Schema markup is a new method for optimizing your page for search. Schema is a semantic vocabulary of microdata and tags that can be added to your website, improving how search engines interpret and represent your page in SERPs (search engine result pages). The schema markup essentially tells the search engine your page basics, and Google calls them “explicit clues.”
Schema.org has been a collaborative effort between the major search engines to help web admins provide the search engines’ best information. This speaks directly to your rank and therefore displays content to search users. Also, by adding Schema to your pages, I can improve your page’s display in the SERPs.
What type of items does Schema markup help describe?
- Trip
- Event
- Organization
- Person
- Place
- Product
- Local Business
A full list of the different Schema classes can be found here.
Schema can also be used to show your online ratings on sites like Google’s MyBusiness and Yelp, right in your SERPs! See the example below of the work I did to get Jim Parker’s 5 Star rating from his Google MyBusiness account to show in his SERPs. Almost no one is using this method! It really helps your search listing stand out on a crowded page. You can also use it to add dates, images, and even videos to your page’s SERP results.
What does Schema markup look like?
Schema is marked up using JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data). Below is an example of what information is requested.
Luckily Google has an online Schema wizard you can find here.
From Schema.org
“Schema.org vocabulary can be used with many different encodings, including RDFa, Microdata, and JSON-LD. These vocabularies cover entities, relationships between entities and actions, and can easily be extended through a well-documented extension model. Over 10 million sites use Schema.org to markup their web pages and email messages. Many applications from Google, Microsoft, Pinterest, Yandex, and others already use these vocabularies to power rich, extensible experiences. “
Contact me today! Let’s see what implementing Schema can do to help you rank higher, stand out in the SERPs, and be more successful online.
With a background in design for the music industry, I bring a fresh approach to corporate and construction-related web projects.
I also write short, easy-to-digest articles on search engine and website performance-related topics.
My goal is to help clients better understand what SEOs do for them.
Michael Winchester is a website developer and search engine consultant in Southern California.
Michael Winchester Design | (562)283-5688