startDate

startDate · Required by Google

Appears in

Event

What is it?

The date and time when an event begins. This is the single most important temporal field in Event schema and the only date property Google requires for Event rich results. Every event listing needs a startDate to be eligible for enhanced search appearance.

Why this matters for AEO

When a user asks "when is [event]" or "what events are happening this weekend," AI answer engines read startDate to provide the date and time, rank events chronologically, and filter by time window. Without startDate, the event is invisible to any time-based query. It is the primary field AI systems use to determine whether an event is upcoming, in progress, or past.

What the specs say

Schema.org: Date, DateTime. The start date and time of the item (in ISO 8601 date format). schema.org/startDate

Google: Required. "The start date and start time of the event in ISO-8601 format." Google recommends creating separate Event entries for each date rather than using a date range with startDate/endDate for recurring events. Google Event docs

How to find your value

• Event page — Date and time prominently displayed, often in the header or sidebar
• Ticketing platform — Start time on the event listing (Eventbrite, Ticketmaster, Meetup)
• Conference agenda — Opening session or keynote time on the first day
• Venue calendar — Date and start time in the event listing

For multi-day events, use the start time of the first day. For recurring events, create a separate Event entity for each occurrence with its own startDate.

Format and code

DateTime format (preferred, includes time):

{
  "@type": "Event",
  "name": "Data Saturday Oslo 2025",
  "startDate": "2025-08-30T09:00:00"
}

With timezone offset:

{
  "@type": "Event",
  "name": "AWS re:Invent 2024",
  "startDate": "2024-12-02T08:00:00-08:00"
}

Date-only format (for all-day events):

{
  "@type": "Event",
  "name": "World Design Day",
  "startDate": "2024-04-27"
}

Recurring event (separate entities, not a date range):

[
  {
    "@type": "Event",
    "name": "Weekly Jazz Night",
    "startDate": "2024-09-06T20:00:00"
  },
  {
    "@type": "Event",
    "name": "Weekly Jazz Night",
    "startDate": "2024-09-13T20:00:00"
  }
]

Invalid formats:

"startDate": "August 30, 2025"
"startDate": "30/08/2025"
"startDate": "next Saturday"

These are not ISO 8601 and will not be parsed. Always use YYYY-MM-DD or YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.

Including a timezone offset (e.g., -08:00, +02:00, or Z for UTC) removes ambiguity for international events. Without it, Google interprets the time based on the event's location.

Webflow implementation

Static pages

Add startDate to the Event JSON-LD in Page Settings > Custom Code (Before ):

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Event",
  "name": "Webflow Conf 2024",
  "startDate": "2024-10-09T09:00:00-07:00",
  "endDate": "2024-10-10T17:00:00-07:00",
  "location": {
    "@type": "Place",
    "name": "Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco",
    "address": {
      "@type": "PostalAddress",
      "streetAddress": "3601 Lyon St",
      "addressLocality": "San Francisco",
      "addressRegion": "CA",
      "postalCode": "94123",
      "addressCountry": "US"
    }
  },
  "organizer": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Webflow",
    "url": "https://webflow.com"
  }
}
</script>

CMS template pages

Use a Webflow Date field for the event start date. Reference it in the JSON-LD embed code. Webflow date fields output ISO 8601 format natively, making them a direct fit for startDate.

For recurring events managed through CMS, create a separate CMS item for each occurrence. Each item gets its own startDate in the published schema.

In Schema HQ

Field mapping pulls CMS date field to startDate and formats it as ISO 8601 DateTime. For recurring events, each CMS item generates its own Event entity with the correct date.

Real examples

Eventbrite (Data Saturday Oslo 2025):

"startDate": "2025-08-30T09:00:00"

JamBase (Kennedy Center):

"startDate": "2026-04-10T20:00:00"

Related fields

• endDate — when the event ends (recommended alongside startDate)
• doorTime — when venue admission begins (before startDate)
• eventStatus — whether the event is scheduled, cancelled, or rescheduled
• location — where the event takes place

FAQ

Is startDate the only required field for Event rich results?

Google requires startDate and name for Event rich results. Other fields like location, eventStatus, and performer are recommended but not mandatory.

How do I handle recurring events?

Google recommends creating separate Event entities for each occurrence, each with its own startDate. Do not use a single event with a date range. For a weekly event, that means a separate JSON-LD Event object per week.

Should I include a timezone offset?

Including a timezone offset removes ambiguity, especially for international events or events promoted across time zones. Use the format ±HH:MM after the time (e.g., 2024-10-09T09:00:00-07:00 for Pacific Time). Without it, Google infers the timezone from the event's location.