Google Updates Product Markup Guidelines

Key Updates for Product Markup

Prioritisation of HTML Markup

Google now strongly recommends placing Product markup directly into the initial HTML of the page. This will ensure that your product data is more reliably and quickly indexed, increasing the chance of appearing in shopping search results.

Don’t Rely on JavaScript Markup

Whilst markup generated via JavaScript is still supported, Google warns of potential issues. Pages that use JavaScript to create product data may face problems with crawl frequency, reducing the reliability of timely indexing. If possible, place markup directly into the HTML. If you do decide to use markup created via JavaScript, ensure your servers can handle increased crawler traffic. Only then can you maintain page performance and correct indexing of your data.

Single Product Pages Only

Google has clarified that rich snippets for Product markup will be limited to pages focused on a single product or its variants. This means that product listing pages or categories will not be eligible for enhanced results display.

Structuring your page to emphasise individual product pages will improve your chances of obtaining rich results.

Separate URLs for Different Currencies

For e-commerce firms operating in multiple markets, Google recommends using separate URLs for each currency. This will help Google display correct product information based on the user’s location, improving the shopping experience.

Car Listings

For those operating in the automotive sector, Google recommends including both Car and Product types in structured data. This dual classification improves visibility and accuracy for car-related searches. Adhering to these guidelines will improve the visibility of your products in Google search, thus helping to bring more targeted traffic to your e-commerce site.