Schema.org: errors on UserComments tags

Question

On my site, http://whatgoeswiththis.co, I'm getting persistent errors found by Google Webmaster Tools for my markup of UserComments - it's saying that at each instance I'm missing location, name, and startDate (2 times) properties.

I didn't see anywhere that these are required, and I don't have geolocation of any users' comments on my site. Is this simply an error I can ignore, or might it be better to simply remove the UserComments markup from my site?

Update: it appears from this page that because UserComments is a subcategory of the event property, google seems to require these three fields: https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/164506?hl=en&ref_topic=1088474

Perhaps the answer is to use 'comments' property instead? Or just leave as it is? Thanks!

Answer 1

There are some errors on your code and in your microdata, but I didn't see any problem with UserComments. I had to use the option "view generated content" and upload the code to Structured Data Testing Tool. You can find it in here. Although I don't know for how long is going to be available.

Use some validation tools to help with the code errors.

About the microdata, considering the site and the product pages, it will be best to use review on the comments.

You could also use comment as I mentioned before, it's not really about a creative work, but for now, it seems to be the closest one to real life, plus since you can also add a creator for that comment, it clearly gives the authorship to the rightful owner and it will not affect the website.

One of the errors is about using an attribute seller which doesn't exist as part of the product, but you can use seller from offer.

Some times, the resources on schema.org seem to be a bit short, even in obvious things, like comments or seller, both of which you would expect to exist on categories already there and with many attributes, but you also have the option, if you want, to try to extend the actual schema, or just not add microdata to that part of the content.

Answer 2

Schema.org doesn’t define required properties.

When Google complains about missing properties, it probably means: "We won’t use your Schema.org data for enhancing the display of your SERP snippet."

[…] might it be better to simply remove the UserComments markup from my site?

It won’t hurt to keep this markup. It may be useful for various other consumers (search engines, browser add-ons, …), and maybe Google will someday change their rules and your Schema.org data will be used by them, too.