datePublished

datePublished · Recommended by Google

Appears in

Article

What is it?

datePublished records when an article was first published. Search engines use this timestamp to assess content freshness and to display publication dates in search results. The value must be in ISO 8601 format.

Why this matters for AEO

AI answer engines prioritize recent, authoritative content for time-sensitive queries. When a user asks "What are the best practices for X in 2026?" the AI checks datePublished to filter out outdated articles. A missing or inaccurate publication date can cause an otherwise relevant article to be skipped in favor of one with a clear timestamp.

What the specs say

Schema.org: Date or DateTime. Date of first publication or broadcast. For example the date a CreativeWork was broadcast or a Certification was issued. schema.org/datePublished

Google: Recommended. "The date and time the article was first published, in ISO 8601 format. We recommend that you provide timezone information." Google Article docs

If timezone information is omitted, Google defaults to the timezone used by Googlebot during crawl.

How to find your value

• Blog post — The visible publish date below the headline
• News article — The dateline or timestamp in the article header
• CMS — The "Published On" or "Created Date" field
• Webflow — The built-in "Published On" field in CMS items

Format and code

Type: Date or DateTime

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "Annotated JSON-LD Structured Data Examples",
  "datePublished": "2019-05-29T00:00:00Z"
}

Valid formats:

• "datePublished": "2026-01-15" (date only)
• "datePublished": "2026-01-15T08:00:00+00:00" (date with time and timezone, preferred)
• "datePublished": "2026-01-15T08:00:00Z" (UTC)

Invalid formats:

• "datePublished": "January 15, 2026" (not ISO 8601)
• "datePublished": "15/01/2026" (not ISO 8601)
• "datePublished": 2026 (must be a string, not a number)

Webflow implementation

Static pages

In Page Settings > Custom Code > Before </head>:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "Your Article Title",
  "datePublished": "2026-01-15T08:00:00+00:00"
}
</script>

CMS template pages

Webflow CMS items have a built-in "Published On" date field. Reference it in your embed:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "datePublished": "{{wf {&quot;path&quot;:&quot;published-on&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Date&quot;} }}"
}
</script>

Note: Webflow outputs dates in ISO 8601 format by default, which matches what Google expects.

In Schema HQ

Schema pulls Webflow CMS "Published On" date and maps it to datePublished automatically. It preserves the timezone information from Webflow's date output.

Real examples

nystudio107 (nystudio107.com):

{
  "@type": "Article",
  "datePublished": "2019-05-29T00:00:00Z",
  "dateModified": "2022-05-19T00:00:00Z"
}

Parse.ly (blog.parse.ly):

{
  "@type": "NewsArticle",
  "datePublished": "2013-08-10T01:25:08Z"
}

Related fields

• dateModified
• headline
• author
• publisher

FAQ

Should datePublished include a timezone?

Yes. Google recommends providing timezone information. If omitted, Google defaults to the timezone used by Googlebot at crawl time, which may not match your intended timezone. Use +00:00 for UTC or your local offset.

Does the structured data date need to match the visible date?

Yes. Google cross-references dates in structured data, visible page content, and sitemaps. Conflicting dates reduce trust. Keep all three consistent.

What is the difference between datePublished and dateCreated?

datePublished is the date the content was first made available to the public. dateCreated is when the content was authored, which may be earlier. Google uses datePublished, not dateCreated.