Add "HowTo Schema" To WordPress

A How To Schema is a set of step-by-step instructions for your users.

HowTo schema pages are eligible for rich snippets on search engine result pages (SERP).

Note: Appearance of rich snippets is at the sole discretion of search engines

Having HowTo on your page results in

  • If the howto relates to your product, it can reduce load on your support team.
  • Impress your users by providing them with details HowTos.
  • Improves your search engine visibility.

Pre-requisites

  1. A WordPress website
  2. WordPress Schema Plugin plugin

Tools

  1. Computer

Total Duration : 15 minutes

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Step 1 - Install & Activate WordPress Schema Plugin For Divi, Gutenberg & Shortcodes

Install & Activate WordPress Schema Plugin For Divi, Gutenberg & Shortcodes
  2. Sign-up for 7-day FREE trial
  3. You'll receive email with instruction to download the plugin.
  4. Download, install and activate the plugin.
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Step 2 - Activate & Setup HowTo

Activate & Setup HowTo
  1. Goto WordPress Admin > SEO Schema
  2. Click on HowTo vertical tab. HowTO setting will load.
  3. Click on Add HowTo
  4. Enter name for Schema Name in the modal popup and click Save
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Step 3 - Include And/Or Exclude Posts For HowTo Schema

Include And/Or Exclude Posts For HowTo Schema

  1. One can setup HowTo Schema on WordPress pages by including and excluding posts/pages.

    Note: Excludes will take precedence over Includes

    • Include Singular Posts By Type
      • An auto-complete field to select the public post types
      • Includes all the posts belonging to the selected post types
    • Include Specific Posts
      • An auto-complete field to select one or more single post page(s). A single post page is page with details on that single post.
      • Includes only those pages selected in the auto-complete field.
    • Exclude Specific Posts
      • An auto-complete field to select one or more single post page(s). A single post page is page with details on that single post.
      • Excludes only those page selected in auto-complete field.

  2. In the above example we have

    • Included post type How Tos
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Step 4 - Save HowTo Schema Settings

Save HowTo Schema Settings
  1. The Save Schema Settings turns blue when the settings change
  2. Click on it to save the settings.
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Step 5 - Setup HowTo Schema Fields

Setup HowTo Schema Fields
  1. Setup How To schema fields by selecting appropriate options for each field. They are
  2. Title
    • The title of the how-to. For example, "How to tie a tie"
    • Available field type options area

      Following are the available field type of this field

      • Title - Dynamic field. Uses the post title for a given post

      • Fixed Value - Enter a fixed text. This will be used as field value for all included posts

      • New Custom Field - Adds a custom field to the post page. Data entered for the custom field is used.

      • Existing Custom Field - Select an existing custom field associated with post page. Data associated with the meta field is used.

    • Title Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
      Title Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
  3. Description
    • Description of the how-to
    • Available field type options area

      Following are the available field type of this field

      • Excerpt - Dynamic field. Uses the post excerpt for a given post

      • Fixed Value - Enter a fixed text. This will be used as field value for all included posts

      • New Custom Field - Adds a custom field to the post page. Data entered for the custom field is used.

      • Existing Custom Field - Select an existing custom field associated with post page. Data associated with the meta field is used.

    • Description Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
      Description Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
  4. Image
    • Image of the completed how-to
    • Available field type options area

      Following are the available field type of this field

      • Featured Image - Dynamic field. Uses the post featured image URL for a given post

      • Fixed Value - Enter a fixed text. This will be used as field value for all included posts

      • New Custom Field - Adds a custom field to the post page. Data entered for the custom field is used.

      • Existing Custom Field - Select an existing custom field associated with post page. Data associated with the meta field is used.

    • Image Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
      Image Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
  5. Estimated Cost
    • The estimated cost of the supplies consumed when performing instructions.
    • Available field type options area

      Following are the available field type of this field

      • New Custom Field - Adds a custom field to the post page. Data entered for the custom field is used.

      • Fixed Value - Enter a fixed text. This will be used as field value for all included posts

    • Estimated Cost Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
      Estimated Cost Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
  6. Supplies
    • List of supplies consumed when performing instructions or a direction.
    • Available field type options area

      Following are the available field type of this field

      • New Custom Field - Adds a custom field to the post page. Data entered for the custom field is used.

    • Supplies Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
      Supplies Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
  7. Tools
    • List of objects used (but not consumed) when performing instructions or a direction.
    • Available field type options area

      Following are the available field type of this field

      • New Custom Field - Adds a custom field to the post page. Data entered for the custom field is used.

    • Tools Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
      Tools Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
  8. Steps
    • An array of step elements which comprise the full instructions of the how-to. Each step element should correspond to an individual step in the instructions.
    • Available field type options area

      Following are the available field type of this field

      • New Custom Field - Adds a custom field to the post page. Data entered for the custom field is used.

    • Steps Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
      Steps Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
  9. Total Time
    • The total time required to perform all instructions or directions (including time to prepare the supplies), in ISO 8601 duration format.
    • Available field type options area

      Following are the available field type of this field

      • New Custom Field - Adds a custom field to the post page. Data entered for the custom field is used.

    • Total Time Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
      Total Time Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
  10. Video
    • A video of the how-to
    • Available field type options area

      Following are the available field type of this field

      • New Custom Field - Adds a custom field to the post page. Data entered for the custom field is used.

      • None - Select this option when you don`t want to provide any value to the field. Such field will be ignored.

    • Video Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
      Video Field - HowTo Schema - WordPress Schema Plugin
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Step 6 - Add HowTo Schema's Instructions Data To WordPress Posts

Add HowTo Schema's Instructions Data To WordPress Posts
  1. Edit a page that is setup for the FAQ schema. In ours case it the single's page for How Tos post type.
  2. Locate a meta box starting with the heading HowTo Schema
  3. This meta box has custom post meta fields for the HowTo schema. For default HowTo Schema setting, you'll find following meta fields
    • Estimated Amount
    • Total Time
    • Tools (repeater field)
    • Supplies (repeater field)
    • Steps. A repeater field for steps. Each step will have an title, image and repeater field for sub-steps
    • A complex field for HowTo
  4. Once data entry is complete, save the post.
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Step 7 - Test HowTo Schema Validity

Test HowTo Schema Validity
  1. Google provides a schema markup testing tool https://search.google.com/structured-data/testing-tool/
  2. One can use a URL or enter html markup as input.
  3. Load a WordPress page having HowTo schema on your browser.
  4. Click on Check Schema Markup at the admin topbar. Topbar shows for logged-in users.
  5. This opens Google's schema markup testing tool preloaded with your page URL
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