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Schema JSON (JSON-LD)

JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) is a method of encoding linked data using JSON, combined with Schema.org vocabulary to create structured data that search engines and AI systems can understand.

schema.json
Since 2011 (Schema.org), 2014 (JSON-LD for Schema.org)
2011 (Schema.org), 2014 (JSON-LD for Schema.org)
First Released
5/5
GEO Score

Origin & Background

Creator
Schema.org (Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Yandex); JSON-LD by W3C
Year Introduced
2011 (Schema.org), 2014 (JSON-LD for Schema.org)
Alternate Names
Purpose
Created to provide a common vocabulary for structured data markup that helps search engines understand web content and create rich search results.
Official Specification
View Specification

Key Benefits & Advantages

Benefits Overview

  • Enables rich search results and knowledge graph inclusion
  • Machine-readable format for AI and search engines
  • Widely supported by Google, Bing, and other search engines

Technical Advantages

Improves search engine understanding of content
Enables rich snippets, knowledge panels, and featured results
Separates structured data from HTML (easier to maintain)
Supports complex entity relationships and hierarchies
Recognized by all major search engines
Essential for voice search and AI assistants
Helps AI systems categorize and cite content accurately
Improves click-through rates with enhanced search results

SEO / GEO / LLMO Relevance

Schema.org structured data is the primary way search engines and AI systems understand entities, relationships, and context on web pages, directly influencing search rankings and AI citations.

Enables rich results in search engines (stars, prices, images)
Improves content understanding for AI systems
Increases visibility in knowledge graphs and AI answers
Helps voice assistants provide accurate information
Essential for e-commerce and local business visibility

Implementation Guide

Syntax Example

schema.json
Reference
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
  "name": "Geordy",
  "applicationCategory": "BusinessApplication",
  "description": "AI optimization platform for generative search engines",
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "price": "99.00",
    "priceCurrency": "USD"
  },
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.9",
    "ratingCount": "847"
  }
}

Troubleshooting & Best Practices

Comparison to Alternative Formats

Alternative Formats
When to Use Schema JSON (JSON-LD)

Use JSON-LD for all structured data needs - it's the modern standard recommended by Google. Use Open Graph for social media sharing. Avoid Microdata and RDFa unless maintaining legacy implementations.

Advantages

  • +Separates structured data from HTML
  • +Easier to implement and maintain
  • +Recommended by Google and other search engines
  • +Supports complex nested structures

Limitations

  • −Requires keeping data synchronized with HTML
  • −Can increase page size if not optimized
  • −Learning curve for complex schema types
  • −Validation errors can prevent rich results

Popular Use Cases

E-commerce Products

Product information, pricing, availability, and reviews

Example:
Product schema with offers, reviews, and ratings

Articles and Blog Posts

Article metadata, author information, and publication dates

Example:
Article schema with author, publisher, and datePublished

Local Business

Business information, hours, location, and contact details

Example:
LocalBusiness schema with address, phone, and opening hours

Events

Event details, dates, locations, and ticket information

Example:
Event schema with startDate, location, and offers

Real-World Adoption Examples

Amazon

Uses Product schema for all product pages with pricing and reviews

View ImplementationValidate Schema

The New York Times

Implements Article and NewsArticle schema for all news content

View ImplementationValidate Schema

Yelp

Uses LocalBusiness schema with reviews and ratings

View ImplementationValidate Schema

Eventbrite

Implements Event schema for all event listings

View ImplementationValidate Schema

IMDb

Uses Movie and TVSeries schema with cast, ratings, and reviews

View ImplementationValidate Schema
Pro Tip: Click "Validate Schema" to see exactly how these sites implement structured data using Google's Rich Results Test. This shows you the actual JSON-LD code and which rich results they're eligible for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Automated Generation

Start Using Schema JSON (JSON-LD) with Geordy

Geordy automatically generates and maintains Schema JSON (JSON-LD) files for your website, ensuring optimal AI visibility without manual work.