when the review period ends, it plans to disclose the cumulative average star rating and individual user star ratings through key areas where Place reviews are displayed.

The average star rating to be disclosed this time will be calculated by combining existing accumulated information from before Oct. 25, 2021, when new information collection was halted, with new data collected from this year.

Naver will also introduce a separate on-off option so business owners can choose whether to display average star ratings. For businesses that opened after October 2021 and have no accumulated star-rating information, the default will be not to display an average star rating, and those that want disclosure can change the setting on the SmartPlace business management page. Naver plans to provide the on-off function from about a month before star ratings are disclosed so owners can choose in advance whether to make them public depending on their operating circumstances.

Policies will also be strengthened to prevent review abuse and boost credibility. Naver revised its user policy so users can edit content and star ratings only within 3 months after writing a review.

Under the revised policy, giving star ratings below 3 points indiscriminately without a reasonable explanation, or conduct deemed to undermine the fairness and reliability of Place reviews, constitutes prohibited activity. Naver also plans to let other users view a review writer's average star rating information so they can indirectly check the objectivity of the ratings given.

Naver also plans to revamp the review tab in stages within this year to improve the conveyance of Place review information. It plans to maintain and reinforce a structure centered on qualitative reviews and redesign keyword reviews into a more intuitive format.

Kim Ah-young (김아영), review planning leader at Naver, said that providing an intuitive measure of the place experience in addition to Naver Place's strength of rich qualitative reviews would raise the quality of the review experience to the next level. She said Naver would continue improving its services to provide users with more reliable place-search information and create an environment that helps businesses effectively convey a store's strengths and appeal.