Do your social links agree with your markup?

By Matt Kerr·Published 11 November 2026

It compares profile platforms linked on the site with those declared in sameAs.

What Check Engine measures

The check needs a homepage and at least 3 successful pages. It samples up to 30 pages. A profile is relevant when linked on the homepage or on at least the larger of 2 pages or the rounded-up third of that sample. Content and sharing URLs are excluded. Profile platforms are compared with served sameAs links and script-built declarations. The comparison is by platform rather than exact account URL. For example, a footer profile repeated across the qualifying sample can enter the comparison without a homepage link.

The check reads homepage profile links, profiles linked across multiple pages and business markup. You still need to confirm that each account belongs to the business.

How to read the result

Missing platforms are low severity when some declarations exist and medium when none do. Script-only declarations can produce a separate notice. The platform comparison does not prove that a linked account and a declared account are the same account.

Why it matters

Visible links and business markup should describe the identity you intend to publish. A platform-level check can find a gap, but the owner still needs to confirm each account before adding it to a business declaration.

How to fix it

Compare the profile links in your header or footer with the business node. Add the correct owned profiles where missing and remove stale accounts. Inspect script-built declarations in the served document before changing them. Verify the exact account URL yourself, because a matching platform name alone cannot settle ownership.

Not every social link on your site is yours

What we found in field audits

Problems in Brand consistency were found on 13 of the 14 sites we audited. These are area totals. Read the field-audit method.

Method note

backend/seo_engine/checks/brand.py, social_consistency, revision 0bb8e8d3.