Structured data and schema markup: a practical introduction
Structured data tells search engines exactly what your content is about. Learn which types matter for businesses and how to add them correctly.
- Published
- Reading time
- 1 min read
Key takeaways
- Structured data describes your content in a standard, machine-readable format.
- Use JSON-LD, and only mark up information visible on the page.
- Test with Google's Rich Results Test and monitor Search Console reports.
Structured data is code that labels the information on a page, for example "this is a product, this is its price, this is its rating". It uses a shared vocabulary from Schema.org, so search engines and other systems can read it reliably.
Why it matters
- It helps search engines understand your content and your business.
- It can make pages eligible for rich results, such as product prices, review stars, breadcrumbs, events or recipes.
- It gives AI systems clear, consistent facts about your organisation and offers.
The format: JSON-LD
Google recommends JSON-LD, a block of structured data in the page's code that doesn't affect the visible layout. Most modern CMS platforms and frameworks can generate it from your content.
Types most businesses use
- Organization or LocalBusiness: name, logo, contact details, address, opening hours and social profiles.
- WebSite: site name and, optionally, search.
- BreadcrumbList: the page's position in your site structure.
- Service: what you offer, often on service pages.
- Product with Offer: price, currency and availability for e-commerce.
- Article or BlogPosting: headline, dates and publisher for articles.
- Event, JobPosting, Recipe and others where relevant.
Rules to follow
- Mark up only what is visible. Structured data must match the content people see on the page.
- Be accurate and current. Wrong prices or availability can lead to manual action and confused customers.
- Don't mark up fake or misleading content, such as reviews written by the business itself.
- Use the most specific type that fits.
Testing
Use Google's Rich Results Test to check eligibility for rich results and the Schema Markup Validator for general validity. After launch, Google Search Console shows reports for detected structured data and any errors.
Keep expectations realistic
Valid markup does not guarantee rich results; Google decides when to show them. Some types have been restricted over time, so check current documentation before investing heavily in one format.
Structured data is part of our technical SEO work and built into the templates in our website development projects.
Frequently asked questions
Does schema markup improve rankings?
It is not a direct ranking factor, but it helps search engines understand your content and can make pages eligible for rich results, which may improve clicks.
Do FAQ rich results still appear?
Google limited FAQ rich results in 2023 to well-known government and health websites. FAQ content is still valuable for visitors, but most sites won't get the rich result.
