dateModified
The structured data timestamp that tells AI crawlers exactly when your page was last updated — a key freshness signal for recency-weighted queries.
Plain Language Definition
dateModified is the hidden tag on a web page that tells search engines and AI systems exactly when the page was last substantively updated. It appears in Schema.org structured data and signals content freshness for recency-sensitive queries. Updating this date only when actual content improvements are made (not cosmetic edits) maintains its integrity as a trustworthy freshness signal.
Technical Definition
Schema.org property carrying an ISO 8601 timestamp indicating the exact date and time of last substantive document revision — consumed by search engine crawlers and AI retrieval systems as a primary signal for content recency prioritization and re-indexing scheduling.
Why This Matters for AI Search Visibility
For queries where recency matters — industry trends, pricing, technology comparisons — AI systems actively use dateModified to filter content. Keeping this property accurate and up-to-date on pages that are genuinely maintained is a direct freshness signal that can increase retrieval priority.