🔍 What Is This Issue?

OTTO may continue injecting ImageObject structured data for images that have been removed from your website — for example, images like Group_20.png — because the deployed fix still contains references to those old files. This causes warnings in schema validation tools such as Google's Rich Results Test or Schema Markup Validator.

To stop OTTO from injecting outdated image metadata, roll back (undeploy) the affected fix in OTTO, or edit the fix in OTTO to reference the correct image.

This article explains why it happens and how to resolve it.

⚙️ Why Does This Happen?

OTTO scans your site and stores a snapshot of page content, including images, to build and inject structured data efficiently. If an image is removed from your site after OTTO has already cached it, the old metadata can persist until the cache is refreshed. OTTO does not automatically detect mid-cycle image removals in real time, so a manual cache purge is required to bring the injected schema back in sync with your current content.

🛠️ How to Refresh OTTO Metadata

1. Log in to your Search Atlas account.
2. In the left sidebar, navigate to OTTO SEO → SEO Automation (URL: /seo-automation-v3).
3. Select the project or website affected by the outdated image metadata.
4. Locate the deployed fix that references the outdated image and either roll back (undeploy) the fix, or edit the fix in OTTO to point to a current image. OTTO will stop injecting the outdated ImageObject once the fix is rolled back or updated.
5. If your site uses its own caching (server, CDN, or a WordPress caching plugin), clear that cache as well so the updated metadata is served to visitors.
6. Re-validate your schema using a tool such as Google's Rich Results Test to confirm the outdated ImageObject entries are no longer present.

✅ How to Confirm the Fix Worked

• Open Google's Rich Results Test or the Schema Markup Validator and enter the affected page URL.
• Check that no ImageObject entries reference old or missing image files (e.g., filenames that no longer exist in your media library).
• If your site uses a CDN, allow up to 24 hours for edge caches to propagate the updated metadata globally. You will need to clear your own CDN or caching-plugin cache separately.

💡 Tips to Prevent This Issue

• Re-scan after major content changes. Whenever you remove, replace, or significantly update images on your site, trigger a manual re-scan in OTTO to keep structured data in sync.
• Remove unused images from your CMS media library. Deleting old image files from your media library (not just from pages) reduces the chance of stale references being picked up in future scans.
• Check schema after redesigns or migrations. Site redesigns frequently swap out image assets. Always validate your schema immediately after a redesign or platform migration.

🆘 Still Seeing Outdated Metadata?

If you have rolled back or edited the affected fix in OTTO but the outdated ImageObject schema warnings persist, there may be a deeper sync issue that requires investigation. 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.