HowTo schema markup: example, properties and WordPress setup

JSON-LD example

Copy this into a <script type="application/ld+json"> tag and replace the values with your own.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "HowTo",
  "name": "How to replace a bike chain",
  "totalTime": "PT25M",
  "estimatedCost": {
    "@type": "MonetaryAmount",
    "currency": "USD",
    "value": "30"
  },
  "tool": [
    {
      "@type": "HowToTool",
      "name": "Chain breaker tool"
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToTool",
      "name": "Chain checker"
    }
  ],
  "supply": [
    {
      "@type": "HowToSupply",
      "name": "Replacement chain matching your drivetrain speed"
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToSupply",
      "name": "Chain lubricant"
    }
  ],
  "step": [
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Measure wear",
      "text": "Place a chain checker on the chain. If it drops in fully at 0.75, replace the chain.",
      "url": "https://example.com/replace-bike-chain#step-1"
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Remove the old chain",
      "text": "Shift to the smallest cog, then push a pin out with the chain breaker or open the quick link.",
      "url": "https://example.com/replace-bike-chain#step-2"
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Size the new chain",
      "text": "Lay the new chain beside the old one and remove links until the lengths match.",
      "url": "https://example.com/replace-bike-chain#step-3"
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Install and lubricate",
      "text": "Thread the chain through the derailleur, join it with the quick link, then apply one drop of lube per roller.",
      "url": "https://example.com/replace-bike-chain#step-4"
    }
  ]
}

Properties

When to use it

Use HowTo only on pages whose main content is a sequence of steps to complete a task: a repair guide, a setup walkthrough, a craft project. Good candidates already have numbered steps in the visible content.

Don't use it for:

• Recipes. Recipe schema is the right type and still has rich results.
• Listicles and tips. "10 ways to save energy" is not a sequence of steps.
• Opinion or explainer posts. If there is no task, there is no HowTo.

Because there is no longer a Google feature attached, treat HowTo as optional. Article markup on the same post already covers authorship and dates.

Add it in WordPress

By hand. Print the JSON-LD from wp_head or a Custom HTML block. Give each step's heading an id so the step url values (#step-1) resolve to real anchors.

With Hydrogen SEO. Open the tutorial's SEO Settings sheet, choose HowTo, give it a name that states the task, and add each step in order with a short name and description. The plugin renders the JSON-LD server-side. Keep one action per step, written as an instruction.

One-off markup. The free schema generator in the Hydrogen SEO app at /seo/schema-generator produces HowTo JSON-LD from a name and a list of steps.

Common mistakes

• Adding it for a rich result that no longer exists. If that was the only reason, it is wasted effort.
• Steps that are not on the page. Every step in the markup should match visible instructions.
• One giant step. A single step containing the whole guide gives machines nothing to work with. Split actions.
• Durations in plain text. Use ISO 8601 (PT25M), not "25 minutes".
• HowTo on recipes. Use Recipe.

Test it

The Rich Results Test no longer reports HowTo as a rich result type, so use the Schema Markup Validator (validator.schema.org) to confirm the HowTo parses correctly and every step, tool and supply appears in the tree. Test the live URL after purging any page cache. For the rest of the page, the Rich Results Test is still useful to check Article or breadcrumb markup, and a free SEO audit will flag pages with no structured data at all.