Schema and SEO: With SEO, there are a lot of steps that not only optimize your web page but also outrank your competition on Google. This form of optimization is known as schema markup, a code that helps search engines like Google helps understand your webpage’s content and show more informative results to the users.
Websites that use schema markup rank better in search engines than those without schema markup. If you are searching to drive more website traffic organically, schema markup may help to get more clicks on your website. This schema and SEO guide will cover what it is and why it is essential for SEO. Are you ready? Let’s get started!
What is SEO schema markup?
Schema markup is microdata you add to the website that allows search engines better understand the content on the web pages. Google understands schema data better than plain text and shows detailed results to the users.
By adding schema markup, you create an enhanced description of your web page’s content (known as a rich snippet), which will appear in SERPs. In short, you can say that your webpage’s content gets indexed by adding schema markup and returns search results differently.
Being the schema markup code tells Google what your content is all about. Schema markups, also known as structured data, involve the values and matching names that make it easier for Google to index your web page content. Microdata works with HTML5, which is the most used markup language all around the world.
Types of Schema markup
The vocabulary of schema.org has multiple formats for structuring data around all kinds of places, things, and people. On the schema’s website, you can find all the items that it defines. Adding Schema markups to indicate articles, products, people, reviews, events, local businesses, organizations, and recipes. However, Google supports schema markups which are listed below:
- Article
- Carousel
- Event
- Book
- Reviews
- Fact check
- Job posting
- Local business
- Product
- Review snippet
- Social profile
- Job posting
- Logo
- Media actions
- Q&A page
- Speakable
- Livestream
- Occupation
- Recipes
Adding these markups to your websites allows Google to return informative results to searchers.
Why is it important for SEO?
Schema markup is the structured data that help you markup element on your webpage, but it is not yet part of the search engine giant Google ranking algorithm. However, it is still vital for SEO for many good reasons. Here’s why schema is essential for search engine optimization:
Informative search snippet:
Structured data helps improve your site’s presence in the search results by making your search snippet more informative and appealing. Therefore, your website appears more enticing in search results than your competitors, leading to high click-through rates and more organic traffic on your site.
AMP Pages and Google Shopping Campaigns requirement
AMP, also known as accelerated mobile pages, mainly depends on structured data for its advanced features. Structured data implementation on accelerated mobile pages is required to enhance the appearance of your top stories carousel in Google mobile search results. Like AMP pages with structured data, Google shopping campaigns also require structured data markup.
As Google verifies the data you submit in your shopping feed, you need to put microdata on the landing pages of your product(s) pages when setting up your Google shopping campaign.
Great for Local SEO
You have better chances of getting found in local search results using schema markups because you give more information to Google about your local business, such as location, hours, contact information, and where customers can contact information.
Using schema markups for local search engine optimization can help your business show up at the very top of search results in Google. It is very valuable and usually shows up in Google’s local three-pack. Due to paid ad results, it sometimes ends below the fold, but still, it is beneficial and helps increase visibility.
Nowadays, the three-pack is often pushed below the fold by paid results. Still, it does retain some value by increasing visibility.
Benefits of Schema Markup
When adding schema markup to your website, it comes with a variety of rich results on the webpage rather than just the standard search engine results pages, such as clickable page titles, interactive data, and two-liner Meta descriptions. Let’s see what benefits you will get when you add schema markup to your website.
Rich results garner a 58% click-through ratio compared to 41% for non-rich search results. CTR or click-through ratio can jump up to 87% for some types of rich results.
Higher CTR:
Increase brand awareness:
The addition of schema markup in your website appears at the top of search results, which helps you gain more brand recognition.
Improved Targeting:
Rich results also help you reach a wider audience when your goal is to get users to buy products, book events, or make bookings.
Get a ‘Call To Action from Google:
Some rich snippet comes with the call to action, such as ‘contact us, call now, or buy now, which can help drive clicks that lead to conversions.
Does Schema Improve Your Search Rankings?
There is no evidence that structured data directly impacts Google’s ranking. However, rich results make your website pages appear prominently on search engine results pages, leading to improved visibility and CTR.
According to Google’s John Muller, structured data usage doesn’t boost your ranking. They only use it to show your web page with more relevant results, so you will likely get more visitors to your web pages.
Bottom Line:
Schema markup is one of the most effective SEO techniques, and its implementation gives you a leg up on the competition. The markup is something that helps search engines better understand why your web page is the best answer to the relevant search query. It will surely help your search engine optimization goals, but it doesn’t impact your Google ranking.
Schema and SEO | Blog Article | SEO After Coffee | All Rights Reserved | Greenville SC 29601 | 09/19/22
*Extra Reading: What does Google say about Schema Markup? Google Search Robots use structured data markup to understand the content and provide users with richer search results. Schema markup, or structured data, is a way to organize and describe your website that search engines like Google can comprehend.
By implementing schema markup, website owners can enhance their chances of getting a rich result on the search engine results page, improving visibility and click-through rates. Schema markup comes in different types, such as articles, books, breadcrumbs, carousels, and more. Examples of schema markup include logo markup, local business markup, review markup, site link markup, and product markup.
These different types of schema markup allow website owners to provide specific information, making it easier for search engines to present relevant and detailed results to users. While schema markup does not directly impact search rankings, it offers opportunities for better visibility and increases the likelihood of attracting clicks from users.
Google provides the Structured Data Markup Helper to help website owners implement structured data markup effectively. This tool assists in marking up elements on web pages so that Google can understand the data on the page accurately. Once Google comprehends the structured data, it can categorize and display the information more organized and visually appealing in search results. The Structured Data Markup Helper is a valuable resource for website owners, SEO specialists, and Website Developers looking to optimize their content and improve their chances of appearing in rich search results.