Structured Data
Also called JSON-LD, Microdata, Schema.
Structured data is information formatted in a standardized way — typically using the Schema.org vocabulary in JSON-LD format — so search engines and AI systems can understand and use it explicitly.
What it means
Structured data is the umbrella term for any markup that provides explicit, machine-readable context about page content. The most common implementation today is JSON-LD using the Schema.org vocabulary, embedded in the page head as a `<script type="application/ld+json">` block.
Structured data is different from schema markup in scope. Schema markup specifically refers to Schema.org vocabulary; structured data is the broader concept that also includes RDFa, Microdata, OpenGraph tags, Twitter Cards, and other machine-readable formats. In practice, the terms are used interchangeably in SEO contexts.
Without structured data, search engines have to infer what each part of a page represents. With structured data, you tell them explicitly: 'this is a product', 'this is the price', 'this is the review rating', 'this is the author'. The explicit signal removes ambiguity and enables rich results plus dramatically better AI engine citation.
Key takeaways
- JSON-LD is the modern recommended format — easier to maintain than inline Microdata/RDFa
- Structured data is foundational for both rich results and AI engine citation
- Every page should ship at least BreadcrumbList + page-type-specific schema
- Validate before shipping — both validator.schema.org and Google's Rich Results Test
- JSON-LD
- Microdata
- Schema
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Schema Markup
Also: Schema.org markup, Structured data markupSchema markup is structured data added to a webpage using the Schema.org vocabulary, telling search engines and AI systems explicitly what each part of the content represents.
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Knowing what Structured Data is, is the easy part.
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