How to Fix Structured Data Errors and Improve SEO Rankings
When it comes to how to improve SEO Ranking and structured data plays a vital role in helping search engines understand your content. But what happens when your structured data isn’t correctly implemented? You get errors, and those errors can hurt your search rankings.
Not to worry! In this guide, we’ll break down what structured data errors are, how they impact SEO, and how you can fix them to boost your rankings. Let’s get started!
What Is Structured Data and How to Improve SEO Ranking?
Structured data is a way of organizing and labeling the content on your website so that search engines like Google can better understand it. Think of it as giving search engines a cheat sheet, telling them exactly what your data represents.
When done correctly, structured data can:
- Improve your site’s appearance in search results with rich snippets (like reviews, FAQs, and breadcrumbs).
- Help Google understand your content better.
- Increase your chances of appearing in featured search results.
But if structured data is incorrectly implemented, it can cause errors that may negatively impact your site’s visibility.
Common Structured Data Errors That Hurt SEO
Before we jump into How to Improve SEO Ranking, let’s go over the most common structured data errors that may be holding your website back.
1. Missing Required Properties
One of the most frequent issues is missing essential properties. For example, if you’re marking up an event, but forget to include the date and location, Google may not recognize your data properly.
2. Incorrect Data Formatting
Structured data follows specific formats (like JSON-LD or Microdata). A misplaced bracket, quotation mark, or incorrect property format can break the markup, making it unreadable by search engines.
3. Using Unsupported Schema Types
Not all schema types are supported by Google. If you implement a schema type that Google doesn’t recognize, it simply won’t be used in search results.
4. Duplicate Structured Data Entries
Having multiple structured data entries for the same content can be confusing for crawlers, leading to errors or incorrect interpretations.
5. Content Doesn’t Match Markup
Your structured data markup should reflect the actual content on the page. If you’re marking up a recipe for a chocolate cake, but the page is actually a tutorial on baking cookies, that’s a problem! Google may flag the data as misleading or incorrect.
How to Improve SEO Ranking and Find Structured Data Errors
Before fixing the issues, you need to identify them first. Here are three easy ways to find structured data errors on your site:
1. Use Google Search Console
Google Search Console provides a dedicated “Rich Results” report, which tells you if any structured data errors exist. Simply:
- Log in to your Google Search Console.
- Navigate to “Enhancements” and check reports under “Rich Results.”
- Click on any detected errors to see detailed information.
2. Test with Google’s Rich Results Tool
Google’s Rich Results Test allows you to check if your structured data is correctly implemented. Go to [Google’s Rich Results Test] and enter a URL or code snippet to identify issues.
3. Validate with Schema.org’s Structured Data Testing Tool
If you want a deeper look, [Schema.org] offers a structured data testing tool that pinpoints errors and suggests corrections.
How to Fix Structured Data Errors (Step-by-Step Guide)
Now that you know what’s wrong, let’s fix those errors and get your SEO back on track!
Step 1: How to Improve SEO Ranking and Fix Missing Required Properties
Check Google’s official schema guidelines to see which properties are required for your markup type. If any required property is missing, simply update the markup to include it.
For example, if you’re using the Product schema, but forgot the price, your corrected JSON-LD markup should look like:
“`json
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org/”,
“@type”: “Product”,
“name”: “Wireless Headphones”,
“price”: “99.99”,
“currency”: “USD”
}
“`
Step 2: Correct Data Formatting Issues
If your structured data isn’t formatted correctly, Google won’t read it. Errors usually involve missing quotation marks, colons, or brackets.
A common mistake looks like this:
“`json
{
“@context”: “https://schema org/”
“@type”: “Article”
“headline”: “Best Workout Routines”
}
“`
Here, the commas are missing between properties. The correct version:
“`json
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org/”,
“@type”: “Article”,
“headline”: “Best Workout Routines”
}
“`
Step 3: Remove Unsupported Schema Types
Visit Google’s official structured data documentation [Google Developers] to ensure that your schema type is compatible. If your schema isn’t supported, remove or replace it with a supported type.
Step 4: Avoid Duplicate Entries
Use only one structured data markup per content type. For example, if you have both JSON-LD and Microdata for the same content, choose one format and remove the duplicate.
Step 5: Ensure Your Content Matches Your Schema
If your structured data doesn’t align with the webpage content, update your structured data to accurately reflect the on-page content.
For example, if your structured data states that an event is free, but the actual page has a ticket price, update the markup accordingly to avoid misleading information.
Bonus Tips to Improve Your Structured Data for SEO
Want to take your structured data to the next level? Here are some extra tips:
- Keep schema updated: If Google updates schema guidelines, update your site accordingly.
- Validate after changes: Always test your structured data after making modifications.
- Use JSON-LD: Google recommends JSON-LD format for better readability and maintenance.
Final Thoughts
Structured data is a powerful SEO tool, but only if implemented correctly. By identifying common errors, testing your markup, and fixing issues, you can enhance your site’s visibility and improve search engine rankings.
Next time you see a structured data error, don’t panic—just follow this guide, and you’ll be well on your way to error-free structured data! 🚀
Have you encountered structured data issues on your site? Let us know in the comments!
