When you search for a recipe on Google and see the preparation time, calories, and ratings directly in the search result without clicking through to the page, that is schema markup in action. Schema markup — also called structured data — is a standardized vocabulary that tells Google exactly what each element of your content is, not just what it says.
What is Schema.org?
Schema.org is the collaborative vocabulary created in 2011 by Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Yandex to standardize how websites describe their content to search engines. You define entity types (Article, Product, Recipe, FAQPage...) and their properties (name, price, author, ratingValue...). Google uses this vocabulary to generate rich results in the SERPs.
What are Rich Results?
Rich results are enhanced search results that display additional information extracted from schema markup. They increase visibility in the SERPs, improve CTR, and in some cases rank in special features like the Knowledge Panel or voice search results.
| Schema type | Rich result in Google | Primary benefit |
|---|---|---|
| FAQPage | Expandable questions and answers below the result | Takes up more SERP space, CTR +20–30% |
| Product | Price, availability, and ratings in the result | Visibility in Google Shopping and SERP |
| Recipe | Time, calories, and rating in the result | Position in recipe carousel |
| Article | Author, date, and enhanced breadcrumbs | Eligibility for Top Stories |
| LocalBusiness | Hours, phone, and ratings in Knowledge Panel | Visibility in local searches |
| HowTo | Steps with images in the result | More SERP real estate |
| BreadcrumbList | Breadcrumbs in the result URL | Better understanding of site structure |
The 3 implementation formats
JSON-LD (recommended by Google)
JSON-LD is Google's preferred format. It is added in a <script> block in the <head> or <body> of the page and does not require modifying existing HTML. It is the easiest to maintain and update.
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "FAQPage",
"mainEntity": [
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "What is schema markup?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Schema markup is a standardized vocabulary that describes the content of a page to search engines."
}
}
]
}
</script>Microdata
Microdata integrates schema attributes directly into existing HTML tags using itemscope, itemtype, and itemprop attributes. It is harder to maintain than JSON-LD and is not the recommended format for new implementations, although Google still supports it.
RDFa
RDFa is similar to Microdata but based on the W3C RDF standard. It is mainly used in academic and government CMS systems. For the vast majority of websites, JSON-LD is the correct choice.
Does schema markup directly improve rankings?
Google has officially confirmed that schema markup is not a direct ranking factor — simply having it implemented does not move rankings up. What it does is enable rich results that increase CTR, and a higher CTR can have an indirect effect on rankings. For some types (FAQPage, HowTo), it also allows occupying more space in the SERP, visually pushing competitors down.
The real value of schema is not climbing rankings but increasing visibility and CTR from the positions you already hold. An enriched result with stars, price, and availability can triple CTR compared to the same result without schema.
Which schema types to implement first
Prioritize schema types that have direct rich results in Google and that apply to your content type:
- 1.FAQPage: for FAQ pages or articles with an FAQ section. Easy to implement and with immediate visibility impact.
- 2.BreadcrumbList: for any site with section structure. Improves how the URL is displayed in the result.
- 3.Product + Offer + AggregateRating: for ecommerce. Enables price, stock status, and stars in the result.
- 4.LocalBusiness: for businesses with a physical address. Improves presence in local searches and Google Maps.
- 5.Article + Author: for blogs and media. Required to be eligible for Top Stories in Google Discover.
How to validate your schema markup
iRankly's Schema Markup Validator analyzes up to 50 URLs at a time, detects all schema types present, checks required and recommended properties for each type, and tells you exactly what is missing to complete the implementation.
Prueba la herramienta gratis
Schema Markup ValidatorAnaliza tus URLs con {tool} de iRankly. Sin registro, sin tarjeta.
You can also use Google's official "Rich Results Test" (search.google.com/test/rich-results) to verify if a specific URL is eligible for rich results and see exactly what schema Google has detected.