Structured data markup is a way of providing better context for Google so it can read the information on your web pages and understand it. In other words, structured data converts a site’s HTML from an unstructured mess into something much easier for search engines to digest.
When it comes to organic search, implementing structured data paves the way for a slew of benefits, including helping your web pages rank for more relevant search queries. Let’s take a look at three of the top reasons to add structured data to your website.
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3 Reasons to Implement Structured Data
1. Structured Data Provides More Visibility in Search Results.
Adding schema markup to your HTML improves the way your page displays in SERPs by enhancing the rich snippets that are displayed beneath the page title. Take a look at these two examples of webpages that appear when using the search query “chili recipes.”

Which link is more intriguing to you? It’s probably the “30-Minute Chili” recipe by Martha Stewart. That’s because this webpage includes a few pieces of Schema that provide a “richer” or more dynamic search result.
Rich results offer additional information coupled with eye-catching visuals that attract your attention in search. They bring a standard search listing to life and take up more space in the search results pages, helping you outshine your competition.
When you add schema markup to your website code, you qualify for rich results. There are lots of opportunities to qualify for rich results. Be sure to check out Google’s Search Gallery to view the various options available.
2. Structured Data Improves Click-Through Rates.
It should be no secret that there are a number of ranking factors that determine the SERPs. Click-through rate (CTR) is one example of this. According to Search Engine Journal, sites that implemented structured data found that their 400% net growth in rich result organic traffic overall.
As mentioned above, the whole point of structured data is to provide information that can be easily understood by search engines so that you can clarify the purpose of your site and its pages to provide users with accurate information.
Since the goal is to improve your appearance in search results, you’ll add video schema to appear in video search. By implementing structured data into your pages, your site should be shown to a more relevant audience base, and your click-through rates will ultimately improve.
3. Structured Data Improves SEO
Structured data for SEO is a way to help search engines better understand what the content of a website page is about. It’s a way to provide machine-readable metadata on the page so that a search engine can quickly determine what information is present and whether it’s worth ranking in its index. Structured data also allows webmasters to configure snippets that are displayed more prominently in the search results, making it easier for users to find relevant content based on their query.
Using structured data helps boost rankings as more information is provided to search criteria. This provides added context to value URLs, such as an “About Us” page, providing useful details like contact information and addresses, or pages within sites that feature products and services in more detail than they traditionally do.
Types of Markup to Use
The type of content you have on a page determines the structured data type you need to add. On your “about” page, you will add AboutPage Schema. Additional JSON-LD Markups include:
- Product Markup
- Person Markup
- FAQPage Markup
- Video Markup
- Article Markup
- Recipe Markup
- Rating Markup
- HowTo Markup
While you can add more than one piece of markup to a page, you must use the proper markup on each page in the right order so that your pages pull up in the right section of search.
Additionally, you want to use the correct piece of code so you pull up for the correct featured snippet. For example, if you are in real estate you’ll want your Google Business Profile with your website to pull up when someone searches “real estate broker near me.” Adding schema will help major search engines properly categorize your website for correct searches.
For copy-and-paste schema options, check out this free tool!
FAQs About Structured Data Markup
How does Google use structured data?
Structured data snippets and labels are inserted into the HTML code of webpages and give additional detail about the page that allows for customization on how the results appear within the SERP’s ranking system.
How does structured data for SEO work?
In terms of SEO, schema markup offers two great advantages: 1) it can help ensure that the right information is being presented in the right places on web pages, and 2) it can assist search engine bots in recognizing site content which results in more accurate indexing and improved search engine rankings.
What format of schema markups should I use?
There are several formats for schema markup; however, the most common ones are JSON-LD Code, Microdata, and RDFa. Google recommends JSON-LD.
Structured Data: The Secret to SEO Success
To help ensure your site shows up for the right users, it’s important for search engines to understand your site, its content, and the context in which it’s presented. Using structured data and schema can help you better inform the search engines about your content and get your web pages to rank higher in the SERPs. Every piece of code matters. Proper Schema will improve user experience in Google search and on your website.
Need help implementing structured data and schema on your site? Contact us today. We’ll audit your site and present a schema strategy to help increase search rankings!
