What Is Schema Markup? A Beginner's Guide

Schema markup is code you add to a web page that describes what the page is about in a standard, machine-readable way. It uses the shared vocabulary at schema.org, and it is usually written as JSON-LD, a small block of data that visitors never see. Search engines read it to understand the page more precisely and, for some types, to show richer results.

What schema markup looks like

Here is a simple example for a blog post, in JSON-LD:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "What Is Schema Markup?",
  "datePublished": "2026-11-03",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Jane Doe"
  }
}
</script>

In plain words: this page is an Article, with this headline, published on this date, written by this person. A visitor sees only the page. A search engine can read the facts directly instead of working them out from the text.

Schema markup, structured data and JSON-LD

These terms are used loosely, but they mean different things:

• Structured data is the general idea: information about a page in a standardized format.
• Schema.org is the shared vocabulary, with types such as Article, Product and LocalBusiness and properties such as name and datePublished.
• JSON-LD is one way to write it. Google supports three formats (JSON-LD, Microdata and RDFa) and recommends JSON-LD because it is the easiest to implement and maintain. It sits in a script tag instead of being mixed into your visible HTML.

“Schema markup” usually means schema.org vocabulary written as JSON-LD.

What schema markup is used for

• Clarity. It states facts about a page, such as what it is, who wrote it, when, and what it sells, without guesswork.
• Rich results. For some types, such as products and events, valid markup can make a page eligible for enhanced search results when it meets Google’s guidelines. Eligibility is not a promise that a rich result will appear.
• Consistent entities. Marking up your organization and authors the same way across your site helps tie your pages to the same business and people.

Common schema types

Type	Use it for	What to expect
Article	A blog post, guide or news story	Clean author and date details. No guaranteed rich result.
Product	A page for a specific product	Can make the page eligible for product results, such as price and availability.
LocalBusiness	A business with a location or service area	Documented by Google for details such as address and hours.
Organization	Your homepage or About page	Ties your name, logo and profiles together.
Person	An author or expert profile	Identifies who is behind the content.
Event	A single event with a date	Can make the event eligible for event results.
BreadcrumbList	The path to a page in your site	Shows the page’s position in your site structure.
Service	A page about a service you offer	States clearly what you offer, with no special Google result.

You can build several of these with the Schema Markup Generator, which creates JSON-LD you can copy into your page.

Does schema markup help SEO?

It is not a ranking factor on its own, and it does not guarantee a rich result. Its value is accuracy and eligibility. It helps search engines understand a page, and for some types it makes the page eligible for richer displays.

Two points from Google’s own guidance are worth remembering:

• Google says it is better to provide fewer properties that are complete and accurate than to fill in every possible property with inaccurate or half-formed data.
• Google says its AI features in Search, such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, need no special optimizations or extra markup beyond the normal fundamentals of being crawlable, indexable and having helpful content.

So treat schema as part of a sound technical foundation, not a shortcut. If a type no longer earns a rich result, as happened with FAQ pages, the markup can still be valid but no longer worth the effort. See FAQ Schema in 2026 for that story.

The rules that matter

1. Describe what is on the page. Structured data should match the visible content. Do not mark up things visitors cannot see.
2. Be accurate. Wrong prices, invented reviews or misleading details break Google’s guidelines and can lead to a manual action.
3. Keep it up to date. When the page changes, update the markup.
4. Avoid conflicts. If a plugin and your own code both output an Organization with different details, search engines get mixed signals.

How to add schema markup

In short: generate the JSON-LD, paste it into the page’s HTML, then test it. The full steps, including examples for WordPress and Astro, are in How to Add JSON-LD to Your Website.

How to test schema markup

• Google’s Rich Results Test shows whether a page is eligible for supported rich results.
• The Schema Markup Validator checks that the markup is valid schema.org, whether or not Google uses it.
• The URL Inspection tool in Search Console lets you confirm that Google has found the structured data on your live page.

To see which pages on your site already have markup, run the Page Audit Checker, which lists the schema types it finds on each page. If you want help planning and implementing structured data across a site, see our structured data service.

Frequently asked questions

Is schema markup the same as structured data?

Almost. Structured data is the general term. Schema markup usually means structured data written with the schema.org vocabulary, most often as JSON-LD.

Do I need schema markup to rank?

No. Pages rank without it. Schema helps search engines understand a page and can make it eligible for rich results, but it is not required.

Which format should I use?

JSON-LD. Google supports Microdata and RDFa too, but recommends JSON-LD because it is the easiest to maintain.

Where do I put JSON-LD?

In a script tag in the head or body of the page. Google can read both locations.

Can I add schema markup to every page?

You can, but only where it accurately describes the page and serves a purpose. Common places to start are the homepage, key service pages, products, articles and events.

Will schema markup get me into AI Overviews?

Google says no special markup is needed for its AI features, and nobody can guarantee inclusion. Clear, accurate structured data supports a well-built page, but helpful content and good technical foundations matter more.