Google updates structured data for events and recipes
Google has released major changes to Event and Recipe structured data, clarifying restrictions for eligibility in Google Search rich results. Only physical, public, and bookable events remain eligible, while for recipes, image optimization goes beyond just using markup. Constant auditing and adaptation to new rules are essential for maintaining organic visibility.
Google updates structured data for events and recipes
Recently, Google updated two of the most referenced guides for structured data: both events structured data and recipe structured data now have new clarifications, directly impacting how you should implement them to get rich results in Search. These changes might seem minor at first, but—trust me—this kind of fine-tuning makes all the difference if you want to keep up with current technical SEO requirements.
The new direction for event structured data
Google has completely removed properties related to online events from the documentation. The direction is crystal clear: more specialization and strict rules for Event Experience visibility. According to the official updates, only events that the general public can book and that take place physically, at a real location, can get special display in Google. You’ll find more details in the dedicated update section, where the new direction is clearly laid out.
This isn’t an isolated episode. If you look at the last 12 months, Google also dropped support for other generic schema types (FAQ, HowTo), signaling a strong move towards using only specialized schemas. What I’ve noticed from audits and benchmarks: sites using Product, Offer, or Review markups get increasingly more relevant displays, and JSON-LD is already implemented by over 41% of sites, according to the Web Almanac 2024 analysis. All these changes are pushing search towards a more mature ecosystem with more relevant results for users.
Plus, Google has included fresh examples of eligible and ineligible events directly in the events documentation, so you can quickly validate if your implementation meets the new requirements.
For a 1:1 comparison between the old version and the new standard, check the archive: old version.
Examples of recipe rich results see official docs
Examples of event rich results (see official docs)
For recipes, Google removes all ambiguity: the image property in Recipe schema does not guarantee or set the image that ends up as the “text result image” in Google. In short, it’s all about how you actually manage images on your site—not just filling in a field in your markup.
Google’s recommendations stay clear: follow the Image SEO Best Practices. That mainly means using relevant file names (like cheesecake-strawberry.webp), descriptive alt texts such as alt="Quick no-bake tiramisu recipe", and not leaving anything to chance.
Google underlines it clearly on the official page: Google underlines it clearly on the official page:
"Specifying the image property in Recipe markup has no impact on the image chosen for a text result image. To optimize for a text result image, follow the image SEO best practices."
Independent tests show this clearly: if you want your recipe images to actually stand out in rich results, don’t just rely on schema.org and the image property—work on every detail related to your files and the visual context. Real-world cases show a direct correlation between descriptive file names and smart use of the alt attribute, and higher Google visibility (details here).
2024 Trend: stricter rules and real-time compliance for digital businesses
Google’s direction is clear: cleaner structured data, stricter rules for eligibility and how you apply them. If you keep online event properties or use schemas Google no longer recommends, you risk losing rich results or even getting manual penalties. From my perspective, constant audits and fast adaptation to Google’s changes are now a must for any SEO specialist or digital business that wants to stay relevant long term.
One thing I often see ignored: optimizing the alt attribute for images isn’t just for SEO—it massively impacts site accessibility, improving the experience for users with disabilities (image SEO best practices).
If you want more context, the pace of change and the rise of JSON-LD adoption are covered really well in the full 2024 report: Structured data | 2024 | The Web Almanac by HTTP Archive.
If you manage structured data for events and recipes, here’s my real talk advice:
- Audit ASAP to remove markup related to online events
- Check if everything you use in schema.org matches the updated versions
- Treat Image SEO as a strategic chapter, not just a box to check off
Ignoring these details means losing your Google organic visibility advantage fast. For examples, update history and best practices, check out these resources: Structured Data Update Alerts & Change History - Sitebulb.
