Google has announced an update to its Search Central documentation, introducing support for certification markup in product structured data.
This change will take full effect in April and aims to provide more comprehensive and globally relevant product information.
New Certification Markup For Merchant Listings
Google has added Certification markup support for merchant listings in its product structured data documentation.
This addition allows retailers and ecommerce sites to include detailed certification information about their products
Transition From EnergyConsumptionDetails to Certification Type
A key aspect of this update is replacing the EnergyConsumptionDetails type with the more versatile Certification type.
The new type can support a wider range of countries and broader certifications.
Google recommends websites using EnergyConsumptionDetails in their structured data to switch to the Certification type before April.
This will ensure product pages remain optimized for Google’s merchant listing experiences.
Expanded Capabilities & Global Relevance
The move to the Certification type represents an expansion in the types of product certifications that can be communicated through structured data.
While energy efficiency ratings were a primary focus of the EnergyConsumptionDetails type, the new Certification markup can encompass a much wider array of product certifications and standards.
This change is relevant for businesses operating in multiple countries, as it allows for more nuanced and locally applicable certification information to be included
Implementation Guidelines
Google has provided examples in its updated documentation to guide webmasters in implementing the new Certification markup.
These examples include specifying certifications such as CO2 emission classes for vehicles and energy efficiency labels for electronics.
The structured data should be added to product pages using JSON-LD format, with the Certification type nested within the product’s structured data.
Review the full documentation to ensure proper implementation.
Including certification information in structured data could lead to more informative product listings, potentially influencing user click-through rates and purchase decisions.
For consumers, this update means access to more detailed and standardized product information directly in search results, particularly regarding certifications and compliance with various standards.
Next Steps
Website owners and SEO professionals should take the following steps:
- Review current use of EnergyConsumptionDetails in product structured data.
- Plan for the transition to the Certification type before April.
- Implement the new Certification markup on product pages, following Google’s guidelines.
- Test the implementation using Google’s Rich Results Test tool.
As with any significant change to structured data implementation, it is advisable to monitor search performance and rich result appearances after making these updates.
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