Handling Empty Field Errors
Overview
When a website's content or structure changes, the pathways to the tagged property values may also change. This can result in previously tagged values no longer being available, causing those fields to appear as empty within the schema editor. Missing values can lead to incomplete or invalid schema markup, which may negatively impact how search engines interpret your webpage. To prevent this issue, the schema editor now flags any empty tagged values with an error. This guide walks you through the background behind this feature, why it matters, and how to address empty field errors before publishing your schema.
Why You Need This Feature
Accuracy and Completeness:
Website content is dynamic and subject to change. Ensuring that all required schema fields are populated prevents errors and maintains the integrity of your structured data.
Error Prevention:
An empty field error flag alerts you to missing content before publishing, allowing you to address issues immediately rather than post-publication when they might affect search visibility.
Improved User Experience:
By requiring users to fill in empty fields, the editor helps guarantee that your markup meets all necessary criteria for proper rendering and search engine interpretation.
Consistent Structured Data:
Verifying and correcting empty fields ensures that your structured data remains consistent, which is vital for reliability and performance in search results.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Recognizing an Empty Field Error
Background:
As website content or page structure changes, the paths used to tag schema properties might no longer point to any content. When these paths become invalid, the schema editor displays an empty field error.
Process:
Monitor the Editor:
When you open the schema editor, review all tagged fields.
The editor will automatically flag any fields that appear empty due to content or structural changes.
Error Notification:
An error message will appear next to the empty fields, indicating that the corresponding value is missing.
This message guides you to update or re-tag the field to ensure that all required data is available.
Step 2: Correcting the Empty Field
Objective:
To update the tagged content so that the empty field error is resolved, ensuring that all schema properties are correctly populated.
Process:
Identify the Affected Field:
Locate the empty field that has been flagged by the error indicator.
Review the surrounding content or the website structure to determine the correct value that should be tagged.
Re-tag the Field:
Click on the empty field and then on the corresponding element on your webpage to reassign the correct content.
Ensure that the value is now properly displayed in the schema editor.
Background:
Re-tagging the affected element ensures that any changes in the website structure do not result in incomplete schema data, maintaining overall data quality.
Step 3: Verifying Changes and Publishing
Objective:
To ensure that the error has been resolved and that the schema markup is complete and accurate before publishing.
Process:
Review All Fields:
After re-tagging, double-check that every required field in your schema is populated.
Look for any residual error flags in the editor.
Save and Generate Schema:
Once all errors have been addressed, click on “Save & Generate”.
The schema code will be regenerated, including all the updated values.
Test the Markup:
Optionally, use a schema testing tool to verify that the generated markup meets all standards.
Background:
Verifying changes and regenerating the schema ensures that you publish only fully complete and correctly structured data, avoiding potential issues with search engine interpretation and site performance.
Glossary
Empty Field Error:
An error flag is raised in the schema editor when a tagged field does not have any content due to changes in the webpage structure or content.
Schema Tagging:
The process of linking webpage content to structured data elements (schema properties) so that search engines can understand and properly display that information.
Re-tagging:
The action of updating or replacing a tagged element in the schema editor when its previous value becomes invalid or missing.
Save & Generate:
The final step that compiles your updated schema into code, which is then ready for embedding on your webpage.
Structured Data:
Information organized in a predefined format (using schema markup) that helps search engines understand the content of your site.
Tips for Success
Regularly Monitor:
Check your schema editor frequently for empty field errors, especially after making changes to your website’s content or layout.
Ensure Consistency:
Always verify that the values in your schema match the updated paths and content on your webpage.
Use Testing Tools:
Utilize available schema testing tools to validate the completeness and correctness of your markup before publishing.
Be Proactive:
If you anticipate structural changes on your site, plan to review and update your schema tagging accordingly.