Resolving the “Missing Field ‘Position’ in ‘itemListElement’” Error in WordPress Blocksy Theme

Breadcrumbs are essential in website navigation, improving both user experience and SEO. However, WordPress users sometimes encounter the “Missing field ‘position’ in ‘itemListElement’” error, especially with themes like Blocksy that come with default breadcrumb features. This error typically appears in Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool or the Rich Results Test, and fixing it is essential to maintain good SEO health.

Understanding the Error: What is the ‘Position’ Field?

The ‘position’ field within the itemListElement schema of structured data helps Google understand the order of items in a breadcrumb trail. Each breadcrumb item needs a specific position value, which allows search engines to interpret the hierarchy and sequence correctly.

Without this field, Google might have trouble understanding your site’s structure, which can impact SEO performance. This missing position field is a common issue when the theme’s breadcrumb feature doesn’t automatically populate it.

Why This Issue Occurs with the Blocksy Theme

The Blocksy theme, like many WordPress themes, includes its own breadcrumb feature. While this built-in feature is useful, it may lack full support for structured data properties required by search engines, such as the position field within itemListElement. As a result, even if the breadcrumbs display visually, Google may flag this missing field in its structured data tests.

When using an SEO plugin like Rank Math, which includes enhanced structured data for breadcrumbs, the theme’s default breadcrumb feature can override Rank Math’s, leading to the “position” field missing in the schema. Therefore, to resolve this, you need to replace the theme’s default breadcrumb system with Rank Math’s structured data-rich breadcrumbs.

Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing the “Missing Field ‘Position’” Error in Blocksy

Here’s a complete guide to resolving this issue by switching from Blocksy’s default breadcrumbs to Rank Math’s breadcrumb feature:

Step 1: Disable the Default Breadcrumbs in Blocksy

1. Go to Blocksy Theme Settings:In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Customize.Navigate to General > Breadcrumbs (or similar, depending on your Blocksy theme version).
2. Turn Off the Breadcrumb Feature:Look for an option to disable the default breadcrumb feature and turn it off.

Disabling Blocksy’s default breadcrumbs allows Rank Math’s structured data to function without conflict.

Step 2: Enable Breadcrumbs in Rank Math

1. Access Rank Math Settings:Go to Rank Math > General Settings in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Enable Breadcrumbs:Navigate to the Breadcrumbs tab.Enable the Breadcrumbs option and configure your preferred settings (separator, display format, etc.).

For my case, it worked at the second step. sometime it may require more steps.

Step 3: Add Rank Math’s Breadcrumbs to Your Theme

Rank Math’s breadcrumbs won’t display automatically, so you need to insert them in your theme’s template files. Here’s how:

1. Go to Theme Editor:
2. Insert Rank Math’s Breadcrumb Code:

if (function_exists('rank_math_the_breadcrumbs')) {

rank_math_the_breadcrumbs();

}

1. Save Changes:

Step 4: Test the Structured Data with Google’s Rich Results Test

1. Open Google’s Rich Results Test:
2. Verify the “Position” Field:
3. Resolve Any Remaining Issues:

The “Missing field ‘position’ in ‘itemListElement’” error in Blocksy occurs because the theme’s default breadcrumb feature lacks the necessary structured data for search engines. By disabling Blocksy’s breadcrumbs and enabling Rank Math’s, you ensure that all essential fields, including position, are included in your site’s schema.