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How to Fix Missing: author Error from Blogger Template?

Are you getting the Missing required hCard "author" or similar hEntry / microformat error in Google's structure data testing tool? This is an issue with your Blogger template. Learn how to fix missing author error from template?
Missing:author error

In your Google Search Console you might see an error that missing: author. This error can be found in Google Webmaster Tools -> Search Appearance -> Structured Data- > hentry (markup: microformats.org). However for confirmation you can test your Blog by Google structure data testing tool.  After testing your Blogger template on Google structure data testing tools if you see this is displaying an error then you must fix this error as soon as possible.

The origin of this error is a hatom error under microformats.org markup. This error means search engine can’t understand the Blog Author. Formerly there was great impact of author on search engine. Because Author image often got visibility beside of content link on search engine. And this feature was known as Google’s Rich snippet error. If Google search robot can’t identify the author image then they don’t show the author image on search engine.


However now this system has changed and after evolving Google Plus now author image is displaying on search engine through Google Plus shared content. Google search Robot or spider whatever visit our site then they try to understand our site thus they can display on search engine result page fruitfully. But if this machine can’t read your Blog then your site may not get frequent visibility on search engine result page.

author missing error

Though this is a less important SEO related issue but we should make our template error free. To solve this issue please follow the below tutorial-
Step 1 Go to https://www.blogger.com and Sign in to your account
Step 2 From Blogger Dashboard click on ->Template ->Edit HTML 
Step 3 And locate script like below from your Blogger template


<span class='post-author vcard' >
                    <b:if cond='data:top.showAuthor'>
                      <b:if cond='data:post.authorProfileUrl'>
                        <span class='fn'>
                          <a expr:href='data:post.authorProfileUrl' rel='author' title='author profile'>
                            <data:post.author/>
                          </a>
                        </span>
                      <b:else/>
                        <span class='fn'><data:post.author/></span>
                      </b:if>
                    </b:if>
                  </span>
Note that the code maybe not matches exactly like above but locate similar code like above from your Blogger template.
Step 4 Finally replace the above code by below script.


<span class='post-author vcard'>
                <b:if cond='data:top.showAuthor'>
                  <b:if cond='data:post.authorProfileUrl'>
                  <span class='fn' itemprop='author' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/Person'>  
                      <meta expr:content='data:post.authorProfileUrl' itemprop='url'/>
                      <a class='g-profile' expr:href='data:post.authorProfileUrl' rel='author' title='author profile'>
                        <span itemprop='name'><data:post.author/></span>
                      </a>
                    </span>
                  <b:else/>
                    <span class='fn' itemprop='author' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/Person'>
                      <span itemprop='name'><data:post.author/></span>
                    </span>
                  </b:if>
                </b:if>
              </span>

Step 5 Now simply hit the Save template button.

I have added a special feature in this script which is currently using in my template. When a visitor will mouse over on your name then your Google Plus profile will show up. This will help the search Robot to understand your site and details about you from your Google Plus page.

Google plus profile


Now check your Blog URL on https://developers.google.com/structured-data/testing-tool/ and see the result that error has gone.

articles rich snippets


Generally microformats.org vocabulary can understand and read by all major search engines. In this script you will see a little change. I have denoted the author by below markup.

  • http://schema.org/Person
This means the whole script is for author or Blog writer, admin whatever search robot will understand easily.

And for easy understanding I have added itemprop='author' which will give additional information to search robot about the Blog author.

After applying this script it will take 3 to 4 days to take effect. Because you have to wait until search Robot visit and crawl your site, so be patient. 
structured data

 After few days check your Blog data from Google Webmaster Tools -> Search Appearance -> Structured Data- > hentry (markup: microformats.org) and see the error is reducing. I hope this tutorial help you to improve your Blog SEO. Happy Blogging!!!

28 comments

  1. Helo admin can you tell me about loading script that you are using in your blog... specially on on pages.
    waiting for your reply.....
    • Hi Jhari..Are you talking about Loading script or Animation? actually I didn't understand. :t Whatever, I don't use any loading script like Lazyload or something. But I use only loading animation. And I have generated this animation by using an online tools. I will share this soon. ;)
  2. am so much happy to it it work because have been searching to solve this but today i find your site and i have solve it thanks
    http://www.appsloaded.com
    • Hi Innocent Cyril, I am really glade to hear that. Thanks for your feedback. :sp
  3. HELLO Moahammad, it doesnt work unfortunately....
    • Hi There, You will find below code 2 times so replace both. then it will work.


      <span class='post-author vcard' >
      <b:if cond='data:top.showAuthor'>
      <b:if cond='data:post.authorProfileUrl'>
      <span class='fn'>
      <a expr:href='data:post.authorProfileUrl' rel='author' title='author profile'>
      <data:post.author/>
      </a>
      </span>
      <b:else/>
      <span class='fn'><data:post.author/></span>
      </b:if>
      </b:if>
      </span>



      Thank you. ;)
  4. i cant find it, can u help me? i sent u my template code in ur facebook page, can u tell me what row i have to replace?
    • Hi There, Your template only displaying comment, and publishing date. I didn't find any author information. Maybe you have deleted the author name. Author name must be display on homepage and post page.
      :(
  5. Thank you. My issue of Missing author has resolved
    • Hi Page to watch :)
      Nice to hear that.
  6. Well done. Very useful to me. Also will wait to see future update from your blog.
    • Thank you Pranab Sen :)
  7. thank you very much it worked with me. thank you
  8. thank in arabic
    شكرا لك
  9. Hey Rabbi Khan,

    Thanks for publishing the detailed article with the code snippet to fix the issue. I have used the code snippet in my blog but I still see the Author error is getting increased as and when Google crawls.

    Could you please help me fix this error as I'm not sure what to do in order to fix.

    URL: http://www.projectskart.com/

    Please let me know if you want me to share the template code to analyze. If yes, please share your email ID or any mode of sharing the file.
    • Hi Project Kart :up
      After applying the script it takes few days to take changes on Google Search Console. I just checked your site on "Structured Data Testing Tool", now in your theme doesn't have any error.
  10. By mistake, I had remove the author profile links in my website.
    I want to add the author name again. How to add it?
    my blog www.abhinayberde.com
    • :w Simply re-upload the blogger theme from backup file.
  11. I am still getting some errors and warnings what could be the Issue please >> https://search.google.com/structured-data/testing-tool#url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fforfree.net%2F
    • After adding the script please wait for 24 to 72 hours for server update. If you have added the script accurately then you won't get any error.
  12. From many days, I am facing same type of problem and searching for this type of solution with step by step process. Thanks to sharing this post.
    • Welcome bro :)
  13. Hello,

    I have added your script to fix the missing author issue, however the google test tool still does not show the author under hatom. Can you please help?

    Here is my URL for your reference -
    https://www.sparingmoney.com/2018/01/gotenna.html
    • Hi Sparing Money :yeh
      I just check your site it is ok. I didn't find any error on structure data testing tool result.
    • Hi There, thank you for checking my side.

      The error is not shown when you run the structured data testing took, however it shows up under Google webmaster tool -> Search appearance -> structured data. It shows all the pages with "Missing: author" and "Missing: updated" errors. I was able to fix the Missing updated error by adding a piece of code. However the "Missing: author" error is not going away. I think its because of the missing entry for 'author' in hatom markup.

      Please check my most recently indexed page below. The Missing updated error is gone but it has the author error i.e. 'author' entry is missing in hatom.
      https://www.sparingmoney.com/2017/04/teami-blends.html

      Can you please let me know how to add author entry to hatom markup?
  14. Hi bro. Will it work in 2024? I mean Google plus is no longer available right?
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