Article schema for AI search
By Abhijay Tondak, Founder · Updated July 1, 2026 · 5 min read
Article schema is structured data that describes a piece of content - its headline, author, publish and modified dates, and publisher - reinforcing the authorship and freshness signals engines use to assess and cite content. Implement it on your articles with an accurate headline, a real named author (linked to their entity), genuine publish/modified dates, and publisher info, so engines can clearly attribute and date your content.
Key takeaways
- Article schema marks up headline, author, dates, and publisher for content pages.
- It reinforces authorship (E-E-A-T) and freshness signals engines rely on.
- Use a real, named author linked to their entity - not a generic byline.
- Keep dateModified accurate when you update content - it signals freshness honestly.
- Match the visible page and validate.
What Article schema does
Article schema tells engines the key metadata of a content piece: what it's titled, who wrote it, when it was published and last updated, and who published it. These map directly to signals engines care about - authorship (part of E-E-A-T) and freshness. Marking them up cleanly helps engines attribute your content to a credible author and understand how current it is.
Key properties
Capture the metadata that carries trust and freshness:
- headline: matching the article's actual title.
- author: a real, named person, ideally linked to their author entity/bio.
- datePublished and dateModified: genuine, accurate dates.
- publisher: your organization (ties to Organization schema).
Connect and validate
Link the author to their author entity/bio and the publisher to your Organization schema, so engines connect content, author, and brand into a coherent, corroborated picture. Match the visible page (title, byline, dates) and validate the markup. Article schema is a foundational, low-effort type that reinforces the authorship and freshness engines already weigh.
Frequently asked questions
What does Article schema help with?
It reinforces authorship (E-E-A-T) and freshness signals by marking up headline, author, publish/modified dates, and publisher - helping engines attribute your content to a credible author and understand how current it is.
Should the author be a real person?
Yes - a real, named author linked to a genuine bio strengthens the E-E-A-T signal. Generic or fake bylines don't help; connect the author to their entity for corroboration.
Can I just bump dateModified to look fresh?
No - dateModified should reflect real content updates. Faking freshness without changing the content is something engines can see through, and it undermines trust. Update the content, then update the date.
How does Article schema connect to my brand?
Via the publisher property tied to your Organization schema, and the author tied to their bio - connecting content, author, and brand into a coherent, corroborated entity picture engines can trust.
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