What is Schema Markup, why is it important and how to use it on your website

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Have you heard of Schema Markup and do you know how important it can be for your website? If you are interested in improving the visibility of your content on search results and attract more qualified traffic, then the correct use of Schema Markup is essential.

In this article, we'll explore what Schema Markup is, why it's important, and how to use it correctly on your website. Learn how to make the most of this powerful technique and increase your website's visibility in search results!

What is Schema Markup?

Before we dive deeper, let's get the basics out of the way. Schema Markup, also known as structured data, is a markup language that you can add to your website's HTML code to provide search engines with more detailed information about your content.

In this way, Schema Markup helps search engines better understand the content of a page. It provides clear, structured information about what this content represents, such as products, events, recipes, reviews, and more. So, by adding it to your web pages, you allow search engines to understand the context of your content and display richer and more informative results to users. Consequently, this can lead to an increase in click-through rate and attract more relevant traffic to your website.

Importance of Schema Markup

You may be asking yourself, “Why should I care?” The answer is simple: visibility. Schema Markup helps search engines understand your website content more accurately, which can lead to better display in search results. This means that, by using it, you increase your chances of appearing prominently, in rich snippets and other special search results formats. In other words, it is an important instrument for the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) of your website.

By providing clear structured information to search engines, you are making their job easier to interpret and classify your content. So the result can be higher ranking in search results, as well as a richer presentation with features like reviews, event schedules, and more.

Furthermore, the rich snippets, which are search results with additional information like rating stars, photos, and other elements, are more attractive to users. This means they are more likely to click through to your website, increasing your click-through rate (CTR).

Another important point is that Schema Markup helps users find the information they are looking for more quickly and easily. This improves user experience and increases the chance that they will return to your site.

Types of Schema Markup

There are several types you can use depending on the type of content your website offers. Here are some of the most common:

• Organization: Ideal for businesses, it allows you to provide detailed information about your company, such as name, address, phone number and logo.
• Rating: Allows you to show ratings and reviews for your products or services directly in the search results.
• Product: Essential for online stores, it allows you to display information about your products, such as price, availability and reviews.
• Event: Allows you to provide details about events, such as date, time, and location, directly in the search results.
• Recipe: Ideal for cooking websites, it allows you to provide detailed recipe information, including ingredients and instructions.

There are many other types available, including for videos, articles, people, and more.

Schema Markup Examples

Some examples of how Schema Markup can be applied to different types of content:

Articles

<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “http://schema.org”,
“@type”: “Article”,
“name”: “Title of your article”,
“author”: {
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Author name”
},
“datePublished”: “2023-11-14”,
“image”: “Article image URL”,
“description”: “Description of your article”
}
</script>

---

Products

<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “http://schema.org”,
“@type”: “Product”,
“name”: “Name of your product”,
“image”: “Product image URL”,
“description”: “Description of your product”,
“brand”: {
“@type”: “Brand”,
“name”: “Brand name”
},
“offers”: {
“@type”: “Offer”,
“price”: “Price of your product”,
“priceCurrency”: “BRL”
}
}
</script>

---

Events

<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “http://schema.org”,
“@type”: “Event”,
“name”: “Name of your event”,
“startDate”: “2023-11-14T10:00:00”,
“endDate”: “2023-11-14T12:00:00”,
“location”: {
“@type”: “Place”,
“name”: “Event location name”,
“address”: “Address of the event location”
},
“description”: “Description of your event”
}
</script>

---

Local businesses

<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “http://schema.org”,
“@type”: “LocalBusiness”,
“name”: “Name of your business”,
“image”: “URL of your business image”,
“description”: “Description of your business”,
“address”: {
“@type”: “PostalAddress”,
“streetAddress”: “Address of your business”,
“postalCode”: “ZIP code of your business”,
“locality”: “City of your business”,
“region”: “Status of your business”,
“country”: “Country of your business”
},
“telephone”: “Your business phone number”,
“website”: “URL of your website”
}
</script>

---

People

<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “http://schema.org”,
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Person’s name”,
“image”: “URL of person’s image”,
“description”: “Description of the person”,
“jobTitle”: “Person’s job title”,
“worksFor”: {
“@type”: “Organization”,
“name”: “Name of the company where the person works”
},
“url”: “URL of the person’s website”
}
</script>

---

How to implement Schema Markup on your website

Now that we understand the importance and types of Schema Markup, let's talk about how to implement it on your website. There are several ways to do this:

Choose the type of schema you need

There are several types of schema available, each specific to a type of content.

To choose the type of schema you need, visit the website https://schema.org/ and browse the available categories.

Using markup manually

If you have mastered using HTML code, you can add Schema Markup manually to your web pages. However, this can be time-consuming and error-prone.

Schema Markup generation tools

There are several tools available to help you use it on your website, such as:

• Google Search Console: The Google Search Console offers a structured data testing tool that allows you to test and validate your schema markup.
• Schema Markup Generator: There are several schema markup generators online that help you create code quickly and easily.
• Browser extensions: There are browser extensions that allow you to view schema markup on any web page.

If your website is based on WordPress, you can take advantage of SEO plugins that include Schema Markup features. This greatly simplifies the implementation process.

Schema Markup implementation examples

To get a better idea of how to use markup in practice, here are some examples of sites that use it effectively:

• Example 1: A local restaurant that displays its reviews directly in the search results.
• Example 2: An online store that shows the price and availability of its products.
• Example 3: A food blog that provides detailed information about your recipes.

Common implementation mistakes

Although Schema Markup is a powerful tool, there are some common mistakes you should avoid when implementing it:

• Mistake 1: Providing incorrect or outdated information.
• Mistake 2: Using the wrong Schema type for your content.
• Mistake 3: Not testing Markup to ensure it is working correctly.

Conclusion

Schema Markup is a powerful tool that can help you improve your website's visibility in search results, increase click-through rate (CTR), improve user experience and facilitate data analysis.

If you're not already using Schema Markup, start today! It's a simple and effective way to optimize your website for search engines and improve your online performance.

Image: Freepik