A Beginner's Guide to Schema Markup and JSON-LD

Q: What is schema markup?

Schema markup is structured data added to a page so search engines can understand its meaning, most often written as JSON-LD.

Q: How do I add JSON-LD to a page?

Place a single application/ld+json script in the page head, validate it, then expand from Article to FAQ or Product types that match the content.

Schema markup helps search engines understand your content. Here is how to get started with JSON-LD.

Schema markup is structured data added to a page so search engines can understand its meaning, not just its text. JSON-LD is the format most commonly recommended today because it lives in a single script tag and does not clutter your HTML.

Why schema markup helps

Search engines use schema markup to power rich results such as star ratings, FAQ dropdowns, and article bylines. While it does not directly boost rankings, it can meaningfully increase click-through rate by making your result stand out.

Common types include Article, Product, FAQPage, and BreadcrumbList. Choose the type that matches your content, rather than adding every type available.

Getting started

Start with a single Article schema on your most important pages, validate it, and expand from there. Pair schema markup with the fundamentals covered in our SEO audit checklist for the best results.

What is schema markup?

Schema markup is a shared vocabulary that search engines use to classify a page as an article, product, FAQ, or organization. JSON-LD is simply the recommended way to write that vocabulary in one script tag.

How do I add JSON-LD to a page?

Add one application/ld+json block in the head, then validate it. The Schema.org getting started guide and Google's structured data introduction are the two references worth keeping open while you do this.