In an update to its video structured data documentation, Google introduced a property allowing websites to manage video content visibility across different regions.
By providing more ways to specify content availability, creators have more control over their digital assets.
New Property Enhances Regional Restrictions
Google has added the ‘ineligibleRegion‘ property to its video structured data guidelines.
This addition complements the existing ‘regionsAllowed’ property, providing an alternative method for specifying geographical restrictions on video content.
The ‘ineligibleRegion’ property lets you define where a video shouldn’t appear in search results. This contrasts with the ‘regionsAllowed’ property, which specifies where videos can be displayed.
How It Works
According to Google’s updated documentation, websites can use the ‘ineligibleRegion’ property within their VideoObject structured data to list countries where the video should be excluded from search results.
Countries should be specified using the standard two- or three-letter ISO 3166-1 format.
Include multiple country codes for videos with multiple region restrictions. This can be implemented as a JSON-LD array or multiple meta tags in Microdata format.
Implications for SEO and Content Strategy
This update gives content creators and SEO professionals more granular control over their video content’s visibility.
It allows for more nuanced regional targeting, which can be useful for managing content rights, adhering to local regulations, or tailoring search visibility to specific markets.
It’s important to note that if neither the ‘ineligibleRegion’ nor the ‘regionsAllowed’ property is specified, Google will assume the video is permitted to be shown globally.
Recommendations
When using the ineligibleRegion property, follow these general SEO best practices:
- Use correct ISO 3166-1 country codes.
- Be specific with restrictions.
- Align with other geo-restriction methods you’re using.
- Keep structured data current.
- Verify implementation with Google’s Rich Results Test.
- Consider using regionsAllowed if it fits your strategy better.
- Track which videos are restricted where.
- Monitor SERP performance across regions.
- Ensure compliance with content rights and local laws.
- Implement alongside other key VideoObject properties.
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