Content revised 21 October 2026.
Structured data can mean organised business records or website markup. Identify which problem you are solving before choosing a data-governance process or a search testing tool.
Check operational records
For business data, list the source, owner, required fields and validation rules. Look for duplicate identifiers, missing values and inconsistent updates. Allocate review time according to the importance of the data instead of collecting information without a defined use.
Check website markup separately
Schema markup describes the content of a web page in a machine-readable format. Inspect the rendered markup and choose the relevant supported type. A product, article and business profile do not share identical requirements.
Test accuracy as well as syntax
Use the appropriate validator or Google Rich Results Test for eligible features. Passing a parser does not establish that the claims, author or price are true. The marked-up facts should match what visitors can see.
Assign maintenance
Record which component produces the markup and who updates the underlying facts. Avoid competing plugins publishing conflicting values. Valid markup can support eligibility without guaranteeing a rich result or a ranking change.
Official guidance: Google structured data guidelines.