Structured data is a powerful tool for improving your website’s visibility in search engine results. By providing search engines with clear, organized information about your content, you can enhance your chances of earning rich results, such as featured snippets, knowledge panels, and other eye-catching SERP features. However, implementing structured data incorrectly can do more harm than good, potentially leading to missed opportunities or even penalties from search engines.
To help you make the most of structured data, we’ve compiled a list of common mistakes to avoid. By steering clear of these pitfalls, you can ensure your website is optimized for success.
One of the most frequent mistakes is using the wrong schema type for your content. Schema.org offers a wide variety of structured data types, such as Article, Product, Event, Recipe, and more. Using an inappropriate schema type can confuse search engines and prevent your content from being displayed in rich results.
How to Avoid It:
Carefully review the Schema.org documentation to identify the most relevant schema type for your content. For example, if you’re marking up a blog post, use the Article schema. If you’re showcasing a product, use the Product schema.
Even small errors in your structured data can render it invalid, preventing search engines from understanding or using it. Common issues include missing required fields, typos, or incorrect formatting.
How to Avoid It:
Use tools like Google’s Rich Results Test or Schema Markup Validator to check your structured data for errors. These tools will highlight any issues and provide guidance on how to fix them.
Adding too much structured data to a single page can confuse search engines and dilute the relevance of your markup. For example, marking up a blog post with both Article and Recipe schema when it’s not a recipe can lead to mixed signals.
How to Avoid It:
Stick to the most relevant schema type for each page. Avoid adding unnecessary or unrelated markup that doesn’t align with the content on the page.
Structured data is not a “set it and forget it” task. If your content changes, your structured data must be updated to reflect those changes. For example, if you’re marking up an event, but the date or location changes, failing to update the structured data can lead to inaccurate information being displayed in search results.
How to Avoid It:
Regularly audit your structured data to ensure it matches the current state of your content. This is especially important for time-sensitive information like events, product availability, or pricing.
Google has specific guidelines for structured data implementation, and failing to follow them can result in penalties or your structured data being ignored. For example, marking up content that isn’t visible to users or using structured data to mislead search engines violates Google’s policies.
How to Avoid It:
Familiarize yourself with Google’s structured data guidelines. Ensure your structured data is accurate, relevant, and reflective of the content users see on your site.
Structured data can behave differently across devices, especially when it comes to rich results. A markup that looks great on desktop may not display properly on mobile.
How to Avoid It:
Test your structured data across multiple devices and screen sizes. Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to ensure your rich results are optimized for mobile users.
While there are multiple formats for implementing structured data, such as Microdata and RDFa, JSON-LD is the preferred format recommended by Google. Using outdated formats can make your structured data harder to manage and less effective.
How to Avoid It:
Whenever possible, use JSON-LD for your structured data. It’s easier to implement, more flexible, and better supported by search engines.
Even if your structured data is implemented correctly, it’s important to monitor its performance to ensure it’s delivering the desired results. Without tracking, you won’t know if your efforts are paying off.
How to Avoid It:
Use tools like Google Search Console to monitor how your structured data is performing. Check for errors, warnings, and the number of rich results your site is earning.
Structured data is a game-changer for SEO, but only if it’s implemented correctly. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure your website is well-positioned to take advantage of rich results and improved search visibility. Take the time to validate, update, and monitor your structured data to stay ahead of the competition and provide a better experience for both users and search engines.
Have you encountered any challenges with structured data? Share your experiences in the comments below!