Schema refers to kinds of data with a high level of organization, such as information in a relational database. When information is highly structured and predictable, search engines can more easily organize and display it in creative ways – like rich snippets of data that can display text under every search result.
Structured data markup typically uses the schema.org vocabulary and is most easily represented in JSON-LD format, which stands for JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data but can also be written in Microdata, RDFa, GoodRelations, and other microdata formats.
Structured data has been around for quite some time in various forms and is now considered the standard way to annotate your content which allows search engines (Google’s Knowledge Graph and Bing’s Snapshot) to index your content better, present it more prominently in the search results and incorporate in it in news platforms like maps, voice answers and Google Now.
JSON-LD versus Microdata
Since semantic data can be written in different formats, it can be easy to get confused. Here’s a breakdown between the two most popular methods:
JSON-LD
- JSON-LD is a script tag that puts markup in one block on the web page making it easy to see markup for a specific page.
- It offers a cleaner way to implement Schema markup because it’s easy to read and add detail to the script.
- Google has specific requirements for Schema markup and recommends using JSON-LD.
- JSON-LD can provide more data than Google is using.
- Bing and Yahoo do not support JSON-LD.
Code Sample:
<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “http://schema.org”,
“@type”: “Organization”,
“url”: “http://www.example.com”,
“name”: “Company Name Here”,
“contactPoint”: {
“@type”: “ContactPoint”,
“telephone”: “+1-702-555-1212”,
“contactType”: “Customer service”
}
}
</script>
Microdata
- Microdata is embedded within your HTML source code making it easier to overwrite when page layout changes are made and harder to maintain since it cannot be centrally managed.
- Google is moving away from using microdata for their rich features and relying more on JSON-LD.
- Bing and Yahoo primarily use microdata for their rich results.
Code Sample:
<div itemscope itemtype=”http://schema.org/Event”>
<div itemprop=”name”>Search Engine Optimization & Online Marketing</div>
<span itemprop=”description”>An introduction to SEO offered by UNLV and taught by John Larson.</span>
Event date:
<time itemprop=”startDate” datetime=”2017-10-15T18:00″>October 16, 6:00pm</time>
</div>
Typically dates and times are difficult for search engines to interpret, but this example illustrates how microdata can improve search engine results by the inclusion of the Event itemtype attribute – making it clear that this is an event taking place on a specific date.
The amount of flexibility and massive details that can be included in structured data making it impossible to explain further in this setting. I highly recommend you explore on your own and learn the power this markup adds to your online visibility. Here are a few title to start with:
- Google Developers: Introduction to Structured Data
- Google Developers: Build, test, and Release Your Structured Data
- Google Developers: Providing Structured Data
- Schema.org: FAQ
- JSON-Schema.org: Project
- Jsonschema.net: Editor
- Schema.org: Getting Started Using Microdata
- Schema.org: Data Model
- HeppResearch: Insider Information on Semantic SEO, schema.org, and GoodRelations
- BrightLocal: Schema Demystified: Schema Markup and the SEO Benefits
- SEOSkeptic: Basic Vocabulary for schema.org and Structured Data
- Barbara Starr: Examining Real World Uses of Rich Snippets & Markup
- Neil Patel: How to Boost Your SEO by Using Schema Markup
- Yoast: Structured Data with Schema.org The Ultimate Guide