TL;DR – What Is SEO Schema Markup?
Schema markup is a type of code added to your website that helps search engines better understand your content, enabling enhanced results like rich snippets.
It improves visibility on Google by converting unstructured data into structured data – especially helpful for gaining features like star ratings, product details, or business info in search results.
Key schema types include review/star rating schema, product schema for eCommerce, and local business schema to boost local search visibility.
Only 1 in 3 websites use schema, so implementing it can give your site a competitive SEO advantage.
Best practice: Use tools like Google’s Rich Results Test or hire experts to implement schema correctly and comply with current guidelines.
What is a Schema?
Schema Markup helps search engines understand exactly what your content is trying to say. It works to convert all that unstructured data that is useful for human users to learn from and converts it into structured data that helps search engines understand your site better.
What is Schema Markup in SEO?
Schema SEO is a very powerful tool that helps search engine algorithms better understand the information on your site and also the relationship between entities on your website. It works to answer key information, including
- Who
- What
- Where
- When
- How
Only around 1/3 of websites use technical SEO schema on their website, which means adding one to your website is a great way to immediately boost your website. Not only that, but using the best schema for SEO allows you to increase the chance of having rich snippet results. These rich snipped results include listicles or answers that Google shows first to question queries.
There are a variety of rich snippets, from how-to rich snippets to local business rich snippets to information rich snippets. As there are a variety of different rich snippets, there are also a variety of different schema markup types, which can make it difficult for those just learning how to use schema markup for SEO or to even understand the schema.org SEO impact your efforts have on your website.
Using schema for SEO is one of the best ways to improve your website’s visibility and ranking on Google, especially on specific rich snippet results and even voice search results. Though there are many different rich snippet types, the biggest Schema types you will want to invest in for your website are star rating schemas, product schemas, and business schemas.
Understanding Star Rating Schema
Star rating schema, or a review rating schema, is one of the most useful schema types for products, services, and even for your business as a whole. Rich review snippets are an excellent way to grab attention online and are easy to add to your website’s HTML.
All you need is to use a code from a review markup implementation system. Once you do that, you will then be able to display your aggregate rating schema and see the review snippet on Google’s Search Engine Results Page (SERP). There has, however, been a lot of abuse, meaning new updates and guidelines to follow for the Google star rating schema.
It is recommended that you use an aggregate rating schema markup, which displays the average rating rather than a single favourable review. Ensuring that your product or star rating page includes a schema aggregate rating that adheres to all the guidelines is a must to help improve the visibility and trust of your website on search engines.
Understanding Product Schema
Product schema works to help your products appear as rich snippets on Google search results. To improve your product schema, you need to maintain accuracy, important information, and relevant products. Not only does product schema SEO work to help improve the rich snippets on Google search results, but it also makes your products eligible for the product badge in Google Images.
Though every eCommerce brand should invest in a schema markup product strategy, it is important to note that to have your products appear on the Google Shopping tab, you will need to use Google Merchant Centre and opt-in.
You would typically use a product markup schema on product pages that describe a single product, or alternatively, a product database schema that lists multiple listings for the same product (for example, if your product is available through multiple sellers).
You can enhance your Google product schema by adding extra details, like shipping details or price drops, though not every country or language is yet supported.
For best results, you should use your Google product or product catalogue database schema to add markup for a specific product, rather than a category or list of different products. Similarly, if adding reviews to the product, it must be a valid name for a person or a team.
For best results, you will want to enrich your product listing as well. With this product schema example you will want to add the [name], [image], [price], [availability] and also [priceCurrency].
The benefits are massive and allow your product to be found via rich snippets, shopping badges on Google Images, and if you use Google Merchant Centre, even on the Google Shopping Tab.
Understanding Business Schema
Local business schema and structured data allow users to better search for businesses on search engines and map apps. Not only could your search result display a prominent Google knowledge panel, but it can also help your business appear as part of the carousel of business suggestions at the top of the result.
A local business schema can help you benefit from these rich snippets and make your business far more visible online.
There are many reasons why you will want to use Google schema local business best practices. You can add essential information, such as your standard hours, late-night hours, all-day hours, and seasonal hours. You can include your multiple departments or locations and more.
There are new features and options being added regularly, with new options for different schema business types. Restaurants, for example, have new tools available that other store types currently do not, and even then, there is limited access to these new features, and you need to apply to gain access.
In our local business schema example, you will want to include information that helps explain what your business is, what it does, when it is open, and where it is located. You can use Rich Results Test to help you see how the different features will look on your own local business schema markup example.
For best results, having knowledgeable experts update and optimise your Schema markup for each page and to suit your business type will help improve your visibility, particularly on specific niche or local search results. While there are some extensions and add-ons, you can include if you currently use a CMS, if your site uses JavaScript, you will need to generate structured data yourself. Regardless of which avenue you require, having experts help you with your schema markup means always adhering to the strict guidelines and seeing the best results.
