How do critical and non-critical enhancement issues differ?

Definition: In a Google Search Console rich result report, a critical issue makes a structured-data item invalid and prevents it from appearing as a rich result. An item without a critical issue is valid and can appear as a rich result, even when the report lists a non-critical issue for it.

Key facts

• Google's rich result report help says rich result reports show structured data found on a site and its validity.
• Google defines a valid item as one with no critical issues that can appear as a rich result.
• Google defines an invalid item as one with at least one critical issue preventing it from appearing as a rich result.
• The report places critical issues in “Why items are invalid” and non-critical issues in “Improve item appearance.”
• The structured-data introduction says all required properties must be present for an object to be eligible for enhanced display in Google Search.

What makes an item valid or invalid?

Google's updated issue categorization documentation groups the top-level item into a valid-like group when it has no critical issue and an invalid-like group when it has a critical issue. In rich result reports, the item is the structured-data object that Google detected, so the classification concerns that item rather than every item on the page.

The rich result report uses the same boundary in more direct terms. A critical issue prevents the structured data from being used by Google for the rich result. A non-critical issue leaves the item in the valid group, while the report records it under the table for improving appearance. The report's wording is about eligibility to appear, so a valid classification is an eligibility state.

What do non-critical issues change?

Google's introduction to structured data states that all required properties must be included for an object to be eligible for appearance in Google Search with enhanced display. This is the requirement that matters for the critical boundary.

The same documentation says that defining more recommended features can make information more likely to appear with enhanced display. It also prioritizes fewer complete and accurate recommended properties over every possible recommended property when the alternatives are incomplete, badly formed, or inaccurate. A non-critical issue therefore identifies an improvement recorded by the report, while the required-property rules determine the documented eligibility condition.

How should the report be read?

The landing page shows a chart of current valid and invalid items and tables for critical and non-critical issues. Selecting an issue row opens details for that issue. Google's rich result report help says an issue can affect items on different pages or multiple items on one page.

The report counts items rather than pages. One item can have several critical and non-critical issues, so it can appear several times in issue tables while appearing once in the invalid total. To see all issues for one item, Google directs site owners to inspect the page hosting the URL or use the Rich Results Test.

Related terms

• Structured data
• JSON-LD
• FAQPage structured data

FAQ

Can a valid item still have a non-critical issue?

Yes. Google's issue categorization says an item without a critical issue can remain in the valid group while still containing warnings. The rich result report places non-critical issues in “Improve item appearance.”

Does a critical issue make the whole page invalid?

The report classifies structured-data items. Its issue details can cover items on different pages or several items on one page, so a critical issue is attached to the affected item in the report.

Are recommended properties required for eligibility?

Required properties are required for eligibility. Google describes recommended properties as features that can make information more likely to appear with enhanced display and advises using complete and accurate values.

Sources

1. Google Search Console Help, "Rich result report overview", undated
2. Google Search Console Help, "Updated issue categorization in Search Console", undated
3. Google Search Central, "Intro to How Structured Data Markup Works", undated

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