SchemaValidatorSchemaValidator

How to Validate Article Schema

Article schema markup transforms your blog posts and news content into rich, searchable entities that search engines can properly understand, display, and feature in search results.

What is Article Schema?

Article schema describes written content such as blog posts, news articles, editorial pieces, and other textual content. It tells search engines that this page contains an article, who wrote it through author information, when it was published, and how it relates to your website's overall content structure.

Ready to validate your Article schema? Test your blog posts and content markup for rich results.

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Why Article Schema Matters

Article schema is crucial for content-heavy websites. It helps search engines properly categorize your content, enables rich snippets in search results, and establishes clear authorship and publishing information that builds E-E-A-T credibility.

The key insight: Article schema transforms generic web pages into recognized, authoritative content pieces that search engines can confidently display and feature.

What Article Schema Includes

📝Content identification and metadata
👤Author and contributor information
🏢Publisher and organization details
📊Content metrics and engagement data

SEO Benefits You Get

📰Rich snippets in search results
👤Author bylines and credibility
📅Publication dates and freshness
📈Better content discoverability

Article Schema Implementation

Complete Article Schema Example

Comprehensive Article schema for a blog post:
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "@id": "https://example.com/guides/seo-guide-2024/#article",
  "headline": "Complete SEO Guide for 2024: Strategies That Actually Work",
  "description": "Master the latest SEO techniques and strategies for 2024. Learn about technical SEO, content optimization, and link building tactics that drive real results.",
  "image": [
    "https://example.com/images/seo-guide-2024-main.jpg",
    "https://example.com/images/seo-guide-2024-social.jpg"
  ],
  "datePublished": "2026-01-15T10:00:00Z",
  "dateModified": "2026-01-20T14:30:00Z",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Sarah Johnson",
    "jobTitle": "SEO Director",
    "url": "https://example.com/author/sarah-johnson",
    "image": "https://example.com/images/authors/sarah-johnson.jpg",
    "sameAs": [
      "https://twitter.com/sarahjohnsonseo",
      "https://linkedin.com/in/sarahjohnsonseo"
    ]
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "@id": "https://example.com/#organization",
    "name": "SEO Insights Blog",
    "logo": {
      "@type": "ImageObject",
      "url": "https://example.com/logo.svg",
      "width": 200,
      "height": 60
    }
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage": {
    "@type": "WebPage",
    "@id": "https://example.com/guides/seo-guide-2024"
  },
  "articleSection": "SEO",
  "wordCount": 2850,
  "timeRequired": "PT12M",
  "keywords": ["SEO", "search engine optimization", "2024 SEO strategies"],
  "inLanguage": "en-US",
  "isAccessibleForFree": true,
  "copyrightHolder": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "@id": "https://example.com/#organization"
  }
}
</script>

NewsArticle Schema Example

NewsArticle schema for news content:
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "NewsArticle",
  "headline": "Breaking: Major Tech Company Announces Revolutionary AI Breakthrough",
  "description": "Leading technology company unveils groundbreaking artificial intelligence technology that promises to transform multiple industries.",
  "image": "https://example.com/news/ai-breakthrough-main.jpg",
  "datePublished": "2026-01-22T08:15:00Z",
  "dateModified": "2026-01-22T09:45:00Z",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Michael Chen",
    "jobTitle": "Technology Reporter"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Tech News Daily",
    "logo": {
      "@type": "ImageObject",
      "url": "https://example.com/logo-news.png"
    }
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage": {
    "@type": "WebPage",
    "@id": "https://example.com/news/ai-breakthrough-2024"
  },
  "articleSection": "Technology",
  "wordCount": 1200
}
</script>

Required vs Recommended Properties

Required Properties

  • •headline- Article title
  • •image- Featured image
  • •datePublished- Publication date
  • •author- Article author

Recommended Properties

  • •description- Article summary
  • •publisher- Publishing organization
  • •wordCount- Article length
  • •articleSection- Content category

Article Schema Best Practices

Content & Accuracy

✅
Accurate Publication Dates: Ensure datePublished reflects when the article was actually first published, not when it was updated
✅
Author Verification: Use real author profiles with proper Person schema markup
✅
Image Optimization: Use high-quality images that represent the article content

Advanced Features

🚀
Multiple Images: Include both main article image and social sharing image
🚀
Author Profiles: Link to comprehensive author Person schema pages
🚀
Content Categories: Use specific articleSection values for better categorization

Common Article Schema Mistakes

❌ Wrong Publication Dates

Mistake: Using dateModified as datePublished, or using future dates for publication.

Fix: datePublished should be when the article was first made available. Use dateModified only when the content has been substantially updated.

❌ Missing Author Information

Mistake: Using organization names instead of real author names, or generic "Staff Writer" attributions.

Fix: Use real author names with Person schema markup. If using organization attribution, ensure it's the actual publishing entity.

❌ Incorrect Article Types

Mistake: Using Article for breaking news when NewsArticle would be more appropriate.

Fix: Use NewsArticle for time-sensitive news content, BlogPosting for blog content, and Article for general editorial content.

❌ Missing Publisher Information

Mistake: Omitting publisher information or using incomplete organization markup.

Fix: Always include complete publisher Organization schema with proper logo and organization details.

Validate Your Article Schema

Testing Tools & Resources

Implementation Check

  • • Verify publication dates are accurate
  • • Check all image URLs are accessible
  • • Validate author Person schema
  • • Test with Google's Rich Results Test

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Article and NewsArticle schemas?

NewsArticle is specifically for journalistic content with time-sensitive news, while Article is for general editorial content, blog posts, and evergreen articles. Use NewsArticle for breaking news and Article for educational or entertainment content.

How do I add Article schema to my blog posts?

Include Article schema in JSON-LD format with required properties like headline, datePublished, and author. Add it to the head section of your blog post pages. Use tools like Google's Structured Data Markup Helper for easy implementation.

What Article schema properties are most important for SEO?

Focus on headline, datePublished, author, publisher, and image. These help search engines display rich snippets with author bylines, publication dates, and featured images in search results.

Can I use Article schema on pages without images?

While image is recommended for rich results, Article schema is still valid without images. However, including a featured image significantly improves the chances of appearing in rich search results with visual elements.

How do I handle multiple authors on an article?

Use an array for the author property with multiple Person objects, or list primary author first. Each author should have name and ideally additional properties like jobTitle or url for better attribution.

What's the best way to format publication dates in Article schema?

Use ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ) for datePublished and dateModified. Ensure datePublished reflects the actual first publication date, not when the article was updated.

Does Article schema help with featured snippets?

Yes, Article schema provides structured data that can help Google understand and feature your content in rich snippets, including author information, publication dates, and article summaries in search results.

How do I add Article schema to WordPress blogs?

Use SEO plugins like Yoast SEO or RankMath that automatically add Article schema, or manually add JSON-LD to your theme's header. Ensure author, publisher, and publication date information is correctly configured.

Can Article schema be used for product reviews?

Yes, but combine it with Review schema for better structure. Article provides the content framework while Review adds rating and review-specific properties. This is common for review articles on e-commerce sites.

What happens if I don't include publisher information?

Your Article schema will still be valid, but you'll miss opportunities for enhanced search results showing publisher logos and credibility signals. Publisher information helps establish content authority in search results.

How often should I update Article schema on existing posts?

Update schema when content changes significantly by updating dateModified. For evergreen content, the original datePublished should remain unchanged. Regular validation ensures schema stays accurate.

Does Article schema work for video articles?

Yes, combine Article schema with VideoObject schema for video content. Include video properties within the Article schema or as separate markup. This is ideal for video blog posts and tutorials.

What's the impact of Article schema on search rankings?

Article schema doesn't directly improve rankings but enhances search result appearance through rich snippets, potentially increasing click-through rates. Better visibility can indirectly improve search performance.

Can Article schema be used for landing pages?

Yes, Article schema works well for content-heavy landing pages, educational pages, and long-form content. However, consider WebPage schema if the page isn't primarily article content.

Related Schema Types

Person Schema

Author and contributor profiles

Organization Schema

Publisher and brand information

Multi-Author Article Example

Article schema with multiple authors and contributors:
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "The Complete Guide to Remote Work Productivity",
  "description": "Comprehensive strategies for maintaining productivity while working remotely",
  "datePublished": "2026-01-15T09:00:00Z",
  "dateModified": "2026-01-18T16:45:00Z",
  "author": [
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Dr. Emily Chen",
      "jobTitle": "Organizational Psychologist",
      "url": "https://example.com/author/emily-chen"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Marcus Johnson",
      "jobTitle": "Remote Work Consultant",
      "url": "https://example.com/author/marcus-johnson"
    }
  ],
  "contributor": [
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Sarah Davis",
      "jobTitle": "Editor",
      "url": "https://example.com/author/sarah-davis"
    }
  ],
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "@id": "https://example.com/#organization",
    "name": "WorkLife Balance Magazine"
  },
  "articleSection": "Career Development",
  "wordCount": 4200,
  "keywords": ["remote work", "productivity", "work from home", "distributed teams"],
  "about": [
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "name": "Remote Work",
      "description": "Work arrangement where employees work outside traditional office environments"
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "name": "Productivity",
      "description": "Measure of efficiency and output in work activities"
    }
  ],
  "speakable": {
    "@type": "SpeakableSpecification",
    "cssSelector": [".headline", ".summary", ".conclusion"]
  }
}
</script>

SEO & Rich Results Notes

SEO Benefits

Article schema enhances search visibility and user engagement by enabling:

  • • Rich snippets with author bylines and publication dates
  • • Featured images in search results
  • • Enhanced content categorization and indexing
  • • Better click-through rates from improved search appearance
  • • Voice search optimization through structured content

Rich Results Eligibility

Article schema enables several rich result features:

  • • Top stories carousel for NewsArticle
  • • Article rich snippets with author and date
  • • Featured snippets from article content
  • • Knowledge panel integration
  • • Voice assistant content extraction

Google Reference: "Article structured data can enhance your appearance in Google Search results and other Google products."

Important Warnings

  • Content Accuracy: Ensure all article metadata accurately reflects the content. Misleading information can result in manual penalties.
  • Original Content Only: Article schema should only be used for original, high-quality content. Avoid using on thin or duplicate content.
  • Author Verification: Author information should be verifiable. Generic "Staff Writer" attributions may not qualify for rich results.
  • Image Requirements: Featured images should be high-quality and relevant. Missing or low-quality images reduce rich result eligibility.

Official Documentation

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