What is Schema Markup?
Schema markup (also called structured data) is a specific vocabulary of code (based on schema.org) that you add to your website’s HTML to help search engines better understand your content. It enables Google to display enhanced search results, known as rich snippets or rich results.
Why It Matters
Schema markup can make your search results significantly more eye-catching than plain blue links. Rich snippets showing star ratings, FAQs, prices, or how-to steps stand out visually and consistently earn higher click-through rates than standard results.
How It Works
Schema markup uses JSON-LD, Microdata, or RDFa formats to label content for search engines. Common schema types include Article, Product, Review, FAQ, HowTo, LocalBusiness, BreadcrumbList, and VideoObject. You add the code to your page’s HTML, and Google reads it to generate enhanced SERP features. You can test schema with Google’s Rich Results Test tool.
Real-World Example
A photography tutorial page adds FAQ schema markup around its most common questions. When that page ranks on Google, it now shows expandable Q&A sections directly in the search result, nearly tripling its visible real estate on the page and dramatically increasing clicks.
