Website Schema Markup for SEO – The Guide

What is a Schema Markup?

Schema markup is a type of structured data added to a website’s HTML code to help search engines better understand the content on a page and provide more informative results in the SERPs.

It can include information such as product details, event information, and local business information, among others. Using schema can improve click-through rates and visibility in search results.

How Schema Markup helps your website to rank better on Google?

Google uses Schema markup to understand the context and content of a webpage, allowing it to provide more relevant information in search results.

The search engine crawls the webpage to extract the structured data marked up with Schema, which it then uses to enhance the display of the page in search results. Google also uses Schema markup to help categorize a page, understand its purpose, and potentially affect its ranking in search results.

Schema markup benefits SEO in several ways:

1. Improved click-through rate (CTR) from search results
2. Enhanced search result presentation
3. Better website visibility and relevance
4. Increased chances of rich snippets or rich results
5. Improved keyword targeting and ranking signals.

How to add Schema markup on WordPress website

To add schema markup to a WordPress website, you can follow these steps:

1. Choose a plugin: There are several plugins available for adding schema markup to a WordPress website, such as All In One Schema Rich Snippets, Schema Pro, and WP SEO Structured Data Schema. Yoast, RankMath and other SEO plugins also offer schema markup function but you mayu need to upgrade for a full optimization.
2. Install and activate the plugin: Go to the WordPress plugin repository and install the plugin of your choice. Then activate it on your WordPress website.
3. Configure the plugin: After activating the plugin, go to its settings page and configure it according to your needs.
4. Add schema markup to your pages and posts: Use the plugin’s interface to add schema markup to your pages and posts. Most plugins have pre-designed templates for different types of content, such as articles, products, events, and more.
5. Validate your markup: Use Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool to validate your schema markup and make sure it is implemented correctly.

Note: If you are not familiar with schema markup, it’s recommended to seek the help of a web developer or a specialist in this field.

How to optimize Schema Markup:

To optimize schema markup:

1. Choose the right type of schema: Identify the type of content you want to markup and select the appropriate schema type.
2. Use specific properties: Use specific properties to provide as much detail as possible about your content.
3. Keep it concise: Avoid using unnecessary properties and keep the markup concise and relevant.
4. Test using structured data testing tool: Use Google’s structured data testing tool to validate your schema markup and ensure it is properly implemented.
5. Monitor for errors: Regularly check for errors in your schema markup and make necessary updates.
6. Keep it up-to-date: Ensure your schema markup is up-to-date with the latest schema standards and guidelines.

Things to avoid while using schema markup

1. Misrepresenting content: Ensure that the information in the markup accurately reflects the content on the page.
2. Violating Google’s policies: Follow Google’s guidelines for structured data, as using incorrect or spammy markups can result in penalties.
3. Keyword stuffing: Don’t use markup to artificially inflate the keyword density on a page.
4. Overusing markup: Don’t mark up every single piece of information on a page, use it to provide context to important content.
5. Ignoring accessibility: Make sure the information in the markup can be accessed by assistive technologies.

What are the different Schema Markup types?

Here are some common types of schema markup:

1. Local Business
2. Product
3. Recipe
4. Event
5. Article
6. Organization
7. Person
8. Movie
9. Book
10. TVSeries
11. MusicPlaylist
12. MedicalEntity
13. Review
14. SoftwareApplication
15. CreativeWork (e.g. paintings, photographs)