Structured data & schema markup (JSON-LD)
Structured data (schema.org markup, usually in JSON-LD) tells search engines exactly what your content means. It powers rich results and helps AI engines extract facts. Learn the key schema types and how to use them.
Structured data is a standardised vocabulary (schema.org) you add to a page — usually as JSON-LD — to describe its meaning to machines: this is an article, this is the author, this is a recipe, this is a place with these coordinates.
It doesn't change what users see, but it can unlock rich results in Google and makes your facts far easier for AI engines to quote accurately.
Why it matters for SEO and GEO
Schema can earn rich results (star ratings, FAQ drop-downs, how-to steps, sitelinks) and, increasingly, helps generative engines identify and attribute your facts. It's a shared win for SEO, AEO and GEO.
Common schema types
Pick the type that matches the page:
- Article / NewsArticle — for posts and guides
- FAQPage & QAPage — for question-and-answer content
- HowTo — for step-by-step instructions
- BreadcrumbList — for navigation trails (shows breadcrumb in results)
- Product, Review, AggregateRating — for e-commerce
- LocalBusiness / Organization — for business identity and local SEO
- Place, Mountain, RiverBodyOfWater, AdministrativeArea — for geographic entities
- Dataset & DefinedTerm — for data and glossary/definition pages
JSON-LD: the recommended format
Google recommends JSON-LD — a script block in the page head/body, separate from your visible HTML, so it's easy to add and maintain. Generate it from your data so it never drifts from what users see.
Validate and keep it honest
Test markup with Google's Rich Results Test and the Schema Markup Validator. Only mark up content that is actually visible on the page — misleading schema can lead to manual penalties.
Key takeaways
- ✓Structured data describes meaning to machines via schema.org.
- ✓JSON-LD is the recommended, easiest-to-maintain format.
- ✓Use the type that matches the page (Article, FAQPage, HowTo, Place…).
- ✓Validate it, and only mark up content that's truly on the page.
Structured Data & Schema Markup (JSON-LD) Explained — FAQ
What is JSON-LD?+
JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) is a script you embed in a page to express schema.org structured data. It's Google's recommended format because it's separate from your HTML and simple to add.
Does structured data improve rankings directly?+
It isn't a direct ranking factor, but the rich results it unlocks raise click-through, and it helps both Google and AI engines understand and cite your content.
Related guides
Sources & data note
These guides explain widely-accepted SEO, AEO and GEO practice as documented by Google Search Central, schema.org and current industry research. Search and AI systems evolve continually — treat specific thresholds (e.g. Core Web Vitals targets) as current guidance and verify against the latest official documentation. Examples are tailored to Nepal's market.