Unlock Rich Results: Google's Structured Data Recommendations for SEO

byPeter Odion •
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data-network-illustration

Google loves organized content, and properly structured data acts as a roadmap, helping search engines understand what your website pages are all about. This clarity translates to richer search results – snippets that showcase your content in a more engaging and informative way, catching the eye of potential visitors.

But navigating the world of structured data can be tricky. In this post, we'll clear the path, guiding you through the best practices for structuring your website data to climb the ranks of Google and other search engines. No more penalties, just powerful SEO with every snippet!

Here's what you'll learn:

  • The magic of structured data: Demystifying its role in boosting your website's visibility.
  • Choosing the right structure: Flat or hierarchical? We'll help you pick the perfect match for your content.
  • Implementing schema.org: Mastering the language that unlocks rich results.
  • Testing and troubleshooting: Ensuring your data speaks clearly to search engines.

By the end of this post, you'll be equipped to optimize your website for success, attracting more visitors and dominating the search results landscape. Remember, structured data is your key to unlocking Google's favor – let's make it shine!

Structured Data Types

Structured data organization typically falls into two major formats: flat and hierarchical data. These formats can be employed independently or in conjunction. The optimal choice depends on the nature of your website and its functionality. To delve deeper into whether your website requires structured data and to determine the most suitable structure, explore the insights provided in this article: "Boost SEO with Data: Flat or Hierarchical for Google."

What makes up good structured data?

A good and correctly written structured data helps a website to have the possibility to appear on Google search results while violating a quality guideline can prevent syntactically correct structured data from being displayed as a rich result in Google Search, or possibly cause it to be marked as spam.

Technically and quantitatively, well-structured data should possess the following attributes:

1. Must be written only with a JSON-LD (recommended), Microdata, and RDFa format. 

2. Provide up-to-date information. Update your content to include all the relevant information that it represents. For example, if you run online stores, you need to try as possible to put the correct product price, and specifications, as well as other info relevant to the product.  This enables the search to display this info on the snippet.

3. It must be placed on the right page that fully describes the content represented. If you have more than one page for the same product, Google recommends placing the same structured data on all page duplicates.




4. Avoid markup content that is not visible to readers of the page. For example, if the JSON-LD markup describes a coffee shop, the HTML body must describe that same coffee shop

structured data format that google recommend
Using both JSON-LD and HTML format in your structured data will help both search engines and users understand your content

5. Information provided in the structured data must be complete. Items that are missing required properties are not eligible for rich results. The more recommended properties you include the higher chances you have to users who may explore your product. For example: users prefer job postings with explicitly stated salaries to those without.

6. Image usage: The image data property must be relevant to the page that it's on. For example, if you define the image property of a product, the image must be relevant to that product.

Recommended Structured Data format for your website

The specific structured data properties and labels you include in your markup will depend on the type of business and the content you want to highlight. However, here are some commonly used structured data properties and types that are relevant for various types of businesses

Organization:

An organization's website is a web-based platform that represents and provides information about a specific organization. It serves as an online presence for the organization, offering details about its mission, products, services, team members, contact information, and more.

Recommended structured data properties and labels

  • @type: Organization
  • name: The name of your organization.
  • URL: The official website URL.
  • logo: URL to the logo image of your organization.
  • ContactPoint: Contact information for customer service.
  • sameAs: Social media profiles and other web profiles.


LocalBusiness:

LocalBusiness is a type of schema markup used in structured data to provide search engines with specific information about a local business.

The LocalBusiness schema is particularly useful for businesses that have a physical location and serve customers in a specific geographic area.
  • @type: "LocalBusiness"
  • name: The name of the business.
  • address: The physical address of the business.
  • telephone: Contact telephone number.
  • openingHours: Business operating hours.


Job Posting:

Job Posting structured data refers to a specific format of data markup that provides search engines with detailed information about a job posting on a website. 
  • @type: "JobPosting"
  • title: The title of the job.
  • description: A detailed description of the job.
  • datePosted: The date the job was posted.
  • validThrough: The closing date for applications.
  • employmentType: The type of employment (e.g., full-time, part-time).
  • hiringOrganization: Details about the hiring organization.


Education Q&A:

Education structured data refers to a specific format of data markup that provides search engines with detailed information about educational content on a website
  • @type: "QAPage": Indicates that the page is a Q&A page.
  • mainEntity: Represents the main question and its accepted answer.
  • Question:
  • name: The question itself.
  • text: The detailed text of the question.
  • dateCreated: The date and time when the question was created.
  • author: The person asking the question (represented as a Person).
  • acceptedAnswer: The accepted answer to the question.
  • @type: "Answer": Indicates that this is an answer.
  • text: The text of the answer.
  • dateCreated: The date and time when the answer was created.
  • upvoteCount: The number of upvotes the answer has received.
  • URL: The URL where the answer is located.


Product:

Product structured data, also known as schema markup for products, is a specific type of code added to a web page to provide search engines with detailed information about a product. 

By using product structured data, website owners enhance the visibility and presentation of their products in search engine results pages, potentially attracting more users and improving the chances of clicks and conversions.

@type: "Product"
name: The name of the product.
description: A brief description of the product.
SKU: The product's stock-keeping unit (SKU) or identifier.
brand: The brand of the product.
offers: Price and availability information.


Book Action:

Booking action, it could refer to the process of making a reservation or appointment, commonly done online for services such as hotels, restaurants, or various activities. If you meant something else or have a specific context in mind, please provide more details, and I'll do my best to assist you!

@type: "BookAction"
agent: The person or organization performing the action.
actionStatus: The status of the action (e.g., Completed).
endTime: The date and time the action ended.
object: The book being acted upon.



How to write structured data with schema.org

If you're not a developer, crafting structured data for your web pages might seem a bit challenging. However, if you're a developer or someone who can follow instructions, you can certainly take on the task yourself.

To write structured data with Schema.org markup, you need to embed specific HTML tags in your webpage. Here's a simple example using JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data), which is a popular way to implement Schema.org structured data:

Determine the Type of Schema:

Visit the Schema.org website to find the appropriate schema type for your content. On the navigation menu, click on the schemas list item. Then on the page that opens up scroll down to locate the type of structured data details you are looking for and click on the link to see the best recommendation on how to write it or copy and edit the examples on the page according to your website need. There are various types such as Articles, Events, Products, etc.


Create the JSON-LD Script:

Feel free to edit the HTML code of your page or website. Follow these steps:
  • Identify the <head> tag at the beginning of your HTML document.
  • Insert a <script> tag within the <head> to incorporate the JSON-LD script.

Fill in the Schema Properties:

Use the appropriate properties based on the chosen schema type. Each schema type has specific properties you can include.

For example, this is how the one of products will look like.

Example encoded as JSON-LD in an HTML script tag. 
  1. <script type="application/ld+json">
  2. {
  3.   "@context": "https://schema.org",
  4.   "@type": "Product",
  5.   "aggregateRating": {
  6.     "@type": "AggregateRating",
  7.     "ratingValue": "3.5",
  8.     "reviewCount": "11"
  9.   },
  10.   "description": "0.7 cubic feet countertop microwave. Has six preset cooking categories and convenience features like Add-A-Minute and Child Lock.",
  11.   "name": "Kenmore White 17\" Microwave",
  12.   "image": "kenmore-microwave-17in.jpg",
  13.   "offers": {
  14.     "@type": "Offer",
  15.     "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock",
  16.     "price": "55.00",
  17.     "priceCurrency": "USD"
  18.   },
  19.   "review": [
  20.     {
  21.       "@type": "Review",
  22.       "author": "Ellie",
  23.       "datePublished": "2011-04-01",
  24.       "reviewBody": "The lamp burned out and now I have to replace it.",
  25.       "name": "Not a happy camper",
  26.       "reviewRating": {
  27.         "@type": "Rating",
  28.         "bestRating": "5",
  29.         "ratingValue": "1",
  30.         "worstRating": "1"
  31.       }
  32.     },
  33.     {
  34.       "@type": "Review",
  35.       "author": "Lucas",
  36.       "datePublished": "2011-03-25",
  37.       "reviewBody": "Great microwave for the price. It is small and fits in my apartment.",
  38.       "name": "Value purchase",
  39.       "reviewRating": {
  40.         "@type": "Rating",
  41.         "bestRating": "5",
  42.         "ratingValue": "4",
  43.         "worstRating": "1"
  44.       }
  45.     }
  46.   ]
  47. }
  48. </script>


Testing your Structured Data

Google rich result testing tool

Google recommends testing your data to ensure it aligns with your needs before going live. To perform this test, you can use the Google Rich Result Tester tool. This tool is convenient and valuable for validating your structured data. Additionally, it allows you to preview how your site might appear in Google Search results. The Rich Results Test offers the option to input either your site URL or your schema markup for a comprehensive evaluation. 

Other tools you can use include Schema Markup Validator, Search Console's Structured Data Report, or manually check the schema.org documentation on the proper way to write it

FAQS

What are the common mistakes to avoid when implementing structured data?

Implementing structured data is crucial for search engine visibility, but avoiding common mistakes is key. Errors, like typos and mismatched data, must be avoided to prevent penalties. Misuse, such as applying irrelevant schema or using structured data for hidden content, can harm SEO. Technical oversights, including proper testing and handling dynamic content, are vital. General good practices involve starting small, focusing on value, staying updated on schema.org guidelines, and providing accurate, original, and visible content. Following Google's spam policies is essential to avoid deception or misrepresentation.

How do I test if my structured data is working correctly?


Verifying the accuracy of your structured data involves various methods tailored to your needs.

  • Google's Rich Results Test validates syntax, 
  • Schema Markup Validator ensures schema.org guideline compliance, 
  • and Search Console's Structured Data Report identifies issues. 

Manual scrutiny with schema.org documentation ensures semantic precision. Additionally, browser extensions like "Structured Data Tester" visually confirm data placement, providing a swift check for any inconsistencies on the webpage.

Is structured data only for developers, or can non-developers implement it as well?

Structured data is not exclusive to developers; non-developers can also implement it. While crafting structured data might seem challenging for non-developers, various tools, and resources, such as Google's Rich Results Test and Schema Markup Validator, simplify the process. Following guidelines and using browser extensions like "Structured Data Tester" makes it accessible for everyone to enhance their content's visibility in search results.

How often should I update my structured data?

The frequency of updating structured data depends on factors such as content dynamics, schema changes, and overall performance goals. For frequently changing content, like news articles or product prices, updating immediately ensures accuracy. Static pages may require less frequent attention. Keep an eye on new schema types, and adapt your implementation accordingly. Regularly monitor Search Console and utilize SEO tools to assess the impact of updates on visibility and engagement. Consider automating updates for dynamic content and schedule periodic reviews for optimal results.

We trust that this post has addressed your questions. If you have any more inquiries or if there's anything else we can assist you with, please don't hesitate to use the comment section below. Your feedback and queries are always welcome!
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