Structured Data Validation
Also known as Schema validation · Rich Results Test
Confirming that a page's JSON-LD parses cleanly and meets schema.org and Google requirements, with no blocking errors or missing required fields. Valid markup is a prerequisite for rich results and reliable entity extraction.
What it is
Validation checks two things: that the JSON is syntactically correct, and that the schema.org types and properties satisfy the required and recommended fields for the feature you want. Google's Rich Results Test reports eligibility for specific rich features, while the Schema Markup Validator checks general schema.org conformance. Errors block features; warnings flag missing recommended fields.
Why it matters
Invalid or malformed structured data is often ignored entirely, so a single syntax error can silently strip your rich results and weaken the entity signals that answer engines rely on. Clean markup ensures AI search and traditional search interpret your facts as intended rather than discarding them. Validation is the cheapest safeguard against shipping broken schema.
How to verify
Run the live URL or pasted code through Google's Rich Results Test to see detected items and any errors or warnings, then cross-check general conformance with the Schema Markup Validator. In Google Search Console, review the structured-data and enhancement reports for crawl-time errors across the whole site.
How to fix
Fix reported syntax issues (trailing commas, unescaped quotes, wrong types) and add any required properties the test flags as missing. Re-test until errors are cleared, address high-value warnings, and monitor Search Console after deploying to catch issues at scale.
Related terms
- JSON-LDJSON-LD is a JSON-based format for embedding machine-readable structured data in a page using a script type="application/ld+json" block. It is Google's recommended way to describe entities like organizations, products, and articles.
- Organization / WebSite SchemaStructured data that declares the entity behind a site using schema.org Organization (name, URL, logo, social profiles) and WebSite (site name, search action). It establishes who you are for search engines and answer engines.
- FAQPage SchemaStructured data that marks up a list of genuine question-and-answer pairs using schema.org FAQPage, with each item as a Question and acceptedAnswer. Use it only when the page truly contains FAQs authored by the site.
- Google Search ConsoleA free Google tool that confirms you own a site and reports how Google crawls, indexes, and ranks it.
Official references
External, opens in a new tab.
Put this into practice.
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