Structured data
Definition: Structured data is machine-readable code, usually schema.org vocabulary written in JSON-LD, that describes what a page is about, such as a product, article, organization or event, so search engines can interpret it reliably.
Also called: schema markup, schema.org markup
Updated
What it is for
A web page is written for people. Structured data adds a parallel description for machines: this page is a Product, it costs 49 dollars, it is in stock, it has 212 reviews averaging 4.6. The vocabulary almost everyone uses is schema.org, shared by the major search engines.
Google says it uses structured data to understand page content and to make pages eligible for rich results, and it supports JSON-LD, Microdata and RDFa, recommending JSON-LD (Introduction to structured data).
What it will not do
- It does not guarantee a rich result. Valid markup makes a page eligible; Google decides whether to show the feature.
- It is not needed for AI features. Google says there is no special schema.org markup required to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode.
- It cannot describe what the page does not show. Markup for reviews, prices or FAQs that are not visible to users breaks Google’s guidelines and can lead to a manual action.
Our view: structured data is best seen as a way to state facts unambiguously, not as a ranking lever.
Types still worth adding
| Type | Why |
|---|---|
| Organization | Name, logo and profiles for your brand entity |
| Article or BlogPosting | Dates and authorship for editorial pages |
| Product with Offer | Price, availability and genuine review data |
| BreadcrumbList | Clear site hierarchy |
| LocalBusiness | Address, hours and contact details |
| Event | Dates, location and ticket information |
FAQ and HowTo markup no longer produce rich results in Google, so they are low priority. Validate everything with the schema markup validator.