Structured data testing tool: how to test schema markup now

The Structured Data Testing Tool that Google once offered is gone. Google retired it in favour of the Rich Results Test, which checks markup against the rich results Google supports, and the general schema checker moved to schema.org as the Schema Markup Validator. To test schema markup today, you check two things: that the markup is valid, and that it has the fields Google needs for a rich result.

This guide explains what changed, how to test structured data step by step, and what the most common errors mean.

What happened to Google's Structured Data Testing Tool?

Google announced in 2020 that it would deprecate the Structured Data Testing Tool and point people to the Rich Results Test. After feedback, the general purpose checker was handed to schema.org, where it lives on as the Schema Markup Validator at validator.schema.org.

That leaves two jobs that are easy to mix up:

Valid markup isn't always eligible for a rich result. A Product block can be perfectly valid schema.org and still miss the offers or review data Google needs to show it as a product result.

How to test schema markup, step by step

1. Test the live URL, not just the code. Many sites add structured data with scripts or plugins, so the live page can differ from what you see in the editor.
2. List every block. A page often has several: Organization from the theme, BreadcrumbList from a plugin, and Article from the CMS. Duplicates and conflicts are common.
3. Check the syntax. Invalid JSON, such as a trailing comma or an unclosed bracket, makes the whole block unreadable.
4. Check the type and fields. Make sure each block uses the right type and that values have the right format: dates in ISO 8601, prices as numbers, URLs as absolute addresses.
5. Check required and recommended fields for the rich result you want.
6. Match the visible page. Structured data must describe what visitors can see. Marking up reviews or FAQs that aren't on the page breaks Google's structured data guidelines.

Which structured data format should you use?

There are three formats, and Google reads all of them:

• JSON-LD: a script block separate from the HTML. It's the easiest to add and maintain, and it's the format Google recommends.
• Microdata: attributes inside the HTML elements.
• RDFa: another set of HTML attributes, common in some CMSs.

If you're starting fresh, use JSON-LD. If your theme already outputs Microdata, test it before you add a JSON-LD block of the same type, or you may end up with two conflicting copies.

Common schema markup errors and how to fix them

Rich result types worth testing

These are the types most sites use, with the fields that matter most. Google's rules change over time, so check its current documentation for the type you need:

The FAQPage change catches many sites out: the markup is still valid and harmless, but most sites won't see FAQ rich results from it any more. HowTo rich results were retired in the same period.

Warnings for missing recommended fields don't block a rich result, but adding them often makes the result more complete, for example with a rating or an author.

Does structured data help SEO?

Structured data helps Google understand a page and makes it eligible for rich results, which can make your listing stand out. It isn't a direct ranking boost, and eligibility isn't a promise: Google decides when to show a rich result. Treat it as a way to describe your page accurately, not as a trick.

Test schema markup with the Schema Markup Validator

Our Schema Markup Validator takes a page address or pasted code and, in a few seconds, reads every JSON-LD, Microdata and RDFa block. It shows the types and fields each block uses, checks them against Google's required and recommended fields for rich results, catches invalid JSON and wrong value types, and gives you a tidy copy of each block to paste back.

For the rest of a page's technical setup, such as canonical, hreflang and indexing, run the Technical SEO Checker. To see whether competitors use structured data you don't, put the pages side by side in Competitor Page Compare.