A type of structured data markup that helps search engines understand content context.
Why Microdata Matters
Microdata matters because it helps search engines understand a webpage’s content at a deeper level. By providing structured data, you can help a search engine’s algorithms move beyond simple keyword matching and get a more accurate understanding of your content’s relevance. This can lead to rich results (also known as rich snippets) in the search results, which can significantly boost your click-through rate. A rich result often includes a star rating, a product price, or an event date, and it makes your listing stand out from the competition. Microdata is a key part of your on-page SEO strategy.
Across Different CMS Platforms
The management of Microdata is a technical SEO strategy that can be applied to any CMS.
WordPress
WordPress users can easily add Microdata to their website by using a plugin like All in One Schema Rich Snippets. This plugin can help you add schema for articles, products, and FAQs with a simple user interface.
Shopify
On Shopify, Microdata is essential for product and review schema. Many Shopify themes and apps can automatically generate the necessary Microdata for your products, but it is a good practice to verify that it is valid and correct.
Wix
Wix has a streamlined, user-friendly system, but you can still optimize for Microdata. The platform’s built-in SEO tools make it easy to manage your titles, meta descriptions, and on-page content.
Webflow
Webflow gives you granular control over your website’s design and code, which is perfect for a sophisticated structured data strategy. You can use it to create a perfectly structured page that is optimized for a specific keyword or set of keywords.
Custom CMS
With a custom CMS, you have the most control but also the most responsibility. You can build a system that automatically tracks and analyzes your Microdata performance and provides your content creators with data-driven insights.
Across Different Industries
The way you use Microdata will depend on your industry and your goals.
E-commerce
In e-commerce, the most important types of Microdata are Product schema and Review schema. Product schema helps search engines understand the product’s name, price, and availability, while Review schema allows you to display a star rating in search results.
Local Businesses
Local businesses should use Local Business schema to help search engines understand their name, address, phone number, and hours of operation. This can lead to a more prominent listing in local search results.
SaaS Companies
SaaS companies can use FAQ schema on their pricing or features pages to show a collapsible list of questions and answers in search results. They can also use Article schema for their blog posts to get a more prominent listing.
Blogs
For bloggers, Article schema is crucial. It tells search engines that your content is an article and provides additional information like the author and publication date. This can lead to a more prominent listing and a higher click-through rate.
Do’s and Don’ts of Microdata
Do’s
- Do use the correct schema type. Make sure your schema type (e.g., Product, Article) matches the content on your page.
- Do use the most specific schema type. For example, use Movie instead of CreativeWork.
- Do validate your Microdata. Use Google’s Rich Results Test tool to check for any errors before you publish.
- Do ensure your structured data is a true representation of the content on your page. Do not mark up content that is not visible to the user.
Don’ts
- Don’t use the wrong schema type. This can confuse search engines and may lead to a penalty.
- Don’t add schema to a page that doesn’t have the content. For example, don’t add Review schema to a page that doesn’t have any reviews.
- Don’t use structured data to trick search engines. Google has a very strict policy against spammy structured data.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Adding Microdata for a non-existent entity: For example, adding schema for a product that is not on the page.
- Failing to validate the code: A simple typo can render your Microdata useless. Always use a validation tool.
- Not updating the schema: If your product price changes, your schema should also be updated.
- Using structured data to trick search engines: For example, adding a 5-star rating to a product that doesn’t have any reviews.
FAQs
How is Microdata different from JSON-LD?
It is embedded directly into the HTML of a webpage, while JSON-LD is placed in a separate script tag. JSON-LD is the recommended format by Google because it is cleaner and easier to implement.
Is Microdata a ranking factor?
No, this is not a direct ranking factor. It helps search engines understand your content better, which can lead to a rich result that can significantly boost your click-through rate and, as a result, indirectly improve your rankings.
What is the difference between Microdata and a rich result?
This is the code that you add to a webpage. A rich result is the prominent listing that appears in search results. A rich result is often a result of using structured data, like Microdata.
How do I test my Microdata to make sure it’s valid?
You can use Google’s Rich Results Test tool to check if your Microdata is valid and if it is eligible for any rich snippets. You can also use the Schema Markup Validator to check for any errors.
Can a page have multiple types of Microdata?
Yes, a page can have multiple types of Microdata. For example, a blog post about a product could have both Article schema and Product schema.
