Schema.org – why is it important?
The Google search engine algorithm is constantly evolving, allowing it to provide even better information and relevant answers to user queries. Tracking and adapting to these changes is an excellent way to ensure that your website is recognized as the one that best answers a given question. To allow Google's robots to more thoroughly examine and analyze the data found within your website, it's important to present it in an accessible form—via microdata. And here we come to the crux of the matter: what is schema.org?
Schema.org what is it?
Schema.org is a project born from the collaboration of major search engines . For several years, it has been playing an increasingly important role in search results, allowing, among other things, the extension of results with additional information or graphics—so-called "rich snippets." Schema.org markup can be used to mark up many types of data, sometimes very detailed. Let's mention a few of them:
> the most popular tags will certainly be those in which you can include company data, i.e. a logo graphic, name, contact details, and opening days and hours, > data regarding the website and articles – website name, post title, its content, and the date of the last update, > ratings – products, services, and articles.
Schema markup also allows for a broader presentation of online store products . Properly marking each element of the offer will allow search results to display not only the product name and its meta description, but also its price, quantity in stock, weight, and other dimensions. Additional information in search results is not only a chance to attract attention with a "higher" result in the SERPs but also to provide potential customers with essential information at the search engine level.
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Microdata can be implemented in several ways:
> via JSON-LD, i.e. code pasted in the head part of a given page, > via RDFa, which is a specific extension of HTML5 tags > via Microdata, which, like RDFa, adds tags directly in HTML tags.
To make adding and implementing a schema easier, it is worth using a ready-made tool provided by Google – https://www.google.com/webmasters/markup-helper/u/0/?hl=pl, thanks to which we can easily mark the most important information on the website.
Summary
SEO forecasts for 2018 predict that schema markup will be one of the increasingly important factors in search engine algorithms. We'll likely learn how much their role will grow and how it will impact page rankings as we monitor results over the coming months. However, it's worth considering including microdata on your website today to make it easier for Google's crawlers to dissect your website.
Schema.org FAQs
This is a joint project by major search engines that allows you to mark up individual page elements using microdata (structured data). This makes it easier for Google robots to accurately read and understand the information on your website.
The biggest advantage is the ability to display so-called "rich snippets" (extended results) in Google. Your link in the search results page (SERP) becomes larger, enriched with images, ratings, and prices. This immediately grabs the user's attention, significantly increasing your click-through rate (CTR).
Tags allow you to describe your website in great detail. They are most commonly used to mark up:
- Company details: name, logo, contact information, opening hours.
- E-commerce products: price, stock availability, weight, dimensions, ratings and reviews.
- Articles: site name, post title, author, publication and update date.
There are three main ways to do this on the website:
- JSON-LD: Currently the most recommended method; it is code that is pasted into a section of the page.
- RDFa: an extension of standard HTML5 tags.
- Microdata: tags added directly inside HTML tags.
Tip: To make your work easier, it is worth using a free tool from Google - Data Markup Assistant, which helps you generate the appropriate code step by step.
Yes. Serving Google's search engine crawlers with information "on a silver platter" causes the search engine algorithm to consider your page more relevant to the user's query. Furthermore, a higher CTR (thanks to a more attractive appearance in results) sends a strong signal to Google that your site is valuable, which helps build visibility over time.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- Why use Schema.org?
- Schema.org: basic concept,
- Important takeaways for Schema.org.
