Google Structured Data Testing Tool WordPress Error Warnings

Googles Structured data testing tool is giving warning errors on certain HTML mark up elements on web pages. Such as the errors in the image below, these are related to microdata schema mark up which is shipped on modern Genesis WordPress themes.

Node is empty. Double check that this is desired and consider removing.

Node is empty is referring to the microdata schema inner child element mark up of the parent container. In the example above microdata schema is applied to the parent footer element but not the inner HTML elements. You can rectify the error by applying inner microdata schema.

<footer class="site-footer" role="contentinfo" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/WPFooter"><div class="wrap"><div class="creds"><p>Copyright &copy; 2015 &middot; <a href="https://wpbeaches.com/" itemprop="creator" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name">Neil Gee</span></a> - All Rights Are Reserved! &middot; Powered by<a href="https://wpbeaches.com" itemprop="url"> WP Beaches</a></p></div><p></p></div></footer>

So the above code has added and relevant microdata. Now running the data tool gives no errors:

I don’t believe that Google would penalize the page based on not fully marking this up, it is more a warning that the code could be improved.

Some of the mark up can be added and edited by using filters to adjust the microdata schema code.