What Is Structured Data?
Structured data is a standardised format for providing information about a page and classifying its content. The most widely used format is JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data), which uses the Schema.org vocabulary. Structured data is placed inside a <script type="application/ld+json"> tag in your page's HTML and is not visible to users but is read by search engines.
Why Structured Data Matters for SEO
Structured data helps search engines understand the meaning behind your content rather than just the words on the page. When search engines understand your content, they can display rich results such as star ratings, FAQ accordions, recipe cards, event listings, and product prices directly in search results. These enhanced listings attract more clicks and can significantly improve your click-through rate.
Google has stated that structured data is a requirement for many rich result types. Without it, your pages are limited to standard blue-link listings even if the content would qualify for enhanced features.
Common Schema.org Types
| Schema Type | Use Case |
|---|---|
| Article | Blog posts, news articles, and editorial content. |
| Product | E-commerce product pages with price, availability, and reviews. |
| FAQPage | Frequently asked questions pages. Can appear as expandable results in Google. |
| LocalBusiness | Physical business locations with address, hours, and contact details. |
| BreadcrumbList | Navigation breadcrumbs that appear in search results showing page hierarchy. |
| Organization | Company or organisation details including logo, social profiles, and contact info. |
| HowTo | Step-by-step instructions that can display as rich results. |
Structured Data Best Practices
- Use JSON-LD format - Google recommends JSON-LD over Microdata or RDFa for structured data.
- Only mark up visible content - The structured data should reflect content that users can actually see on the page.
- Use specific types - Choose the most specific Schema.org type that applies to your content.
- Include required properties - Each schema type has required and recommended properties. Include all required ones at minimum.
- Validate your markup - Test your structured data with Google's Rich Results Test before deploying.
- Keep it accurate - Misleading structured data (e.g. fake reviews) violates guidelines and can result in penalties.
How RankNibbler Checks Your Structured Data
RankNibbler scans your page for JSON-LD script blocks and extracts any Schema.org structured data found. The audit shows whether structured data is present, displays the schema types detected, and provides a formatted preview of the JSON-LD content. Pages without any structured data are flagged as missing an opportunity for rich results.
Check your structured data now. Visit the RankNibbler homepage and audit any URL for free.