Google is advising site owners on how to ensure the correct date appears alongside a web page in search results.
The company shares tips for helping Google correctly identify dates in an article about how dates are determined.
How Google Determines Dates
Google uses various factors to determine dates, including:
- Any prominent date listed on the page itself.
- Dates provided by the publisher through structured markup.
Google emphasizes that it doesn’t rely on a single factor, but uses a combination of those listed above. However, even when a date is determined, it might not be displayed in search results unless it’s considered particularly relevant, such as for breaking news articles.
How to Specify a Web Page Date
To assist Google in selecting the correct date, site owners and publishers should:
- Show a clear date: Display a visible date prominently on the page.
- Use structured data: Implement the
datePublishedanddateModifiedschema with the correct time zone designator for both AMP and non-AMP pages.
When using structured data, ensure dates are in the ISO 8601 format.
Different Requirements for Google News
Google News requires a stricter set of guidelines, necessitating both the date and time to be shown. Structured data alone is insufficient; the date and time of publication must be visible between the headline and article text.
Changing Dates After Publication
Google advises against "artificially freshening" a story. Dates should only be modified after publication if the article has been significantly changed.
“If an article has been substantially changed, it can make sense to give it a fresh date and time. However, don’t artificially freshen a story without adding significant information or some other compelling reason for the freshening.”
Best Practices for Most Web Pages
Google concludes with best practices for web pages to help determine the most appropriate date for search results:
- Indicate when a page has been updated.
- Use the correct time zone.
- Maintain a consistent date and time format in both structured data and visible on-page content.
- Avoid using future dates or dates unrelated to the page’s content.
- Follow Google’s structured data guidelines.
- Minimize other dates on the page to reduce confusion.
