What is Schema Markup in SEO?

Why Schema Markup is Valuable for SEO

When you incorporate schema markup for SEO, you offer value to both search engines and website visitors:

• Helps search engines understand the content of your web pages, identifying different types of information on each page. In order to rank well in SERPs, search engines need to be able to interpret the search query and match it to a relevant website. The more Google understands your content, the higher your chances of ranking well in SERPs
• Improve visibility in SERPs, increasing your chances of appearing in rich snippets. Schema types such as rating, FAQ and reviews help visitors notice your page, even when it is not in the top couple of results on a page. 
• Increased rankings as Google is able to understand the content and rank it correctly based on the search query
• Improve Return on Investment by making your search results attractive and informative, drawing consumers to your brand and encouraging them to make a purchase.

Where Does Structured Data Appear in SERPs?

There are a number of different schema that can be added to a website. The data can also be presented in different formats within search engine results pages (SERPs):

1. Content Information in the Knowledge Panel
2. Links to Social Profiles within Knowledge Panel
3. Local business information, essential for local SEO
4. Product and review information

How Do I Implement Schema Markup for SEO?

There are a few ways you can implement schema markup for your SEO campaign, including:

• Use semantic markup and include in main HTML page
• Use RDFa or Microdata
• JavaScript and incorporate with a framework

JSON-LD

This is the most popular way to add schema markup that can be edited with ease. The code is a snipped that gets added within the <script> tag on the page. 

RDFa

This HTML extension enables you to mark up content elements such as places, people, recipes, or reviews with HTML tag attributes. Each element corresponds to user visible content that you want to describe to the search engines. 

Microdata

Microdata is open community HTML that is used to add structured data within your HTML content. It uses tag attributes to name properties you want exposed, including structured data. It is used to describe elements within your pages content. 

Issues When Implementing Schema Markup for SEO

Schema markup must be implemented properly in order to achieve success. It is easy to make mistakes that could be prevented. The most common issues include:

• The schema information can be found in structured data and not in user visible text
• Applying schema to misleading content
• Using the same schema markup throughout your site, where it should only appear on specific pages.

Conclusion

Schema markup is vital to your SEO success, but it must be implemented properly to ensure it is visible to search engines and users. It ensures all your content is understood by search engines, enabling them to crawl, index, and rank your web pages.