Search & metadata
What is structured data?
Structured data is information expressed in a consistent, machine-readable format; on a website, it can label facts about an organization, article, service, or other content so software can interpret their meaning.
By Plainview WebReviewed
The meaning
A reader understands an article's headline and author from its words and layout. Structured data gives software explicit labels for those facts. It accompanies the page's content and should accurately describe what the page presents.
Schema.org supplies a widely used vocabulary of types and properties, while JSON-LD is one way to write that information into a page. These are different parts of the same arrangement: the vocabulary defines labels such as WebSite and name; the format expresses them. Google supports several formats and generally recommends JSON-LD when it fits the site's setup.
An example
Example: a fictional publisher's website
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "WebSite",
"name": "Paper Trail Journal",
"url": "https://example.com/"
}This illustrative JSON-LD describes the name and address of a fictional publication. It is a small example of labeled facts, not a complete implementation checklist for every Google search feature.
The real site's homepage would need to support those details. A website or publishing system may already generate relevant markup, so inspect what exists before adding another version with conflicting information.
When it matters
Structured data makes selected facts explicit and can support eligible search features. It also gives a website owner a concrete set of details to maintain when names, services, or article information change. Keeping the visible page and its markup aligned is more useful than adding properties simply because a template offers them.
Choose a type that fits the content, provide accurate values, and validate the result. Schema.org validation checks vocabulary and structure; Google's Rich Results Test checks supported Google features. Neither substitutes for reviewing whether the facts are true and the published page can be accessed.
A common confusion
Valid markup does not promise a special search result
Google does not guarantee a rich result even when supported markup passes its test. Schema.org also contains types and properties without a corresponding Google display feature. Treat structured data as an accurate description of content, not a way to promise rankings, stars, or extra search features.