How to set itemprop="duration"?

Question

I’m trying to set a song’s duration with Microdata. What is the best way to describe a duration in Microdata?

Is it by using itemprop="duration" in span?

<span itemprop="duration" content="PT4M5S">4:05</span>

Or using the time element?

<time itemprop="duration" datetime="PT4M5S">4:05</time>

Or using the meta element?

<meta itemprop="duration" content="PT4M5S"/>4:05

Or a combination of all of them?

<span itemprop="duration" content="PT4M5S">
    <time itemprop="duration" datetime="PT4M5S">
        <meta itemprop="duration" content="PT4M5S"/>4:05
    </time>
</span>

I tried and they all worked in Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool, except for the last one where the result were three durations!

Answer 1

Complete details along with examples can be viewed on MusicRecording Schema.

Specifically, the below is the correct markup for this type of data:-

<div itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/MusicGroup">

<h1 itemprop="name">Foo Fighters</h1>


<div itemprop="video" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/VideoObject">
  <h2>Video: <span itemprop="name">Interview with the Foo Fighters</span></h2>
  <meta itemprop="duration" content="T1M33S" />
  <meta itemprop="thumbnail" content="foo-fighters-interview-thumb.jpg" />
  <object ...>
    <param ...>
    <embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" ...>
  </object>
  <span itemprop="description">Catch this exclusive interview with
    Dave Grohl and the Food Fighters about their new album, Rope.</span>
</div>


<h2>Songs</h2>

<div itemprop="track" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/MusicRecording">
  <span itemprop="name">Rope</span>
  <meta itemprop="url" content ="foo-fighters-rope.html">
  Length: <meta itemprop="duration" content="PT4M5S">4:05 -
  14300 plays<meta itemprop="interactionCount" content="UserPlays:14300" />
  <a href="foo-fighters-rope-play.html" itemprop="audio">Play</a>
  <a href="foo-fighters-rope-buy.html" itemprop="offers">Buy</a>
  From album: <a href="foo-fighters-wasting-light.html"
    itemprop="inAlbum">Wasting Light</a>
</div>

<div itemprop="track" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/MusicRecording">
  <span itemprop="name">Everlong</span>
  <meta itemprop="url" content ="foo-fighters-everlong.html">
  Length: <meta itemprop="duration" content="PT6M33S">6:33 -
  <span itemprop="playCount">11700</span> plays
  <a href="foo-fighters-everlong-play.html" itemprop="audio">Play</a>
  <a href="foo-fighters-everlong-buy.html" itemprop="offers">Buy</a>
  From album: <a href="foo-fighters-color-and-shape.html"
    itemprop="inAlbum">The Color And The Shape</a>
</div>


<h2>Upcoming shows</h2>

<div itemprop="event" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Event">
  <a href="foo-fighters-may20-fedexforum" itemprop="url">
    <span itemprop="name">FedExForum</span>
  </a>
  <span itemprop="location">Memphis, TN, US</span>
  <meta itemprop="startDate" content="2011-05-20">May 20
  <a href="ticketmaster.com/foofighters/may20-2011" itemprop="offers">Buy tickets</a>
</div>

<div itemprop="event" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Event">
  <a href="foo-fighters-may23-midamericacenter" itemprop="url">
    <span itemprop="name">Mid America Center</span>
  </a>
  <span itemprop="location">Council Bluffs, IA, US</span>
  <meta itemprop="startDate" content="2011-05-23">May 23
  <a href="ticketmaster.com/foofighters/may23-2011" itemprop="offers">Buy tickets</a>
</div>

<h2><a href="foo-fighters-photos">28 Photos</a></h2>
<a href="foofighters-1.jpg" itemprop="image"><img src="foofighters-thumb1.jpg" /></a>
<a href="foofighters-2.jpg" itemprop="image"><img src="foofighters-thumb2.jpg" /></a>
<a href="foofighters-3.jpg" itemprop="image"><img src="foofighters-thumb3.jpg" /></a>


<h2>Comments:</h2>
Excited about seeing them in concert next week. -Lawrence , Jan 23
I dig their latest single. -Mary, Jan 19
<meta itemprop="interactionCount" content="UserComments:18" />
Showing 1-2 of 18 comments. <a href="foofighters-comments">More</a>

</div>

Answer 2

The duration property expects a Duration as value, which has to be in the ISO 8601 duration format.

The time element can have a "valid duration string" as value (which is based on one of the ISO 8601 formats). Your value "PT4M5S" would be valid.

So you should use

<time itemprop="duration" datetime="PT4M5S">4:05</time>

Microdata parsers have to use the value of the datetime attribute, if present.

(You should use the meta element only if you can’t markup visible content.)