Structured Data

Code added to a page that labels its content in a standard format, such as who wrote it, what it is and when it was updated, so machines can read it reliably.

Structured data is extra, machine-readable information that describes a page's content using an agreed vocabulary, most often Schema.org. Instead of a program guessing that a string is an author name or a date, the markup says so explicitly.

It is usually added as JSON-LD in the page. Common types include article schema, organization schema and FAQPage schema. Search engines use it to understand pages and, for some types, to show richer results. Google decides which types produce visible features and has retired several over time, so treat structured data as a way to be understood, not a guarantee of a special display.

Keep it accurate and matched to what is visible on the page, since markup that contradicts the content can be ignored or penalized. Validate it with testing tools and keep it updated when the page changes.

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