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Google has quietly updated its structured data documentation, adding new examples for event markup and images for estimated salaries. These updates aim to provide clearer guidance for webmasters and SEOs on how to implement structured data correctly for improved visibility in search results.

Structured data plays a crucial role in enhancing search engine understanding of your content and enabling rich results, like event snippets or job postings with salary ranges. With these updates, Google seeks to ensure better accuracy and standardization across websites leveraging these features.

In this article, we’ll break down what’s new in Google’s structured data documentation and how you can adapt to these changes to stay ahead in search optimization.

What Is Structured Data and Why Does It Matter?

Structured data is a standardized format used to provide search engines with additional context about your website’s content. It helps Google and other search engines understand the specifics of your page—whether it’s an event, a recipe, a product, or a job listing.

By using structured data, websites can unlock rich snippets in search results, which may include additional details like star ratings, event dates, or even estimated salaries. These rich snippets increase visibility, improve click-through rates, and enhance the user experience.

When Google updates its structured data guidelines, staying compliant ensures your content continues to qualify for these valuable features.

What Has Changed in Google’s Structured Data Documentation?

1. Updated Event Markup Examples

Google has refreshed the examples provided for event schema markup. The new examples are more detailed and designed to reduce confusion for webmasters implementing event data.

Key updates include:

  • Clearer Usage of Event Properties: Google now provides updated instructions on using essential fields like name, location, startDate, and endDate.
  • Image Guidelines for Events: Google emphasizes that images used in event structured data should be high-quality and relevant to the event.
  • Improved Examples: The updated documentation includes JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) code snippets that are more accurate and better reflect real-world scenarios.

For businesses hosting events—whether concerts, webinars, or community gatherings—this update ensures they can structure their data in a way that maximizes visibility in search results.

2. Enhanced Guidance for Estimated Salary Schema

In its job posting structured data section, Google has refined the example images for estimated salaries. This includes guidance for the estimatedSalary property, which adds a competitive edge for job listings by displaying salary information directly in search results.

Here’s what’s new:

  • Image Examples for Estimated Salaries: Google now includes updated visuals demonstrating how salary information appears in search results. This provides a clear benchmark for websites looking to implement salary data correctly.
  • Clarifications on Salary Properties: Google has added detailed explanations for properties like baseSalary, currency, and unitText (e.g., hourly, weekly, annual).
  • Focus on Transparency: The updates align with Google’s broader push for transparency in job listings, encouraging employers to include salary ranges where possible.

For job boards and recruitment websites, following these guidelines can improve visibility and credibility in job-related searches.

Why These Updates Are Important

Structured data is constantly evolving, and even small updates can have significant implications for SEO. Here’s why these changes matter:

1. Better Rich Results

By refining its examples, Google is helping webmasters implement structured data more accurately, reducing errors and increasing eligibility for rich results.

2. Enhanced User Experience

Accurate event and job data in search results improves the experience for users, helping them quickly find relevant information without unnecessary clicks.

3. Competitive Advantage

Websites that adhere to the updated guidelines can stand out in crowded SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages), attracting more traffic and clicks.

4. Compliance With Google’s Standards

Failing to update your structured data according to Google’s latest guidelines can result in missed opportunities or even penalties.

How to Implement the Updated Event Schema

If you host events and want to take advantage of Google’s updated event schema examples, follow these steps:

1. Include Essential Event Properties

Google’s documentation emphasizes the importance of these fields:

  • name: The name of the event (e.g., "SEO Masterclass 2025").
  • startDate and endDate: Use ISO 8601 format for date and time (e.g., 2025-03-15T19:30).
  • location: Include details like the venue name and address. For online events, use the VirtualLocation type.
  • image: Upload high-quality, event-relevant images that meet Google’s requirements.

2. Use JSON-LD Format

Google recommends JSON-LD for structured data markup. Here’s a basic example:

{  "@context": "https://schema.org",  "@type": "Event",  "name": "SEO Masterclass 2025",  "startDate": "2025-03-15T19:30",  "endDate": "2025-03-15T21:30",  "location": {    "@type": "Place",    "name": "Tech Hall Conference Center",    "address": {      "@type": "PostalAddress",      "streetAddress": "123 Main St",      "addressLocality": "San Francisco",      "addressRegion": "CA",      "postalCode": "94103",      "addressCountry": "US"    }  },  "image": "https://example.com/images/seo-masterclass.jpg",  "description": "Join us for an in-depth masterclass on the latest SEO techniques for 2025." }

3. Validate Your Markup

Use Google’s Rich Results Test Tool to validate your structured data. This ensures your markup meets Google’s requirements and is eligible for rich results.

How to Implement the Updated Estimated Salary Schema

For job postings, structured data with salary information is becoming increasingly important. To comply with Google’s updates:

1. Add the estimatedSalary Property

Ensure your job postings include the following:

  • baseSalary: The salary amount (e.g., 50000).
  • currency: Use ISO 4217 currency codes (e.g., USD).
  • unitText: Specify the salary frequency (e.g., "annual").

Here’s an example:

{  "@context": "https://schema.org",  "@type": "JobPosting",  "title": "Digital Marketing Specialist",  "datePosted": "2025-01-01",  "employmentType": "Full-time",  "jobLocation": {    "@type": "Place",    "address": {      "@type": "PostalAddress",      "streetAddress": "456 Market St",      "addressLocality": "Los Angeles",      "addressRegion": "CA",      "postalCode": "90001",      "addressCountry": "US"    }  },  "baseSalary": {    "@type": "MonetaryAmount",    "currency": "USD",    "value": {      "@type": "QuantitativeValue",      "value": 70000,      "unitText": "YEAR"    }  } }

2. Prioritize Transparency

Include clear and honest salary information to build trust with job seekers. This also aligns with Google’s guidelines for structured data.

3. Validate Your Job Postings

Run your job posting structured data through the Rich Results Test Tool to identify and resolve any errors.

FAQs

Why did Google update its structured data documentation?
The updates aim to provide clearer, more detailed examples for implementing structured data, ensuring better accuracy and standardization across websites.

How does event schema help SEO?
Event schema enables rich results for events, displaying details like dates, times, and locations directly in search results, which increases visibility and click-through rates.

What is the benefit of including estimated salaries in job postings?
Including estimated salaries makes your job postings more attractive to users, improves transparency, and increases the likelihood of appearing in rich results.

Do I need to update my existing structured data?
Yes, if your current structured data doesn’t align with Google’s updated guidelines, revising it can ensure eligibility for rich results.

What tools can I use to validate structured data?
Google’s Rich Results Test Tool and Schema Markup Validator are great options for testing and validating your structured data.

Can these updates affect my website ranking?
While structured data itself isn’t a direct ranking factor, it enhances rich results, improving your visibility and click-through rates, which can positively influence your rankings.

Conclusion

Google’s updates to its structured data documentation for events and estimated salaries are a reminder of the importance of staying up-to-date with best practices. Whether you’re hosting events or posting jobs, implementing structured data correctly ensures your content is visible, attractive, and aligned with Google’s requirements.

Take advantage of these updates by refining your structured data, validating your markup, and leveraging rich results to stand out in search rankings.

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