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Google and other search engines are constantly designing how SERPs appear when it comes to different types of queries. With this continuous shift, the space for displaying organic links continues to decrease in size, especially on mobile.
This brings us to the point of why it is essential to use schema markup to stand out against competitors online. This basically allows you elevate your position make your business more visible in SERPs.
SEMrush conducted a study recently which showed that out of 500 fortune companies, only 44% of these companies employed schema markup on their web pages.
Schema markup is also important when it comes to voice search and voice-activated devices. A study conducted by SEMrush stated that “the majority of answers served via voice search were marked up with some form of a schema.” The fact is about half of consumers use their voice when it comes to web search. This only implies that there is a need to begin adopting voice search optimization tactics if you want to be up to date with consumer behaviours and stay visible in SERPs.
There are claims that adding Schema to webpages can help in improving your rankings, but Google disputes this and says structured data is not a ranking signal.
So as it stands, your webpage is can look better in SERPs and clicks are highlighted as one of schema markup’s main benefits.
If you are enjoying this blog post, we would recommend checking out our How can I remove a link from Google search? blog post.
What is Schema Markup?
This HTML code comes in the form of microdata, which is added to your webpage. When you add an HTML code, Schema markup aids search engines like Bing, Google, and Yandex to understand the provided content. This makes results that are quick and relevant appear higher in search engine results pages.
In the year 2011, three search engines collaborated to come up with hyper user-focused search results. This led to creating Schema that would be understood on all platforms and of standard calibre.
Schema tells search engines what data means, making use of a unique semantic schema vocabulary in the format of microdata. Today, Schema.org is the Schema markup website that users depend on to boost their SEO schema markup.
Why is Schema Markup Important for SEO?
Schema Markup Provides Extensive Rich Snippets
The main reason why Schema markup is important is that it makes web pages look better in search engine results pages. This works by schemas’ ability to enhance the rich snippets that are shown under your content’s page title.
Several studies and real-life examples show that a rich snippet looks much better in comparison to the second result, which only has the metadata chosen by Google. Structured data is the essence of those snippets, as it helps in displaying exact and accurate information that you would prefer users to see on your web pages.
While schema markup provides detailed information to search engines, don’t overlook the importance of a well-devised meta description. This snippet not only summarises your page’s content for users but also works in tandem with schema to enhance visibility and click-through rates in search results. A clear, concise meta description that reflects the page’s search intent can make a significant difference in how users interact with your content.
It drives Organic Click-Through Rates
With the explanation above, remember that a structured data mark-up on a web page results in an extensive rich snippet.
A click-through rate increment emerges as the outcome of an extensive rich snippet that is represented well in search engine results pages.
It’s important to note how this indirect SEO benefit can be provided by your own Schema markup for rich snippets. Providing targeted metadata that is of great accuracy than mere keywords makes your web pages more easily indexable.
Remember, click-through rate, bounce rate, time on site, and other related SEO linked data are all important ranking factors for your successful SEO strategy.
Schema Markup Boosts Your Website SEO
We mentioned that schema markup should not be considered a direct ranking factor. Nonetheless, it should be noted that your website ranking can be greatly elevated in search engine results pages by this encouraged SEO practice.
As said earlier, structured data markup can assist in the enhancement of your rich snippets, which eventually drives higher click-through rates. In addition to that, search engines recognise the data markup and understand the content of your webpage better. This leads to it being more indexable as compared to websites without schemas.
Another study discovered that web pages that have a structured data markup have the potential of ranking up to four positions higher, compared to those which do not have a data markup.
How to Use Schema Markup for SEO
This is where talk about how to use schema markup. The goal is to look better, rank better, and have better performance in the SERPs and the eyes of users. Schema markup is very helpful in doing just that.
Below are the steps that you need to follow:
- Go to Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper
You can easily find this option.
- Select the type of data
They are several listed options you that can choose from, considering that the list is designed in a way to not be exhaustive.
- Paste the URL You Want to Markup
In the case you only have HTML, you can just paste it. After that, click the option “Start Tagging”
In the markup tool, you will find a loaded page which will provide you with the required workspace you need for the next phase of your markup, in short, tagging items. You can view your web page in the left lane, and the structured data items in the right pane.
- Select the Elements to Mark Up
For instance, if you have an article piece of content, the name of the article is highlighted to add the “Name” markup. After you finish highlighting, select “Name” from the tooltip. The tool will then add it to “Data items”.
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Continue Adding Schema Markup Items
The list of data items is used as a guide, and the other items in your article are highlighted with the aim of adding them to the markup list. It is not possible to tag every item in the list; just add what you can.
- Create the HTML
It’s time to click “Create HTML.” The following page will show the HTML of your page, which has the relevant microdata inserted in the spots that you selected.
- Add Schema Markup to Your Site
Go into your CMS, or another source if you are not using CMS, and then make an addition of the highlighted snippets in the appropriate spots.
Look for the yellow markers on the scrollbar to find the Schema markup code.
In simple ways, you can just download the automatically-generated HTML file, then copy and paste the file into your CMS or source code.
After clicking “Finish”, you will receive the order of “Next Steps.”
- Test Your Schema
Utilise the Structured Data Testing Tool has to find out what your page will look like with the added markup.
Tips for Using Schema Markup for SEO
The main goal of this article is to introduce you to the world of Schema markup. We’re giving you some tips which will show you how to even go deeper and get even richer results from your schema markup.
Find The Most Commonly Used Schemas
Schema.org gives you common types of schema markup. You can visit the organisation of schemas page to view this list, and discover yourself which types are suited best for your business.
Use All The Schema You Need
As stated earlier, there are several markup types. You can find available markup types on this master list.
The More Markups, The Better
Schema.org’s instructions state clearly, “the more content you mark up, the better.” Once you gain an understanding of the vast array of item types, you can see how much there is on your web page that you can mark-up.
Remember that the disclaimer states that content must only be marked up if it is visible to people who visit the web page, and when the content is not hidden in dives, or other hidden page elements.
What Is Schema Used For?
To go straight to the point, schema markup is used to provide context to an otherwise ambiguous webpage. Search engines use it to understand what is on the page, instead of just indexing what is there and hoping that the context is perceived right.
After you add schema markup to your website, it helps improve the way your page is displayed in SERPs, enhancing all types of queries. These are referred to as rich snippets and you can find them beneath the title of the page.
Rich snippets are features that highlight key relevant information on Google search results. They go beyond the standard blue links that provide carousels, images, and other non-textual elements.
Types of Schema Markups
There are several types of Schema Markups, as people ask many different questions when making queries on search engines. Therefore, there are varying standards and schemas which work in marking up the different types of information on web pages. This can make it difficult for webmasters to make a decision that is relevant and supported by markup standards.
Creating schema that is supported by major search engines makes it easy for webmasters to add a markup. This simplifies work for search engines to make a creation of rich search features for users.
Let’s look at the common uses for schema markup:
1. Organization Schema Markup
This schema markup clarifies your company information, including your official logo, social profiles, and contact information. This provides the shorts and skinny of a company right off the bat without the need to dig around to look for the basics. This also makes it possible for people to find the information easily if they wish to contact you immediately.
2. Person Market Schema Markup
This type of schema markup shows information concerning an individual. It reveals a person’s name, address, birthday, education, and family members.
Google assumes that if you are looking for someone by name, you are also looking for some basic information.
So this type of Schema delivers the answer you seek without you having to click through to another website.
3. Local Business Schema Markup
This type of schema markup is perfect for local companies or a local branch of an organisation. It helps consumers find the location of the company and other related information like the address, opening hours, contact information, etc.
It’s important to note that a local business is a particular physical business or branch of an organisation like a restaurant, bowling alley, medical practice etc..
4. Product & Offer Schema Markup
This Schema is used when it comes to selling a specific item of a service or product you offer. Both of these deliver your product information, like the price and status. The offer markup, in particular, requires price and currency properties of the price, while product markup only needs the name.
This helps your product/service to stand out from the rest of competitors if they are not using it. In other instances, users can easily compare other competitors provided they are selling the same product/service you are.
5. Breadcrumbs Markup
This particular schema makes a list of the links which point to the current page. It helps users see their location, reducing bounce rates.
6. Article Schema Markup
As the title suggests, this one is mostly used for news and blog posts. It allows search engines to understand easily the content pulling in the headline, the time which it was published, the image featured, and at some points a video. Different types of articles exist, like posts, blogs, news articles, and scholarly articles.
7. Video Schema Markup
This schema markup provides a rather great way to help Google crawl and allow videos to be indexed on your website. This is normally a tough thing for engines to do. So this schema helps your video appear in the Google video search, different from those from YouTube.
8. Event Schema Markup
Event Schema Markup provides additional information designated for events, like the date, location, and price.
This schema markup makes it easy to find the specific events which people might be looking for. It provides the basic information you need to make a purchase.
9. Recipe Schema Markup
This is helpful the recipe website pages to show a rich snippet. Apart from making searchers hungry, it helps users evaluate the finished product before they click through.
10. Rating/Review Schema Markup
Almost everyone likes to look at reviews before they purchase a product. The goal is to buy a product that is worth the cash and has the required features. This schema markup is very helpful as the buyer learn the required information with ease. Basically, without needing to dig deep for the information they’re looking for.
Similar to how movies are presented, that rich snippets can present in different sizes depending on the main focus of the website. The major surprise is that a major website such as IMDb only has a small amount of information listed in their rich snippet, with just a rating for the movie 1917 showing up.
Advanced Techniques for Implementing Schema Markup
One of the necessities for taking SEO to the next level is knowing how to implement schema markup using Javascript object notation (JSON-LD). Google supports JSON-LD because it’s flexible, easy to integrate, and will let you embed structured data directly in your page’s JavaScript code without changing the content that’s visible.
The process of encoding schema markup with JSON-LD:
- Choose the Right Schema Types: Start by identifying which schema types are relevant to your content. Whether you’re running a local café or an online store, there’s a schema for you. Head over to schema.org and pick the schema type that aligns with your content—be it local businesses, products, or articles.
- Generate and Implement: Use tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper to generate schema markup. Once you have your JSON-LD markup ready, embed it in the HTML tags of your page. If you’re using Google Tag Manager, you can even add this schema without touching the site’s code, making the process smooth and risk-free.
- Validate and Monitor: After you’ve added the schema, validation is key. Run your site through Google Search Console to check for errors. Once it’s live, keep an eye on how your rich results perform in the search engine rankings. Tools like Google’s Rich Results Test can help ensure everything is in top shape.
- Regular Updates: The world of SEO is changing, and so are Google’s guidelines. Regularly review and update your schema to keep up with the latest best practices. The better your implementation, the more likely you are to see those coveted spikes in search result pages.
While JSON-LD is the preferred method, there are several schema encoding types. Another approach involves using Resource Description Framework (RDF), which is a standard model for data interchange on the web. RDF allows data to be structured in a way that can be read and understood by both humans and machines, making it a powerful tool for ensuring that your website’s information is accurately interpreted by search engines.
Schema Markup for Enhancing Search Intent and User Experience
Although it is called schema markup, it’s way more than a tool to get your content noticed. It’s like a strategic asset, helping your content to better match what the user search intent. If you truly understand exactly what users are looking for and use the right schema types, it does make all the difference in how your content will appear within Google’s search results.
Implementing Schema Markup to match search intent is like giving your site a superpower. Here’s how:
- Match Schema Types to Intent: Different intents call for different schema types. For instance, if users are looking for product reviews, review markup can help showcase ratings right in the search results, making your listing more attractive. For those leveraging voice search, speakable structured data is your go-to, helping your content be the one that digital assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant choose to read aloud.
- Enhance User Experience: Schema markup doesn’t just help with visibility; it also improves the user experience by delivering the most relevant content straight to the user. Imagine a potential customer seeing your event’s date and location directly on the search page—no clicks needed. That’s the power of schema done right.
- Structured Data Vocabulary and Encoding Types: To ensure your page content is understood by search engines, use a standardized format like JSON-LD for your structured data. Though RDFa and microdata are still used, JSON-LD remains the easiest to implement and maintain. This structured data vocabulary helps search engines understand and present your content in the best possible way, improving your chances of hitting those rich search results.
Using the Schema Markup Test Tool
Not long ago, Google announced that there has been an update for testing schema markup, which is called “Rich Results Test,”. You can use this tool to test and validate structured data through using a URL or code snippet. This new rich snippet will replace the original Google structured data testing tool when they start to phase out.
Yes, you might want to go on with testing and validating your changes until you see that there are no errors anymore. This is because uploading of incorrect data can lead to unwanted Google penalties. Even if the errors can come from a simple misleading, Google could still view this as spam.
Conclusion
Why is schema markup important? One way to think about schema markup is that it’s the powerful technology standing between your content and search engines. It’s kind of like helping a search engine know what your content is really all about. Meanwhile, enriching the structure of how your site appears to users in the search engine results really allows for richer, more engaging user experiences.