Every blog post and news article competes for attention in search results. Article schema won’t change your content’s quality, but it tells Google exactly what type of content you’ve published, who wrote it, and when. That clarity translates to better content understanding and potential rich result features.
This guide covers the three main article schema types, their required and recommended properties, and implementation specifics for both blog and news contexts.
Understanding Article Schema Types
Schema.org defines three primary types for article content, and choosing the right one matters for how Google processes and potentially displays your content.
Article serves as the general parent type. Use it when content doesn’t fit the more specific categories below. Opinion pieces, general interest articles, and content that isn’t time-sensitive often fit here.
NewsArticle signals timely, factual reporting. Google treats NewsArticle markup differently, particularly for Google News inclusion and Top Stories carousel eligibility. News publishers should use this type for current events coverage.
BlogPosting indicates blog content specifically. While functionally similar to Article, it signals the informal, regularly-updated nature typical of blogs. For Nashville businesses maintaining company blogs, this type often makes the most sense.
| Schema Type | Best Used For | Rich Result Potential |
|---|---|---|
| Article | General articles, opinion, evergreen content | Article rich results, author display |
| NewsArticle | Breaking news, current events, journalism | Top Stories, News carousel, AMP features |
| BlogPosting | Blog posts, company updates, personal content | Article rich results, author display |
The practical difference affects Google News eligibility more than regular search. NewsArticle combined with proper technical setup (news sitemap, publication registration) enables Google News inclusion. Article and BlogPosting don’t unlock those specific features but function equivalently for standard search.
Required Properties for Rich Results
Google specifies certain properties as required for article rich result eligibility. Missing any of these means your markup might parse correctly but won’t generate enhanced search features.
headline must match or closely align with your visible article title. Google cross-references this against your actual H1 and title tag. Discrepancies raise flags.
image needs at least one high-quality image. Google’s requirements specify minimum 696 pixels wide for article rich results. Provide your featured image URL, and for better display across devices, consider including multiple images at different aspect ratios using an array.
datePublished indicates when the article first appeared. Use ISO 8601 format: 2025-01-15 or 2025-01-15T09:00:00-06:00 for timezone-specific timestamps. The time component is optional but recommended for news content.
author identifies who created the content. This connects to E-E-A-T signals and should link to an author page or profile. More detail on author markup follows below.
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "BlogPosting",
"headline": "Article Schema Implementation Guide",
"image": [
"https://example.com/photos/16x9/article.jpg",
"https://example.com/photos/4x3/article.jpg",
"https://example.com/photos/1x1/article.jpg"
],
"datePublished": "2025-01-15T09:00:00-06:00",
"author": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Sarah Johnson",
"url": "https://example.com/author/sarah-johnson"
}
}Recommended Properties That Enhance Display
Beyond required properties, several recommended fields improve how Google understands and displays your content.
dateModified signals content freshness. When you update an article with substantial changes, update this timestamp. Google uses modification dates for freshness signals in queries where recency matters. But only update dateModified for genuine content changes, not cosmetic edits. Gaming this signal risks trust penalties.
publisher identifies the publishing organization. For blog posts, this connects your content to your brand entity. The publisher property requires Organization type with name and logo:
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Your Company Name",
"logo": {
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url": "https://example.com/logo.png"
}
}description provides a content summary. Keep it under 200 characters for potential display in rich results. This should complement your meta description, not duplicate it word-for-word.
mainEntityOfPage connects your article to the webpage containing it. This helps Google understand the relationship between content and container:
"mainEntityOfPage": {
"@type": "WebPage",
"@id": "https://example.com/blog/article-url"
}articleSection indicates content category. For blogs with clear topical divisions, this helps Google understand content organization.
wordCount specifies article length. While not directly used for rankings, it provides content depth signals.
Author Markup: The E-E-A-T Connection
Author information deserves special attention because of its connection to expertise signals. Google increasingly values content tied to identifiable, credible authors, particularly for topics where expertise matters.
Basic author markup includes name and URL:
"author": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Dr. Michael Chen",
"url": "https://example.com/author/michael-chen"
}Enhanced author markup adds credentials and external presence:
"author": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Dr. Michael Chen",
"url": "https://example.com/author/michael-chen",
"jobTitle": "Senior Medical Editor",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchen",
"https://twitter.com/drmichaelchen"
]
}The sameAs property connects your author to their presence across platforms. Google uses these connections to build entity understanding. For YMYL content (health, finance, legal), this external validation particularly matters.
For multi-author pieces, use an array:
"author": [
{
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Author One"
},
{
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Author Two"
}
]The author URL should point to a dedicated author page with biography, credentials, other articles, and ideally the same Person schema markup for consistency.
Publisher Markup: Organization Connection
Publisher markup establishes the organizational context for your content. This matters for brand entity building and helps Google connect your articles to your broader web presence.
Every article page should include publisher information:
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Nashville Business Solutions",
"url": "https://nashvillebusiness.example.com",
"logo": {
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url": "https://nashvillebusiness.example.com/logo.png",
"width": 600,
"height": 60
},
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/nashvillebusiness",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/nashvillebusiness",
"https://twitter.com/nashvillebiz"
]
}Logo requirements for Google News inclusion specify dimensions: at least 60 pixels high, maximum width of 600 pixels. Rectangle logos work better than squares for publisher display contexts.
The publisher markup should match your Organization schema on your homepage. Consistency across your site strengthens entity signals.
News Site Specific Requirements
NewsArticle schema has additional considerations for Google News eligibility and Top Stories appearance.
dateline indicates story location for news coverage:
"dateline": "Nashville, TN"isAccessibleForFree matters for paywalled content. Google needs to know if readers can access content freely:
"isAccessibleForFree": trueFor paywalled content, structured data must specify access conditions:
"isAccessibleForFree": false,
"hasPart": {
"@type": "WebPageElement",
"isAccessibleForFree": false,
"cssSelector": ".paywall-content"
}articleBody can include the full text, though this is optional and increases page size. More commonly used for AMP pages where content validation matters.
News sites should also implement:
- News sitemap submitted through Search Console
- Publisher Center registration for Google News
- Consistent publication frequency signals
- Clear separation between news and opinion content
Complete Implementation Example
A full article schema implementation combining required and recommended properties:
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "BlogPosting",
"mainEntityOfPage": {
"@type": "WebPage",
"@id": "https://example.com/blog/structured-data-guide"
},
"headline": "Complete Guide to Structured Data Implementation",
"description": "Learn how to implement structured data for blogs and news sites with practical examples and validation steps.",
"image": [
"https://example.com/images/structured-data-16x9.jpg",
"https://example.com/images/structured-data-4x3.jpg",
"https://example.com/images/structured-data-1x1.jpg"
],
"author": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Jennifer Martinez",
"url": "https://example.com/author/jennifer-martinez",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermartinez"
]
},
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Example Digital Marketing",
"logo": {
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url": "https://example.com/logo.png",
"width": 400,
"height": 60
}
},
"datePublished": "2025-01-10T08:00:00-06:00",
"dateModified": "2025-01-15T14:30:00-06:00",
"articleSection": "Technical SEO",
"wordCount": 2400
}Common Implementation Mistakes
Several patterns cause article schema to fail validation or miss rich result eligibility.
Headline mismatch. The schema headline reads “Ultimate Guide to Everything” while the actual H1 says “A Simple Introduction.” Google flags these inconsistencies. Match your schema headline to your visible title.
Missing or wrong image format. Schema points to a 200-pixel thumbnail instead of a full-size image. Or uses a format Google can’t process. Provide images meeting minimum width requirements in JPEG, PNG, GIF, or WebP formats.
Author without credentials. Schema includes author name but no URL linking to author page. For E-E-A-T purposes, the author property works best when it connects to verifiable information about who the author is.
Outdated dateModified. Article was updated six months ago but dateModified still shows the original publish date. Or worse, dateModified updates automatically on every page load. Both undermine freshness signals.
Publisher logo issues. Logo URL returns 404, or image doesn’t meet dimension requirements. Test logo URLs independently and verify they render correctly.
Conflicting schema. Page includes both Article and NewsArticle schema for the same content. Pick one type that best represents your content.
Validation and Testing Process
Before deployment, test every article schema implementation:
- Use Google’s Rich Results Test with your page URL or code snippet
- Verify all required properties show as valid
- Check warnings for recommended properties you may have missed
- Preview potential rich result appearance
- Test mobile and desktop renderings
After deployment, monitor Search Console’s Enhancements section. GSC reports article structured data status across your site, flagging pages with errors or warnings.
For blogs publishing frequently, implement article schema in your CMS template rather than manually per post. WordPress plugins like Yoast or RankMath handle this automatically when configured correctly. Custom CMSs need developer implementation in article templates.
Regular audits catch drift. Quarterly reviews of sample articles across content categories ensure schema stays accurate as site templates and content patterns evolve.
Sources
- Google Search Central: Article Structured Data Documentation
https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/article
- Schema.org: Article Type Definition
- Google Search Central: NewsArticle Structured Data
https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/article#news-article
- Google Publisher Center Help
https://support.google.com/news/publisher-center
Google’s article schema requirements evolve, particularly for news features. Verify current documentation when implementing for new properties or changed requirements.