Structured Data (Schema Markup)

Structured data is machine-readable metadata (typically JSON-LD) that describes your content using the Schema.org vocabulary. It helps search engines and AI systems understand entities (people, products, articles), relationships, and key attributes on a page. Correct markup can unlock rich results (e.g., stars, breadcrumbs, product info), clarify relevance, and improve how your brand appears across search and assistant surfaces.

Why It Matters

  • Rich results & higher CTR: Enhanced listings stand out and attract more qualified clicks.
  • Disambiguation: Clearly tells crawlers what a page is about (entity, type, attributes).
  • AI/answer engines: Better machine understanding increases inclusion in conversational answers.
  • Consistency: Reinforces canonical URLs, internal linking, and overall information architecture.

Best Practices

  1. Prefer JSON-LD (in <script type="application/ld+json">) over Microdata.
  2. Match visible content: Don’t mark up info users can’t see; avoid fake ratings or spam.
  3. Use canonical identifiers: Include stable url and @id values that match your canonical URL.
  4. Nest related types: e.g., Product → Offer → AggregateRating/Review.
  5. Cover required & recommended fields: (name, description, image, brand, price, etc.).
  6. One primary intent per page: Product page uses Product as the main type; article uses Article.
  7. Keep it current: Update markup when content/prices change; avoid contradictory duplicates.
  8. Validate & monitor: Test markup and track rich result eligibility in your search tools.
  9. Eligibility varies: Some result types (e.g., certain FAQ/HowTo displays) may have restricted visibility—focus on types aligned with your content and guidelines.

Common Types to Consider

Organization, Website, WebPage, BreadcrumbList, Article/BlogPosting,
Product/Offer/AggregateRating, LocalBusiness, Event, Review, VideoObject.

Minimal Example (Breadcrumbs, JSON-LD)

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
  "itemListElement": [
    {"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://example.com/"},
    {"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Glossary","item":"https://example.com/glossary/"},
    {"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"SEO & Digital Marketing","item":"https://example.com/glossary/seo/"}
  ]
}
</script>