Schema Markup

Schema markup is structured data: code that labels what a page is about in terms search engines can read. Most sites write it as JSON-LD, a script block placed in the page, using the Schema.org vocabulary. Google recommends JSON-LD over Microdata and RDFa because it sits apart from the visible HTML and is easier to maintain.

A short example for a course page:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{"@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Course", "name": "SEO for Beginners", "provider": {"@type": "Organization", "name": "FreeCourses.digital"}}
</script>

Common types for small sites include Organization, LocalBusiness, Product, Article, BreadcrumbList, and Course.

Markup makes a page eligible for rich results; it does not guarantee them. Google decides whether to show stars, prices, or course details based on the query and page quality. The markup must also describe content visible on the page, or it can trigger a manual action.

Eligibility changes over time. In 2023 Google limited FAQ rich results to well-known government and health sites and dropped HowTo rich results entirely. The markup can stay on your pages, but it no longer produces those features for most sites.

Test markup with the Rich Results Test for Google features and the Schema Markup Validator for general Schema.org syntax.