Schema.org

Also known as: Schema Vocabulary, Schema.org Vocabulary

A collaborative, community-driven project that creates, maintains, and promotes schemas for structured data on the internet.

What is Schema.org?

Schema.org is a collaborative initiative founded by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Yandex to create a common vocabulary for structured data markup on web pages. It provides a standardized framework that helps search engines understand the content and context of websites.

The Schema.org vocabulary consists of:

Types: Categories of items (e.g., Person, Organization, Product)
Properties: Attributes that describe each type (e.g., name, address, price)
Relationships: Connections between different types

This vocabulary can be implemented using various formats, including:

JSON-LD: JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data (recommended)
Microdata: HTML attribute-based markup
RDFa: Resource Description Framework in Attributes

By implementing Schema.org markup, website owners enable search engines and AI systems to:

Display rich results in search listings (e.g., star ratings, prices, availability)
Better understand the relationships between entities mentioned on a page
Accurately categorize content for relevant search queries
Extract specific information for knowledge panels and direct answers

As of 2024, over 45 million web domains use Schema.org markup, with over 450 billion Schema.org objects indexed. Many applications from Google, Microsoft, Pinterest, Yandex and others already use these vocabularies to power rich, extensible experiences.

As AI-driven search continues to evolve, Schema.org markup becomes increasingly important for ensuring content is properly understood and accurately represented in search results and AI interactions.

Why It Matters

Schema.org matters for several critical reasons in today's digital ecosystem:

Enhanced Search Visibility

When you implement Schema.org markup, search engines can display rich results (like star ratings, prices, or event dates) directly in search results, increasing click-through rates by up to 30%.

AI Understanding

As search evolves from keyword-based to AI-driven understanding, Schema.org provides explicit signals about content meaning and relationships that help AI systems correctly interpret your content.

Voice Search Optimization

Voice assistants often pull featured snippets and direct answers from structured data, making Schema.org implementation essential for voice search visibility.

Data Consistency

Schema.org provides a standardized vocabulary that ensures consistent interpretation of your content across different platforms and services.

Future-Proofing

As the web becomes increasingly semantic and AI-driven, structured data implementation prepares your content for emerging technologies and search paradigms.

Use Cases

E-commerce Product Listings

Implement Product schema to display price, availability, reviews, and ratings directly in search results, increasing click-through rates.

Local Business Information

Use LocalBusiness schema to show address, hours, phone number, and reviews in knowledge panels and map listings.

Recipe Content

Apply Recipe schema to display cooking time, ingredients, calories, and ratings in rich results, improving visibility in food-related searches.

Event Promotion

Implement Event schema to show dates, locations, and ticket availability directly in search results and event aggregators.

Article Publishing

Use Article schema to provide clear signals about publication date, author, and headline, potentially qualifying for Top Stories carousels.

Optimization Techniques

Implementation Best Practices

Use JSON-LD format - Google's preferred format that keeps markup separate from HTML display code
Implement the most specific type possible - Use specific types (e.g., "MedicalClinic" instead of just "LocalBusiness")
Include all recommended properties - Each Schema.org type has recommended properties that should be included
Validate your markup - Use Google's Rich Results Test or Schema.org Validator to check implementation
Avoid keyword stuffing - Only include accurate, relevant information in your structured data
Implement markup across all relevant pages - Don't limit structured data to just your homepage

Advanced Techniques

Nested entities - Create relationships between entities (e.g., an Event at a Place offered by an Organization)
Multiple types - Apply multiple Schema.org types to the same entity when appropriate
Custom properties - Extend Schema.org with your own properties when needed using the extension mechanism
Breadcrumb markup - Help search engines understand your site structure and hierarchy
Sitelinks searchbox - Enable a search box directly in search results for your site

Code Example


// JSON-LD Schema.org markup for a product
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Product",
  "name": "Executive Leather Office Chair",
  "image": "https://example.com/chair.jpg",
  "description": "Ergonomic executive chair with premium leather upholstery",
  "brand": {
    "@type": "Brand",
    "name": "OfficeLux"
  },
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "url": "https://example.com/chair",
    "priceCurrency": "USD",
    "price": "399.99",
    "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock"
  },
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.8",
    "reviewCount": "127"
  }
}
</script>

Resources

Related Terms

Structured Data

Information organized in a formatted, machine-readable way that helps search engines and AI systems understand the content and context of web pages.

Knowledge Graphs

A structured representation of knowledge that connects entities, their attributes, and relationships in a graph format to enable more intelligent data processing.

Structured Data

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "DefinedTerm",
  "name": "Schema.org",
  "alternateName": [
    "Schema Vocabulary",
    "Schema.org Vocabulary"
  ],
  "description": "A collaborative, community-driven project that creates, maintains, and promotes schemas for structured data on the internet.",
  "inDefinedTermSet": {
    "@type": "DefinedTermSet",
    "name": "AI Optimization Glossary",
    "url": "https://geordy.ai/glossary"
  },
  "url": "https://geordy.ai/glossary/structured-data/schema-org"
}

Term Details

Category: Structured Data
Type: tool
GEO Readiness: structured