Use Schema.org dateModified only when the article entry really changed

Use Schema.org dateModified only when the article entry really changed. Structured data dates are easier to trust when datePublished means the first publication moment and dateModified means a meaningful later change to the entry, not a template refresh or a cosmetic rebuild.

Schema.org defines dateModified as the date when a CreativeWork was most recently modified, or when an item entry was modified within a DataFeed. Article and BlogPosting types inherit these CreativeWork date properties. That gives publishers a clean vocabulary, but the vocabulary still needs an editorial rule behind it.

A useful dateModified rule can define which changes count: corrected facts, added sections, updated examples, revised recommendations, changed pricing references, new source citations, or removed outdated claims. It can also define non-counting changes: CSS updates, ad placement, unrelated navigation, build timestamps, or a footer year. Without that boundary, structured data begins to imply freshness that the article body does not earn.

For source trails, the best companion is a short change note. The structured date tells machines that the entry changed. The note tells readers what changed, why it changed, and whether the earlier conclusion should be revisited.

Use Schema.org dateModified only when the article entry really changed

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