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Warning: Missing required field "updated" in Blogger Rich Snippet Webmaster Tool [Solved]

missing required field updated blogger   Google Search

While testing Rich Snippet for blogger posts in rich snippet testing tool inside Google Webmaster Tools, I found Warning:Missing required field “updated” problem.

A lot of bloggers have advocated deleting hfeed and hentry fields to solve this problem. This indeed solves the problem, however, deleting a field whose function you don’t fully know may become the starting point of the unknown problems. So, I started exploring it further. Blogger gives you by default “published” timestamp field. A simple tweak of this gives the desired solution. Just find the following piece of code:

<a class='timestamp-link' expr:href='data:post.url' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='published' expr:title='data:post.timestampISO8601'><data:post.timestamp/></abbr></a>

Copy it on a notepad and simply change the class value at two places, like this:
<a class='updated' expr:href='data:post.url' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='updated' expr:title='data:post.timestampISO8601'><data:post.timestamp/></abbr></a>

Now put the above code inside a div with display setting to none, like this:
<div style='display:none’><a class='updated' expr:href='data:post.url' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='updated' expr:title='data:post.timestampISO8601'><data:post.timestamp/></abbr></a></div>.

Put the above code anywhere in the body part of the template, maybe just below the “published” field. Save the template and now test again inside the rich snippet tool in Webmaster tools. Warning is Gone!

P.S.----> On 15th of March, 2012, Google updated its Rich snippet guidelines and has mentioned anything inside a “display:none” won’t be considered. So, you should find a place to show it to the readers of the blog too, and remove the <div style=’display:none’> from above including the closing </div> for rich snippet to work properly.

NOTE: – Since, so many people are facing problem implementing it, I am giving you the code which you can simply copy and paste. If you have author & timestamp on the top, use this code in footer just like me and if you have default code in footer, use it on the top below the headline. This code will end all your trouble regarding, rich snippet. Just copy & paste. Wish you good luck!
<a expr:href='data:post.authorProfileUrl' rel='author' title='author profile'>
                        <span class='post-author vcard' itemprop='name'>
        <b:if cond='data:top.showAuthor'>
          <data:top.authorLabel/>
          <span class='fn'><data:post.author/></span>
        </b:if>
      </span>
                      </a><a class='updated' expr:href='data:post.url' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='updated' expr:title='data:post.timestampISO8601'> <data:post.timestamp/></abbr></a>

Note 2:--- To determine the position of the code, simply look for <data:post.body/>. This code actually is Your Blog Post. If you post any code above it, it will appear above your blogpost. If you post below it, it will appear below the post body. In addition you have default footer-1, footer-2….. in your template. You may choose any position. Hope this information will help you in determining where to show the “updated field code”. Just keep in mind the aesthetic value of the blog.



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36 comments :

Arvind said...

It works, thanks

Istra Croatia said...

Thank you...after 1 hour - success!!!!

rohit said...

what will happpened after doing this

Briggs said...

Could you please tell us what this code does? Is this the display of time and date??

ramesh said...

This code helps your side to show rich snippet in google search results. To know how it looks, just click and watch the pic on top showing the rich snippet of this very page in SERP.

vignesh said...

I couldn't able to find the link <a class='timestamp-link'... in blogger.
Can you plz be specific about the location of the code?

ramesh said...

Just see the note above. i've added it so that bloggers can simply copy and paste.

Unknown said...

Thanks you for wonderful article. one more thing i want to know more about this, My author image is not showing in SERP is there any mistake

Ramesh said...

Go to page elements add Google plus profile there. You may also opt for not showing on your blog if you wish. It will help verify your authorship and fetch image from there. Good Luck!

Md Shaiful islam Talukder said...

Thanks'. Very helpful article.I solve problem about your suggestion.Long live.

gurpreet singh said...

By Changing This Code is there Any Change Will Happen in Search results? is Changing of This Code Will be Safe ?

Ramesh said...

You shouldn't alter the code that is already in the template by default, you should only add the code in "NOTE"in the article above. It is Safe.

Unknown said...

thnks

http://zaman-jamil.blogspot.com/

Zaenal Abidin said...

thanks you so much for sharing this tips.. now, i have been fixed updated field problem..

Anonymous said...

problem solved :D

thanks :D

Unknown said...

Where do i paste this note in my template?
On pasting i get this error..

Error interpreting blog template

Invalid data reference post.authorProfileUrl: No dictionary named: 'post' in: ['blog', 'skin', 'view']
Please help!

Ramesh said...

Sign in to Your Blogger account, Navigate to the Left hand side Column. Click and Reach Edit HTML. Expand the Widget. And Paste (the code only)

ssdfghfggh said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ramesh said...

You must be doing something wrong while pasting. However, Now I don't say you should be pasting the code at a different place. Simply, set div class = 'Updated' at both the places and you are done.

Earlier, I thought, one should not temper with original fields. But there are just too many which needs changes, like imageUrl.... So, just change the class value & Enjoy! Nothing more is required.

Anonymous said...

So i put the code in the following place before i would like you to tell me if it's ok.

this is my page i hope you will take a look and tell me if it's ok

http://gasesti-de-toate.blogspot.ro

Ramesh said...

You may put an additional code in the bog OR just change the div Class value to 'Updated' in the existing code. Now I say Later is a better strategy.

ssdfghfggh said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

i put the code and now it looks like in the following picture. I just wanna know if this is how should looks like. See the picture here http://s10.postimage.org/688z42k1l/image.jpg

Ramesh said...

It is not in English! But I could not see any error, so it must be Ok. Have you checked it in Rich Snippet Tool???

Anonymous said...

the picture is from the rich snippet tool

Vivek said...

Resolution for Invalid data reference post problem -

http://www.buggybread.com/2013/03/template-error-invalid-data-reference.html

Unknown said...

Can you take a look to this picture and tell me what should i change here. I'm getting the error about updated and author http://upics.org/di/O317/1.jpg

Or you cand see the page http://filme-seriale-on.blogspot.ro

Ramesh said...

you seem to be missing the author card. Just copy & paste the code above in "NOTE" in your template & tell us if it removes the warning in webmaster tools. I think it should solve your problem.

Unknown said...

I really don't understand what to do. Can you give me a code and tell me where should i insert it? Ex: after... or before..

Ramesh said...

Hey! You do one simple thing. Copy your entire template with expand box ticked on a notepad & mail it to me. I will send you back with correction.

Ramesh said...

I regret to inform you that nothing worked on your template. You have a heavily tweaked template. Sometimes, even some of the posts in my blog shows this error and the reason is they contain some javascript or images, until I remove them one by one to get it through the rich snippet test. So, I advise you to start with the default theme or one with lighter tweaks and rebuild your template introducing tweaks one by one to figure out what is actually causing the problem. Wish you good luck!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anton said...

It does not work on my blogger http://iknowonethingthatiknownothing.blogspot.com
Could you help me?

Ramesh said...

I don't think, people who have chosen to hide their profile from public view in blogger setting, should even try this. Google won't show the exclamation mark, in SERP.

Teja Sri said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Teja Sri said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
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