Google Webmaster Trends Analyst, John Mueller, was recently asked why rich snippets are not showing up in search results.
More specifically, the question was phrased as:
”How do I debug why my Google Rich cards are not appearing when the webmaster console says everything ok and the help article doesn’t apply?”
Mueller’s response on Twitter can be seen below:
Here is a more detailed breakdown of his response.
Answer #1: Technically incorrect.
Solution: There may be an issue with the code being used to implement rich snippets. In order to identify and resolve the errors, Mueller recommends using Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool.
Answer 2: Not compliant with policies.
Solution: Google’s policies for structured data can be found here. Follow them in order to remain in compliance and have your structured snippets shown.
Answer 3: General quality issue with the site.
Solution: There is no single solution for this answer. Any number of thing could bring down the quality of a site, in Google’s estimation, including:
- Poorly written and/or thin content
- Keyword stuffed content
- Low quality inbound links pointing to the site
- Slow loading times
- Not mobile-friendly
- Too many obtrusive ads
Go through your site with an open mind and try to conduct an objective assessment as to why there may be a quality issue.
Better yet, have someone else look at it who you trust will be able to give you some honest feedback.
