What is Structured Data?
Structured data is a system of organising and labelling content on a webpage in a format that search engines, social media platforms, and applications can easily interpret. It uses specific code, known as schema markup, to give context to different types of content, helping search engines better understand the page’s purpose and information.
By using structured data, search engines like Google can provide improved search result features, such as rich snippets, product reviews, and local business information. These enhancements are based on the structured data found in the web page’s code, improving the visibility and relevance of content in search results.
Common Formats for Structured Data
Structured data can be embedded within the HTML of a webpage in several formats, including:
- JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) – the most widely used format
- Microdata
- RDFa (Resource Description Framework in Attributes)
These formats help search engines categorise different types of content, like articles, events, products, and reviews. While hundreds of structured data types are available, not all are supported by Google. It’s important to consult Google’s documentation to confirm which schema types will be recognised.
How to Identify Structured Data on Webpages?
Since structured data is integrated into the HTML code, it’s often difficult to read or interpret by simply viewing the source. Tools like Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool or browser extensions can help identify and validate structured data on a webpage to ensure it’s correctly implemented.
