Digital Guider Analyzes Google’s New Schema Guidance

Google has updated its schema guidelines for return policies and loyalty programs. Digital Guider emphasizes the key changes necessary for structured data.

SHERIDAN, WY, UNITED STATES, July 18, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Google has updated its structured data guidelines, offering clearer instructions on how retailers can implement schema markup for return policies and loyalty programs. These updates aim to eliminate confusion in implementation methods and enhance eligibility for advanced search result features.

Based on the latest recommendations, return policies should be established at the organizational level using the MerchantReturnPolicy schema within the Organization markup. This approach guarantees uniformity throughout the entire product catalog and accommodates a broader array of properties. Conversely, return policy markup at the product level, categorized under Offer, is now suggested solely for exceptional cases and encompasses fewer fields.

Google’s updated documentation now explicitly states:
“Product-level return policies support only a subset of the properties available for merchant-level return policies.”

For loyalty initiatives, the guidance specifies that the MemberProgram schema should be established independently of product listings. This markup ought to be implemented at the organizational level, either on a distinct company webpage or within Google Merchant Center. While loyalty benefits such as reward points or member-exclusive pricing can still be marked using UnitPriceSpecification, the actual structure of the program must remain distinct.

Moreover, Google has indicated that shipping discounts and prolonged return periods, even if provided through loyalty programs, are not presently supported in structured data. These types of perks, although appealing to consumers, will not activate enhanced displays in Google Search results.
This clarification has consequences for merchants who had previously integrated loyalty or return policy details at the product level, which may now be inconsistent with Google’s structured data regulations.

Digital Guider, which focuses on technical SEO, reviewed the update and noted that the changes may require adjustments to existing structured data practices.

"These updates lack new features but clarify details. As structured data influences product visibility in search results, small errors can impact visibility," said Bella Swan, Digital Guider spokesperson.

The firm recommends that businesses and ecommerce stores perform a markup audit to pinpoint areas that need modification. Adhering to Google’s best practices for structured data can help guarantee that content is accurately indexed and displayed in search results, especially for retailers vying in crowded markets.

Key suggestions include:

- Reviewing the structured data setup on important product pages.
- Placing general return policy information beneath the Organization markup.
- Utilizing product-specific return policies only in rare circumstances.
- Distinguishing the loyalty program framework from MemberProgram markup.
- Linking loyalty benefits to product promotions using validForMemberTier, when relevant.

While the recent documentation update does not alter current functionalities, it emphasizes the necessity of proper markup usage to remain eligible for search improvements. Companies with intricate loyalty programs or return policies may need to work alongside SEO specialists or web developers to ensure their markup aligns with the updated standards.

The new recommendations are now available in Google’s documentation and are anticipated to impact structured data application practices throughout the ecommerce sector.

About Digital Guider:
Digital Guider is a digital marketing company located in the United States. It focuses on strategic digital marketing solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. The company uses data-driven methods to help its clients grow.

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