Is This a Misuse of Structured Data (JSON Recipe Tag on Collection Pages)?

[chueneke]

I've noticed that many food blogs use the "recipe" tag to rank collection pages in carousels. For example, for the search term "Zucchini Recipe," Gaumenfreundin is in the first position in the carousel with a page that contains multiple recipes.

This makes sense if the user intent is plural (e.g., "recipes") - but in the singular?

According to Google's guidelines, the recipe tag is intended for individual recipes. Google even states that it is a misuse if only the ingredients are listed without the steps.

So, isn't it against the guidelines to tag a collection page (even additionally) with the recipe tag? This practice is already common in the US market.

Is Google aware of this and possibly tolerating it because it sometimes makes sense to present multiple recipes to the user? For example, "Zucchini Recipe" - the user might not yet know exactly what they want to cook with zucchini.

Or do you think Google will take action against this practice in the future?

[MalikSEO1122]

Using structured data, like JSON-LD Recipe tags, correctly can enhance your site's SEO by making your content more discoverable and understandable by search engines. However, it's crucial to use it appropriately to avoid potential penalties from search engines. Here’s what to consider regarding the misuse of Recipe tags on collection pages:

What is Structured Data?
Structured data is a standardized format to provide information about a page and classify the page content. JSON-LD is a popular method for adding structured data.

Proper Use of Recipe Tags:
Recipe tags should be used specifically for individual recipe pages. They help search engines understand the content and can make your recipes eligible for rich results in search.

Misuse on Collection Pages:
Using Recipe tags on collection or category pages where individual recipes are not present is considered misuse. This can mislead search engines and users, leading to a poor user experience.

Why Misuse is a Problem:

Misleading Information: It provides inaccurate information to search engines and users, leading to potential penalties.
User Experience: Users searching for specific recipes might end up on a collection page, which doesn’t directly fulfill their query.
SEO Penalties: Search engines like Google can penalize sites that misuse structured data, which can negatively impact your search rankings.
Best Practices:

Use Recipe tags only on pages with actual recipes.
For collection pages, use appropriate structured data like ItemList or BreadcrumbList to help search engines understand the page structure.
Ensure that each structured data type is relevant to the content of the page.
In conclusion, while structured data is a powerful tool for SEO, it’s essential to use it correctly. Misusing Recipe tags on collection pages can harm your SEO efforts and lead to penalties. Stick to best practices and ensure that your structured data accurately represents the content on your pages.