Schema markup
Structured data that tells search engines what a page is about.
Schema markup is structured data, written with the shared vocabulary from schema.org, that describes a page's content in a machine-readable way: that a page is a product, an article, an FAQ, a person or an organisation, with its key facts.
Google supports three formats, JSON-LD, Microdata and RDFa, and recommends JSON-LD where a site allows it. Valid markup can make a page eligible for rich results, but Google does not guarantee them. AI systems also read structured data when they parse a page.
Key characteristics
- Uses the schema.org vocabulary to describe page content.
- Usually added as a JSON-LD script; Google recommends that format.
- Can make pages eligible for rich results, with no guarantee.
- Must match what the page visibly says.
Example
A service page adds JSON-LD describing the service, its price and its FAQs, so search engines and AI tools read the offer accurately rather than guessing from the layout.
Go deeper
Frequently asked questions
Does schema markup improve rankings?
Not directly. It helps search engines understand a page and can make it eligible for rich results, which may earn more clicks. Google does not guarantee rich results for valid markup.
Which schema format should I use?
JSON-LD. Google says all three supported formats are fine when valid, but recommends JSON-LD if your site's setup allows it.