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

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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