What do SEO terms like structured data and schema markup mean for search engines? The question revolves around how websites use clever tables and codes to let Google and other search engines understand exactly what a page is about. Think of an online recipe where you not only see the dish, but also the cooking time, ingredients and reviews directly in the search results. Structured data adds that extra information, while schema markup is the language that search engines understand.
These techniques help to make your site more visible with rich snippets, such as star ratings or event dates, which increases your calling power. For search engines, this means less guessing and more targeted content, which can improve your ranking in search results. It’s like hiring a problem solver to tell your story with crystal clarity – increasing the chances of your site being found faster.
In short, by applying structured data and schema markup you make your website smarter and more attractive to search engines. This not only helps with product pages, events and reviews, but also with companies and how-to articles. This way you ensure that your content stands out and is understandable, exactly what Google wants and which gives you more visitors.
What is structured data and schema markup in SEO?
Structured data and schema markup are actually the silent heroes of modern search engine optimization. They provide search engines with additional information about the content of your website, allowing search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo to better understand what your page actually contains. Instead of just reading the plain text, search engines can learn, for example, whether something is a product, an event, a recipe, or a person. This is done through structured formats based on Schema.org, a collaboration between Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Yandex.
Schema markup can make your website more appealing in search results, for example with rich snippets such as star ratings, pricing information or opening hours. This not only increases visibility, but also click-through rates.
How does schema markup work and why is it essential for search engines?
Search engines use algorithms based on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and semantic technologies to interpret web pages. However, they often need additional cues to better understand the context and type of content. Schema markup provides a standardized way to encode that additional information into the HTML of your page.
- Add data: You add structured data in JSON-LD, Microdata or RDFa format, naming element types such as “Article”, “Event” or “Product” according to Schema.org.
- Sending semantic signals: This helps search engines recognize the meaning of objects, such as who the author is, what the price is, or when an event takes place.
- Improved search views: This information allows Google to use rich snippets, carousels, or Knowledge Graph cards, similar to those used in Google Assistant technology and other voice search platforms.
Experts like Google's Danny Sullivan emphasize the importance of structured data for voice search and mobile search experiences. It's also become a must-have technology as searches increasingly move toward natural language.
Important types of structured data and their applications
- Products: This provides a structured display of price, availability, reviews and stock status. Think of a webshop that can appear directly in Google Shopping with this.
- Events: Date, location and ticket information appear in search results. Organizers like Eventbrite use this to make their events more discoverable.
- Reviews and ratings: Stars, authors, and review data increase credibility in search results, which results in more clicks. Think of platforms like Trustpilot or Yelp.
- Companies and organizations: Contact information, opening hours and location are visible via rich results and in the Knowledge Graph, significantly boosting local SEO.
- Recipes: Cooking time, ingredients and calories are clearly displayed, popular with food blogs and platforms such as Allrecipes.
How do you effectively implement structured data on your website?
- Choose the correct type of schedule: Select the appropriate scheme based on your content. For example, use Product for web shops, or Article for blogs.
- Use tools like Google's Structured Data Markup Helper: This free tool helps you generate the correct code.
- Add the code via JSON-LD: This method is recommended by Google because it is independent of HTML elements and easy to maintain.
- Test with Google's Rich Results Test: This checks whether search engines can correctly read and use your structured data.
- Monitor results via Google Search Console: There you will find reports on any errors and see which rich snippets appear in search results.
The History and Evolution of Schema Markup in SEO
The origins of schema markup date back to 2011, when tech giants Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and later Yandex joined forces to create a universal language for structured data: Schema.org. This collaboration allowed developers and marketers worldwide to add additional context to content in a uniform way.
Over the years, Schema.org has seen continuous updates, adding more and more types and properties to support more complex information, such as artwork, medical information, and even documents. Google also expanded its use to the Knowledge Graph, which exposes deep entities and relationships on the web.
The rise of artificial intelligence and NLP technologies makes structured data indispensable. Without this data, a website risks being lost in a content overload and will be given less priority in voice search and featured snippets.
How Flexamedia can help with structured data and schema markup
Knowing what structured data is is one thing, but applying it requires expertise. At Flexamedia, we help you create, implement, and optimize structured data on your website. This is how we ensure:
- Technical SEO advice: Where can you gain from schema markup within your niche?
- Custom implementation: Based on your goals and content, we add the right structured data format, using the latest standards and tools.
- Maintenance and monitoring: This way you avoid errors and get the most out of rich snippets and better indexation.
- Training and knowledge sharing: We also help you better understand the importance and operation of schema markup yourself, so that you are in control.
Want to get started with keyword best practices yourself? Discover how to create a well-thought-out keyword strategy and avoid common mistakes in keyword research. In addition, we also provide insights for the detect user intent for keywords, which makes your SEO even more powerful.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is structured data and why is it important for search engines?
Structured data is a standardized way to organize and mark up information on your website so that search engines like Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo can better understand your content. Think of schema.org, an initiative by Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo that provides common terms and properties to label your content. For example, you can use structured data to indicate that a product has a price, a review has a rating, or an event has a date. This allows search engines to process these details and enrich your website with rich snippets in search results, increasing your visibility and click-through rates. Experts like Aaron Bradley emphasize the importance of this for modern SEO.
2. How does schema markup work and what does it bring to your website?
Schema markup is the practical application of structured data on your web pages. By adding HTML tags according to schema.org standards, you create a 'language' that search engines recognize. This helps search technologies, based on natural language processing (NLP), to provide context to your content. The result? Better findability and more attractive search results with, for example, star reviews, FAQs or product availability. Tools such as Google's Structured Data Testing Tool (now Rich Results Test) make it easy to check whether your markup is interpreted correctly. By implementing schema markup, you gain an advantage over competitors who do not.
3. Can my company in the Netherlands benefit from structured data and schema markup?
Definitely! Whether you are active in Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Utrecht, applying structured data is essential to strengthen your local SEO and increase your online visibility. Local searches are becoming increasingly contextual, with Google actually understanding the relationships between companies, locations and services through their Knowledge Graph. Companies that use structured data and schema markup, such as Flexamedia, can increase their relevance and appear faster in local search results with extensive information such as opening hours, reviews and directions. This translates into more visitors and potential customers without additional advertising costs. Want to know more? Discover our SEO tips for SEO Amsterdam and SEO Rotterdam.