It helps video, image and many different types of copy content stand out, appear in enriched formats, and provide more relevant information to users, ultimately improving online presence and engagement.

You can check your web pages by using the Structured Data Testing Tool and choose Google or Schema.

I err to the latter (and currently testing different WordPress Plugins on my own Actionable Insight website)

If this is of interest to you or your business please do not hesitate and get in touch today, Just call 07970623946 or email roger@actionableinsight.co.uk

Here’s how structured data can benefit each of these areas:

Search Engines (e.g., Google, Bing)

Rich Snippets

Structured data markup, such as Schema.org markup, allows search engines to understand the content on web pages more comprehensively. This enables search engines to display rich snippets, which are enhanced search results that include additional information, like ratings, reviews, event details, and more. Rich snippets can make your content more appealing to users, increasing click-through rates.

Knowledge Graph

Search engines use structured data to populate their knowledge graphs, which are databases of information about entities (e.g., people, places, organisations). When your content includes structured data, it becomes more likely to be featured in these knowledge graphs, increasing your brand’s visibility and authority.

Enhanced Search Features

Structured data can also enable your content to appear in various enhanced search features, such as featured snippets, carousel results, and local business listings. This enhances your visibility and can drive more organic traffic to your website.

Social Media Search (e.g., Facebook, X formerly known as Twitter, LinkedIn)

Rich Link Previews

When you share links on social media platforms, they often generate link previews that include images, titles, and descriptions. By using structured data, you can have more control over how these link previews appear. This can make your shared content more visually appealing and engaging, increasing the likelihood of user engagement and click-throughs.

Content Categorisation

Structured data can help social media platforms categorise and understand the type of content they are sharing, making it more discoverable to users who are interested in specific topics or categories.

AI Platform Questions (e.g., ChatGPT, Bard and Bing Chat)

Accurate Responses

Structured data can help AI platforms, like voice assistants and chatbots, provide more accurate and relevant answers to user queries. When your content is structured and well-tagged, AI systems can extract information more effectively, leading to better responses.

Conversational Understanding

AI platforms that understand structured data can have more context-aware conversations with users. For example, if a user asks about nearby restaurants, structured data can provide location data and user ratings, enabling the AI to recommend restaurants that match the user’s preferences.

References

https://www.schemaapp.com/

https://www.statista.com/

https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data

Frequently asked questions

What is structured data?

Structured data is a standardised format for providing information about a webpage or other data source to search engines and other computer systems in a way that is easily understandable. It uses predefined schemas or markup languages to organise and categorise data, making it more accessible and interpretable by machines.

Structured data helps search engines and other applications understand the content and context of web pages or data, which can lead to various benefits, including enhanced search results, rich snippets, and improved data integration into other systems.

Some common markup languages and formats for structured data include:

Schema.org

Schema.org is one of the most widely used and recognised structured data markup languages. It provides a vocabulary of terms and properties that webmasters can use to annotate their web content, such as articles, products, events, and more.

JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data)

JSON-LD is a format for representing structured data using JSON notation. It is commonly used in web development to embed structured data directly within web pages.

Microdata

Microdata is an HTML5 specification that allows you to add machine-readable annotations to HTML elements on web pages. It is a way to provide structured data within the HTML markup itself.

RDFa (Resource Description Framework in Attributes)

RDFa is an HTML extension that allows you to embed structured data into HTML documents using attributes. It’s used to express relationships between resources on the web.

Structured data can describe various types of information, including:

Products (and Services)

Providing details about products, such as their name, price, availability, and reviews.

Events

Describing event information, such as dates, locations, and performers.

Articles

Marking up articles with information like the title, author, publication date, and more.

Local Businesses

Providing data about local businesses, such as their name, address, phone number, and opening hours.

Recipes

Structuring recipe data, including ingredients, cooking times, and instructions.

Reviews and Ratings

Including user reviews and ratings for products, services, or businesses.

N.B. When webmasters or developers incorporate structured data into their web content, it helps search engines and other applications better understand the content, which can lead to improved search engine rankings, richer search results, and enhanced user experiences when interacting with websites, apps, and other digital platforms.