Google updates structured data for forum and Q&A content

Google expanded its structured information assist for discussion board and Q&A pages, including properties that make it easier to sign reply threads, quoted content material, and whether or not content material is human- or machine-generated. The replace goals to cut back how Google misreads dialogue and Q&A content material.

What modified. Google’s QAPage docs now assist commentCount and digitalSourceType. DiscussionForumPosting docs now assist sharedContent plus the identical commentCount and digitalSourceType.

The small print. In Q&A markup, you need to use commentCount on questions, solutions, and feedback to indicate whole feedback even when not totally marked up. answerCount + commentCount ought to equal whole replies of any kind.

The way it works. digitalSourceType permits you to flag whether or not content material comes from a skilled mannequin or easier automation. Use TrainedAlgorithmicMediaDigitalSource for LLM-style output and AlgorithmicMediaDigitalSource for easier bots. If omitted, Google assumes human-generated content material.

What’s new for boards. sharedContent permits you to mark the first merchandise shared in a submit. Google accepts WebPage, ImageObject, VideoObject, and referenced DiscussionForumPosting or Remark, together with quotes or reposts.

Why we care. This provides you extra exact management over how Google reads fashionable neighborhood content material — particularly forum-heavy websites, assist communities, UGC platforms, and Q&A sections. Google can higher distinguish solutions from feedback, depend partial threads throughout pagination, and determine when a submit primarily shares a hyperlink, picture, video, or quoted reply.

The documentation. It was updated March 24.