Rich results
Definition: Rich results are Google search results enhanced with extra visual elements, such as review stars, prices, images or event dates, usually made eligible by structured data on the page.
Also called: rich snippets, enhanced results
Updated
Eligible is not the same as shown
A plain result is a title, a URL and a snippet. A rich result adds something: star ratings and price on a product, dates and venue on an event, a thumbnail on a recipe. Most rich result types depend on structured data that matches the type’s required properties.
Google says valid markup makes a page eligible, but it does not guarantee that a rich result will appear; that depends on the query, the device and its own quality assessment (general structured data guidelines). Markup that misrepresents the page, or describes content users cannot see, can lead to a manual action, after which rich results stop appearing for the affected pages.
Features that are gone or restricted
Google retires rich result types regularly, so check before you build markup for one:
- HowTo: retired in 2023.
- FAQ: limited to government and health sites in 2023, then removed for all sites in May 2026. Google says the feature stopped appearing in Search on May 7, 2026 (documentation updates).
- SoftwareApplication: still exists, but needs genuine ratings or reviews to qualify.
Our view: a rich result that ends tomorrow is a poor reason to restructure a page. Add markup that is true and visible, and treat any enhancement as a bonus.
How to test
- Validate the markup syntax and required properties with the schema markup validator.
- Run the live URL through Google’s Rich Results Test to see which features Google detects.
- Watch the enhancement reports in Search Console after launch for errors at scale.