Structured data is a type of code that helps search engines understand what’s on your web page. Normal HTML shows information, but it doesn’t tell a search engine what that information means. For example, a search engine can see the words “Client Event” and a date on your page, but it doesn’t know it’s an event. With structured data, you can tell it, “This is the name of an event, and this is the start date.”
You are essentially translating your website content into a language search engines can use to process information more effectively. This simple act of defining your content is how you become eligible for rich results, which are much more appealing to users in search.
Structured Data, Schema.org, and Rich Results
It can be easy to get confused by these terms, but they all work together:
- Structured Data: The code that defines your content.
- Schema.org: The global standard, or vocabulary, for structured data that Google recommends.
- Rich Results: The enhanced search listings that Google shows when you use structured data.
Why You Can’t Do SEO Without Structured Data
Sites that use structured data get more organic visibility than those that don’t. While structured data does not directly improve your ranking, it does help in a few key ways:
- Better Visibility: By using structured data, your page becomes eligible for rich results. These are enhanced search listings that can include star ratings, images, product prices, or event dates. Rich results stand out from normal, text-only results and can significantly increase your click-through rate.
- Clearer Communication: Structured data ensures search engines fully understand the context of your page. This helps them rank your content more accurately and show it to the right people.
Some people worry that structured data leads to “zero-click searches,” where a user finds the answer in a rich result and doesn’t click on the website. However, the benefits of standing out from competitors and increasing brand visibility are well worth it.
How to Add Structured Data to Your Site
Understanding JSON-LD and Microdata
There are two recommended ways to add structured data to your site: JSON-LD and Microdata.
- Microdata: This method involves adding attributes directly into your existing HTML code. While this method works, it can be messy to manage in your code.
- JSON-LD: This is the method Google prefers. It’s a simple block of code that you add to your page, usually in the <head> section. It keeps your structured data separate from your visual content, making it much cleaner and easier to manage.
ClickRank uses this method, offering one-click generation and injection of structured data (JSON-LD). It keeps your structured data separate from your visual content, making it much cleaner and easier to manage.
You don’t need to be a coding expert to do this. Most modern Content Management Systems (CMS) have plugins or built-in options that automatically add the correct structured data to your pages.
Key Types of Structured Data to Use
The type of structured data you use depends on your content. Here are some of the most common types that can provide great results:
- Organization: This schema lets you add important contact and business information to your website. It’s a great first step for any business.
- Local Business: If your business has a physical location, this schema is a must-have. It helps Google understand your address, opening hours, and other key details.
- Product: For any e-commerce site, the Product schema is essential. It adds details about your product’s price, reviews, and availability directly to search results, which can dramatically boost your click-through rate.
- Article or Blog Posting: If you have a blog, this schema helps Google understand key details like the headline, author, and publication date of your articles.
- FAQ: This schema is for a list of frequently asked questions and their answers. While Google limits this to certain websites, it’s still a good way to organize your content.
- How To: If you have a page that gives step-by-step instructions for a task, the HowTo schema can lead to a rich result with a clear breakdown.
- Breadcrumbs: This schema allows Google to show the navigation path of your page in search results instead of a plain URL, making your link look cleaner and more organized.
If you’re creating a new blog post, a free tool like the AI Paragraph Generator can help you draft the content you will later optimize with structured data.
How to Check Your Structured Data
As with any code, a small mistake can cause big issues. You should always validate your structured data after you add it to your site. You can use Google’s free Rich Results Test to check your page and see if the structured data is working correctly. This tool will show you which types of rich results your page is eligible for and if there are any errors you need to fix.
What is structured data?
Structured data is a type of code added to a website to help search engines understand the meaning and context of the content on a page.
Does structured data improve rankings?
Structured data does not directly improve your search rankings. However, it can increase your website's visibility and click-through rate by making it eligible for rich results.
Do I need structured data?
Yes, structured data is a must-have for modern SEO. It helps your website stand out in a competitive search landscape and improves how search engines understand your content.
What is a rich result?
A rich result is an enhanced Google search result that includes extra visual elements like star ratings, images, prices, or event dates, all of which are powered by structured data.
