Schema Maintenance

Deprecated
Schema Types

Your structured data was correct — three years ago. Google stopped supporting it.

Where to find it: Google Search Console > Rich Results Report > Invalid Items & Google Rich Results Test > Unsupported Type Warnings

What It Is

Google's supported schema types and required properties change over time. Schema types that previously generated rich results are periodically deprecated — either removed from Google's supported list entirely or replaced with updated property structures. Sites that implemented schema correctly years ago may now be running deprecated markup that generates Search Console errors, produces no rich results, and in some cases can suppress the site's overall schema trust signals. Deprecated schema is silent: the markup is there, it looks correct, but it does nothing — and nobody noticed when Google stopped supporting it.

Why It Matters

Schema maintenance is one of the most overlooked aspects of technical SEO. A site can have what looks like a comprehensive schema implementation — LocalBusiness, Product, Article, FAQ — but if any of those types use deprecated properties or removed schema types, they generate errors rather than rich results. In Search Console, deprecated schema appears as 'Invalid items' in the Rich Results report. Each invalid item is a suppressed rich result opportunity and a signal that the site's structured data is unmaintained — which can reduce Google's overall confidence in the schema it does find.

Root Diagnostics

Common Causes

Understanding why this failure occurs is the first step to fixing it permanently.

HowTo and Q&A Schema No Longer Supported

Google deprecated HowTo and Q&A schema rich results in 2023. Sites still implementing these types generate errors in Search Console but receive no rich results. The markup isn't harmful but it's wasted implementation that needs to be replaced or removed.

Deprecated Product Properties

Google has deprecated specific Product schema properties over time, including gtin8, gtin13, and gtin14 in favor of the unified gtin property. Sites using the old property names may receive warnings or errors in the Shopping report.

Old JobPosting Properties

JobPosting schema has gone through multiple updates. Sites using older property structures (deprecated employmentType values, old salary formatting) generate errors and lose eligibility for the Jobs rich result in Google Search.

Outdated Review Schema Structure

Sites using old Review schema patterns — such as standalone Review schema without a parent entity type, or using the deprecated 'itemReviewed' property structure that Google no longer supports — generate errors that suppress all review-related rich results.

Interactive Standard Operating Procedure

The Fix Blueprint (Interactive SOP)

Check off each step to monitor your implementation progress live!

Implementation Progress: 0% Completed (0/7)

1. Run a Full Schema Audit via Search Console

Open Search Console > Rich Results (under Search Appearance). Review every schema type in the report. Note which types show 'Invalid items' or errors. Export the full list. This is your deprecated and broken schema inventory.

2. Cross-Reference Against Google's Current Documentation

For each schema type showing errors, read the current Google developer documentation at developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance. Confirm which properties are currently required, which are recommended, and which have been deprecated.

3. Identify and Remove HowTo and Q&A Schema

If HowTo or Q&A schema is present anywhere on the site, remove it. These types were deprecated from Google's rich results support in 2023. The markup is generating errors with no benefit. Consider replacing How-To content pages with FAQPage schema if the page contains question-answer formatted content.

4. Update Product Schema to Current Specifications

Review all Product schema against Google's current Product documentation. Replace deprecated gtin8/gtin13/gtin14 with the unified gtin property. Update any deprecated Offer properties. Confirm availability values use current schema.org URLs.

5. Update Review and AggregateRating Structure

Audit all Review and AggregateRating schema against current Google specifications. Ensure all AggregateRating is nested within a parent entity type. Remove any standalone Review schema that isn't nested within a Product, LocalBusiness, or other appropriate parent type.

6. Set Up Ongoing Schema Monitoring

Create a recurring monthly task to check the Search Console Rich Results report for new errors. Subscribe to Google's Search Central blog (developers.google.com/search/blog) to be notified of schema deprecations and updates as they're announced. Schema maintenance is not a one-time fix.

7. Re-validate All Fixed Schema

After removing deprecated types and updating property structures, run representative pages of each schema type through the Rich Results Test. Confirm all currently-supported schema types show as valid with no errors or warnings.

Tools

Google Search Console Rich Results Report
Free | The authoritative source for all schema errors and deprecated type warnings on the live site — run a full audit here first
Google Rich Results Test
Free (search.google.com/test/rich-results) | Tests current schema validity and flags unsupported or deprecated types on individual pages
Google's Search Central Documentation
Free (developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance) | The authoritative reference for currently supported schema types, required properties, and recent deprecations

Time to Fix

1–2 hours

To audit all schema types for deprecations

Hours to Days

Removal (fast) | Property updates (hours per type)

Pro Tip

Schema maintenance belongs in every monthly retainer — deprecations happen without warning.

Google deprecates schema types and properties without always sending direct notifications to site owners. A site can go from valid schema to deprecated schema overnight when Google updates its specifications — and the only signal is a new batch of errors in the Search Console Rich Results report. Build a monthly schema audit into every retainer: open the Rich Results report, scan for new errors, cross-reference against current documentation. This 20-minute monthly check prevents the silent schema decay that affects most sites over 2–3 years.

Deprecated Schema Types