Has MicroData Query Input is a boolean check for whether a page’s rendered body carries the Microdata attribute itemprop="query-input" — the property that describes the required query parameter of a search action. It returns 1 when RankGear finds at least one literal, double-quoted occurrence and 0 otherwise; the check is a text match, not a validation that the search-action markup is complete or eligible for a sitelinks search box.
| Factor ID | RG-SCM-036 |
|---|---|
| Family | Structured data — Microdata |
| Measurement | Binary presence (0 / 1) |
| Measured zone | Rendered body HTML with scripts removed |
What it measures
Has MicroData Query Input reports whether RankGear finds the Microdata attribute itemprop="query-input" in the rendered body after script elements are removed. In Microdata a query-input property names the required query parameter of a search action — the slot a site tells search engines how to fill. This factor is a present-or-absent observation about that one specific attribute; it does not count how many search inputs are marked up, nor does it judge whether the surrounding action type or parameter value is valid.
How RankGear measures it
RankGear performs a case-insensitive search for the literal double-quoted form itemprop="query-input" in the script-free body. It returns 1 when at least one match exists and 0 otherwise. The match is a plain text search: the attribute name, equals sign, double quotes, and property value must be contiguous, so single quotes or added spacing will not register.
What RankGear looks for
# Case-insensitive text match on the rendered, script-free body
# Any one contiguous, double-quoted hit scores 1
<input itemprop="query-input" type="text" name="search_term_string" required>
<meta itemprop="query-input" content="required name=search_term_string">
# Does NOT match: single quotes or extra spacing
itemprop='query-input' -> no match
itemprop = "query-input" -> no match| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1 | At least one contiguous, double-quoted itemprop="query-input" was found in the script-free body. |
| 0 | No such match was found — which does not prove the page lacks a search action, since single quotes, extra spacing, or a JSON-LD potentialAction would not register here. |
How to optimize it
Use query-input only as part of the required query parameter specification for a valid search action, and keep the value aligned with visible content and the vocabulary expected by its parent item type. Treat this factor as an observation of one attribute’s presence rather than a target to game: adding query-input where there is no genuine on-site search, or where the parent action type does not expect it, produces invalid structured data rather than any benefit.
Important considerations
- The detector pattern-matches HTML text instead of parsing or validating a Microdata item graph.
- It requires the attribute name, equals sign, double quotes, and property value to be contiguous; single quotes or added spacing do not match.
- Scripts are removed before matching, and capitalization does not affect detection.
- Validate the parent item type, property value, nesting, and structured-data eligibility independently.
- This is a prioritization signal that relates to patterns within a measured result set, not a cause of ranking; a match neither makes a page rank nor guarantees a position.
Related factors
Part of the Factors reference · how RankGear measures · glossary.