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“How- To” Schema Markup

“How- To” Schema Markup featured image
10 Oct 2020
Nirlep Patel
Structured Data

We Use The How-TO Markup for structuring data of How-TO Content. What is How-TO Content? A How-To Content shows users a set of steps of displaying a particular task and can be a video, article, image or text. Example: How To Create An APP. When you want every step in your how-to to be read in a sequence, use the markup to structure it.

Correctly marked up How-To Pages may be eligible to appear as a Rich Result on search and Action on the Google Assistant.

PRO TIP: Please refer to the previous posts of the Series to know in detail about How To Add The How-To Markup.

Where Is This Feature Available?

The feature is available in every country and language where Google Search is available. It is available only on mobiles and not desktop.

What Are The Various Guidelines To Follow?

Apart from the General Structure Guidelines and Webmaster Guidelines, follow the following guidelines:

  • Content Guidelines :
  • Do Not use How-To Structured data for Advertising.
  • Obscene, profane, sexually explicit, graphically violent or promotion of dangerous or illegal activities content type do not get displayed as How-To content.
  • Every How-To content should be visible to the user on the source page. The How-To page should always be the main focus of the source page. Avoid including more than one How-To for a distinct page.
  • Ensure to add necessary materials and tools to complete the task.
  • Every How-To step must include the entire contents of the source step. Avoid marking up the non-step data section as a step.
  •  If the said steps give better visual representation make sure that all the steps are marked up for every HowTo step. Mark only those instructional images which are step-specific. Avoid using the same image in multiple steps of a How-To. Only use images about the content of your How-To and not unnecessary ones.
  • In case if the result is image-specific, make sure that the image is present on the page and use the How-To markup using the image property.
  •  Avoid using How-To markup for recipes. Articles and general advice content are not specific for marking up for How-To markup.

What Are The Various Properties Of The Markup?

  • How-TO: The said entity contains how-to content.
  • Name: The entity contains the title of the How-To content.
  •  Step: The entity holds the entire arrangement of the How- To elements that state the full instructions of the How-To. Every step element must correspond to the said individual step in the instructions. Avoid marking up data like summary, introduction, etc with the How-To property.

You can either state the entire text for each step by setting the text of each How-To step.

For complex steps, ensure to specify the step name and provide a list of individual sub-steps using the HowToDirection or HowToTip.

  • Description: The description of the said How-TO.
  • EstimatedCost : The said estimated cost of the consumed supplies when following the and performing the instructions.
  • Image: The said image of the completed How-To. Remember:All image URLs must be crawlable and inexorable. The images must represent the marked content. The image format must be in .jpg, .png ,gif format.
  • Supply: The consumed supply when performing instructions.
  • Tool: The entity holds the object which is used but not consumed while performing instructions or directions.
  • TotalTime: The said total time required for performing the said instructions or tasks in ISO-8601 duration format.
  • Video: The said entity holds the video of a How-To. Ensure to mark the video steps with the haspart entity and make sure to follow the list of recommended video properties.
  • Video.haspart: the video clip which forms a part of the video.
  • Video.hasPart.endOffset: The end timing of the video clip represented via the number of seconds from the beginning of the video.
  • Video.hasPart.name: The said name of the clip.
  • HasPart.startOffset: The entity holds the beginning time of the said video clip expressed as the number of seconds from the starting of the video.
  • Video.haPart.URL: the said link which takes the users to the start time of the clip. The said start time must match the set value in video.hasPart.startOffset

How-To Section :

The said entity states a single How-To containing one or multiple How-To steps. Avoid using the how-to sections for different solutions of the same task. Ideally use one How-To solution for a single page.

To list multiple ways for performing a single task, use multiple How-To objects.

  • ItemlistElement: The list of detailed steps for the section.
  • Name: The said name of the section.

How To Step :

  • The entity holds the various steps related to performing a How-To task
  • ItemlistElement: The list of detailed steps for the sectionTo task.
  • Text: when itemlistelement is used:
  • Always include only instructional texts. Ensure to specify the phrases outside the markup correctly.
  • Image: The said image for the step. Remember:
  • All image URLs must be crawlable and inexorable.
  • The images must represent the marked content.
  • The image format must be in .jpg, .png,gif format.
  • Name: A short phrase or word describing the step. Avoid using non-descriptive texts or any other form of step number.
  • URL: The said URL that links directly to the required step.
  • Video: The video for the said step or a video clip.

HowToSupply, HowToTool

The above-stated elements are used to complete HowTo. They both have the same required and recommended properties.

  • Name: the name of the said supply or tool.
  • Image: The said image for the step. Remember: All image URLs must be crawlable and inexorable. The images must represent the marked content.

The image format must be in .jpg, .png, gif format.

HowToDirection, HowToTip

The said entities are used to describe directions and tips. They both have the same recommended and required properties.

  • Text: The said text or direction of the tip.

PRO TIP: For Knowing How To Monitor Search Results with Search console and Fix Troubleshooting problems please refer to the previous posts of the series.