Glossary
What is Structured data?
Structured data (schema.org markup) is machine-readable code that labels what a page is — an article, product, FAQ, organization. It doesn't rank you by magic, but it makes pages easier for search and AI engines to parse, understand and trust, supporting citations and rich results.
Why structured data matters
A page can be read by people at a glance, but a machine has to infer what it is. Structured data removes some of the guesswork by stating it outright: this is an article by this author, this is a product, this organization has these official profiles. That helps search engines, supports rich results and contributes to a clearer picture of your brand. To be honest about limits, no AI engine has promised that markup increases citations.
How structured data works
The shared vocabulary is schema.org, and the usual format is JSON-LD, a block of script in the page that describes its content. Common types include Organization, WebSite, Article, Product, FAQPage, BreadcrumbList and LocalBusiness. Linking entities with identifiers and sameAs references connects your pages to your official profiles.
The rule that matters most: markup must describe what is visibly on the page. Validate it with Google's Rich Results Test and the Schema Markup Validator before publishing.
A hypothetical example
Imagine a local bakery that adds LocalBusiness markup with its name, address, opening hours and links to its official social profiles, and marks up each blog post as an Article with an author and a publication date. Nothing changes for visitors, but crawlers now receive an explicit description of what the business is, where it is and which pages are its articles.
Common mistakes
- Marking up content that is not visible on the page.
- Copying a generic template with the wrong type or placeholder values.
- Leaving dates, prices or availability outdated in the markup.
- Adding FAQPage markup to promotional text that is not a genuine question and answer.
- Expecting markup to guarantee rich results or citations.
Common questions
Does structured data help AI cite me?
It helps engines parse and understand your pages, which supports the conditions for being cited. No engine guarantees that markup alone changes citations, so treat it as a foundation rather than a shortcut.
Should I use JSON-LD or microdata?
JSON-LD is the format Google recommends and is usually easier to maintain, since it lives in one block instead of being woven through the page's HTML.
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