🔍 Understanding the Problem
After activating OTTO SEO, some customers notice new ImageObject metadata validation errors appearing in Google Search Console (GSC). At the same time, others wonder whether installing a third-party schema plugin alongside OTTO will cause conflicts. This article explains both issues and how to resolve them quickly.
⚙️ Why ImageObject Errors Appear After Switching to OTTO
When you activate OTTO SEO, it takes over schema markup generation for your entire site. If a previous plugin or theme was outputting incomplete or differently structured ImageObject schema, GSC may flag the transition as new errors — even if OTTO's output is technically correct.
Common reasons these errors appear include:
- Images on your pages are missing alt text, which is required for valid ImageObject schema.
- Featured images are not set on posts or pages, leaving the contentUrl or url property empty.
- Your theme outputs its own image schema that conflicts with OTTO's output, producing duplicate or malformed markup.
- GSC is still processing a cached version of your previous schema and will resolve automatically within a few days.
🖼️ How to Fix ImageObject Validation Errors
- Add alt text to all images. In the WordPress Media Library, open each flagged image and fill in the Alt Text field. For bulk updates, use the Media Library grid view to edit images quickly.
- Set featured images on all posts and pages. Go to each post or page in the WordPress editor, open the Featured Image panel, and assign a relevant image.
- Check for theme-generated schema. Some themes (such as Astra or GeneratePress) include built-in schema output. Open your theme settings and disable any structured data or schema markup options to prevent duplication.
- Re-validate in GSC. After making changes, open Google Search Console → Enhancements → Schema errors, select the affected URLs, and click Validate Fix. GSC typically re-crawls within a few days.
- Use the Rich Results Test. Paste any affected URL into Google's Rich Results Test tool to confirm your schema is clean before requesting validation.
🔌 Will Installing a Schema Plugin Conflict with OTTO?
Yes — in most cases, running a dedicated schema plugin alongside OTTO SEO will cause conflicts. OTTO SEO generates its own comprehensive structured data for your site, including Organization, WebPage, Article, BreadcrumbList, and ImageObject schema. Adding a second plugin that outputs the same schema types produces duplicate markup, which can confuse search engines and trigger additional GSC errors.
Plugins known to conflict with OTTO's schema output include:
- Yoast SEO (when schema is enabled)
- Rank Math (when schema module is active)
- Schema Pro
- Schema & Structured Data for WP & AMP
- All in One SEO (AIOSEO) with schema features enabled
✅ Recommended Setup for Schema in WordPress
Follow these best practices to keep your schema clean and conflict-free:
- Use OTTO SEO as your single schema source. Do not install additional schema plugins. OTTO deploys schema per page/URL after you approve or publish the recommendation (or automatically if OTTO auto-deploy is enabled).
- Disable schema output in your theme. If your theme has structured data settings, turn them off.
- Disable schema in any remaining SEO plugins. If you use another SEO plugin for features OTTO does not yet cover (such as a sitemap from a legacy setup), navigate to that plugin's settings and disable only its schema or structured data module — you do not need to uninstall the entire plugin.
- Audit your schema regularly. After any plugin update or theme change, re-run a spot-check in the Rich Results Test to catch new conflicts early.
⏱️ How Long Until GSC Errors Clear?
Once you have fixed the underlying issues, GSC errors do not disappear instantly. Expect the following timeline:
- 1–3 days for Googlebot to re-crawl your most frequently visited pages.
- Up to 2 weeks for validation to complete across all flagged URLs.
- Clicking Validate Fix in GSC speeds up the process by prompting Google to prioritise re-crawling those URLs.
If errors persist beyond two weeks after your fixes, re-check the affected pages using the Rich Results Test to confirm there is no remaining conflicting output.
💬 Need More Help?
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.