Implementing schema markup is only half the battle. Validating and testing your structured data is crucial to ensure it works correctly and makes your content eligible for rich results.

This guide covers all the tools and techniques you need to validate your schema markup.

Why Validation Matters

Invalid schema markup can:

  • Prevent rich results from appearing
  • Cause Google to ignore your structured data
  • Result in manual actions for spam violations
  • Create inconsistencies that confuse search engines

Testing before deployment saves time and ensures your structured data works as intended.

Essential Validation Tools

1. Google Rich Results Test

URL: search.google.com/test/rich-results

The most important tool for schema validation. It shows:

  • Whether your page is eligible for rich results
  • Which rich result types are detected
  • Any errors or warnings
  • A preview of how rich results might appear

How to use:

  1. Enter your page URL or paste code directly
  2. Click “Test URL” or “Test Code”
  3. Review detected structured data
  4. Check for errors and warnings
  5. Preview rich result appearance

2. Schema.org Validator

URL: validator.schema.org

The official Schema.org validation tool. It checks:

  • JSON-LD syntax validity
  • Proper use of schema types
  • Correct property usage
  • Nesting and relationships

Best for checking schema compliance beyond Google-specific requirements.

3. Google Search Console

URL: search.google.com/search-console

After deployment, Search Console shows:

  • Structured data coverage across your site
  • Errors affecting multiple pages
  • Trends in rich result appearance
  • Manual actions related to structured data

Navigate to: Enhancements → specific schema type (FAQ, Product, etc.)

4. Chrome DevTools

For debugging schema on live pages:

  1. Open DevTools (F12)
  2. Go to Elements tab
  3. Search for “application/ld+json”
  4. Inspect the JSON content

5. Browser Extensions

Structured Data Testing Tool (Chrome/Firefox)

  • Detects schema on any page
  • Shows structured data summary
  • Quick access to validation tools

Step-by-Step Validation Process

Step 1: Test Before Deployment

Before adding schema to your live site:

  1. Generate your schema using our JSON-LD Schema Generator
  2. Copy the generated code
  3. Open Google Rich Results Test
  4. Select “Code” tab
  5. Paste your schema
  6. Click “Test Code”

Step 2: Check for Errors

Review the results:

Errors (Red)

  • Must be fixed before deployment
  • Will prevent rich results

Warnings (Yellow)

  • Recommended to fix
  • May limit rich result features

Valid (Green)

  • Schema is correct
  • Eligible for rich results

Step 3: Preview Rich Results

Click “Preview Results” to see how your content might appear in search. Note: This is a preview, not a guarantee of appearance.

Step 4: Test Live Page

After deployment:

  1. Enter your page URL in Rich Results Test
  2. Verify schema is detected correctly
  3. Ensure no new errors appeared
  4. Check that data matches visible content

Step 5: Monitor in Search Console

Over time, monitor Search Console for:

  • Indexing of structured data
  • Emerging errors
  • Rich result impressions
  • Click-through rates

Common Errors and Fixes

Missing Required Properties

Error: “Missing field ‘image’”

Fix: Add the required property:

{
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "Article Title",
  "image": "https://example.com/image.jpg"  // Add this
}

Invalid Property Values

Error: “Invalid value for field ‘price’”

Fix: Use correct format:

// Wrong
"price": "$99.99"

// Correct
"price": 99.99,
"priceCurrency": "USD"

Incorrect Date Format

Error: “Invalid date format”

Fix: Use ISO 8601:

// Wrong
"datePublished": "January 15, 2025"

// Correct
"datePublished": "2025-01-15T08:00:00+00:00"

Wrong Type for Property

Error: “Expected object but found string”

Fix: Use proper object structure:

// Wrong
"author": "John Doe"

// Correct
"author": {
  "@type": "Person",
  "name": "John Doe"
}

Schema Not Detected

Possible causes:

  • Script tag syntax error
  • JSON parsing error
  • Schema outside <head> or <body>
  • JavaScript rendering issues

Fix: Verify JSON is valid using a JSON validator first.

Warnings vs Errors

Warnings Are Optional

Warnings indicate recommended properties that enhance rich results but aren’t required:

Warning: Missing field 'image' (optional)

Fixing warnings improves your chances of richer displays.

Errors Must Be Fixed

Errors prevent rich result eligibility:

Error: Missing field 'name' (required)

Fix all errors before expecting rich results.

Testing Different Schema Types

FAQ Schema

Check that:

  • Each question has an answer
  • Questions are unique
  • Content matches visible FAQ

Product Schema

Verify:

  • Price is numeric with currency
  • Availability uses valid values
  • Images are accessible

Recipe Schema

Ensure:

  • Times use ISO 8601 duration format (PT30M)
  • Ingredients are listed
  • Instructions are clear

Local Business Schema

Confirm:

  • Address is complete
  • Coordinates are accurate
  • Business hours are current

Bulk Testing

For sites with many pages:

Screaming Frog

SEO Spider can extract and validate schema across your site.

Sitebulb

Provides structured data auditing for entire sites.

Custom Scripts

Use Google’s Rich Results API for programmatic testing:

// Example API request
fetch('https://searchconsole.googleapis.com/v1/urlTestingTools/mobileFriendlyTest:run', {
  method: 'POST',
  body: JSON.stringify({ url: 'https://example.com/page' })
});

Post-Deployment Monitoring

Set Up Alerts

In Search Console:

  1. Go to Settings → Email Preferences
  2. Enable notifications for structured data issues

Regular Audits

Schedule periodic checks:

  • Monthly: Review Search Console Enhancements
  • Quarterly: Audit key pages with Rich Results Test
  • After changes: Test affected pages immediately

Track Rich Result Performance

Monitor in Search Console:

  • Impressions for pages with structured data
  • Click-through rate changes
  • Rich result appearance trends

Troubleshooting Rich Results Not Showing

If your schema validates but rich results don’t appear:

1. Allow Time

Rich results can take weeks to appear after indexing.

2. Check Eligibility

Not all valid schema qualifies for rich results. Google shows them selectively.

3. Verify Indexing

Use URL Inspection tool to confirm the page is indexed.

4. Review Content Quality

Low-quality pages may not receive rich results regardless of valid schema.

5. Check Manual Actions

Look for manual actions in Search Console that might affect rich results.

Generate and Validate Your Schema

Use our free JSON-LD Schema Generator to create valid schema markup. Each generated schema follows Google’s guidelines and is ready for validation.

After generating:

  1. Copy the code
  2. Test in Rich Results Test
  3. Fix any issues
  4. Deploy to your site
  5. Monitor in Search Console

Conclusion

Validation is an essential step in schema markup implementation. Always test before deployment, fix all errors, and monitor performance over time.

Use the Rich Results Test as your primary validation tool, Schema.org Validator for deeper compliance checking, and Search Console for ongoing monitoring.

Regular testing and validation ensure your structured data continues to work correctly and your pages remain eligible for rich results.

Need help debugging your schema markup? I can help you identify and fix structured data issues across your website. Get in touch for assistance.