Glossary · SEO & AI searchTOFU
Schema markup
The short answer
Schema markup is structured data — usually written in JSON-LD — that describes a page's content in a standard vocabulary from schema.org. It tells search engines explicitly that a page is a product with a price, an article with an author, a business with an address, or a list of questions and answers.
Common types
- Organization and LocalBusiness — who you are and where
- Service and Product — what you offer
- Article and BlogPosting — authors and dates
- FAQPage — questions and answers
- BreadcrumbList — site hierarchy
- Person — authors and experts
- Review and AggregateRating — only for genuine reviews
What schema does — and doesn't — do
Schema can make pages eligible for rich results and helps search engines and AI systems understand content accurately. It isn't a direct ranking boost, and Google has reduced how often some rich result types appear. Its extraction value remains.
Common schema types by page
| Page | Useful schema |
|---|---|
| Home / About | Organization, WebSite |
| Contact / location | LocalBusiness with address, hours, geo |
| Service | Service, Organization |
| Product | Product, Offer, AggregateRating (only genuine) |
| Article / guide | Article or BlogPosting, author, dates |
| FAQ section | FAQPage (rich result eligibility is limited) |
| Breadcrumbs | BreadcrumbList |
Validate with Google's Rich Results Test and the Schema.org validator.
Structured data in practice
A product page adds Product structured data with price, availability and reviews, helping Google display rich results where eligible.
Structured data tips
- Mark up only visible content
- Use the right types (Organization, Product, LocalBusiness, FAQPage)
- Validate with testing tools
Common structured-data mistakes
- Marking up content that isn't visible
- Wrong schema types
- Outdated prices and availability
Frequently asked questions
Is schema required for SEO?
No, but it helps search engines understand content and can improve how pages appear.
Can schema be misleading?
It must match what's visible on the page. Marking up content that isn't there violates guidelines.
Does schema improve rankings directly?
Not as a direct ranking boost, but it helps understanding and eligibility for rich results.
Does schema help AI answers?
It helps search systems understand entities and page content; it isn't required for Google's AI features and doesn't replace helpful content.
Does structured data improve rankings?
Not directly, but it can enable rich results and help search engines understand pages.
Does FAQ schema still produce rich results?
Google limits FAQ rich results to certain authoritative sites, but the markup can still help machines understand pages.
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