What is structured data?
Structured data is coded in-page markup that describes the content of the page. It is used to organize and standardize information on webpages in a way that can be easily read and interpreted by search engines.
Different types of structured data:
– Schema.org markup – Uses schema.org vocabulary to add info like products, reviews, events etc.
– Microdata – HTML tags with machine-readable attributes describing the data.
– RDFa – Enriches web content with attributes and metadata.
– JSON-LD – Uses JSON format to structure data.
Three examples of structured data in an analogy:
– Structured data is like adding subtitles to a foreign film – it translates the content into a language the search engine can understand.
– Structured data is like a library catalog – it organizes and classifies information according to a standard system.
– Structured data is like nutrition labels on food – it highlights key attributes in a consistent format.
Why is structured data important?
Structured data enables search engines and other applications to better understand the content on web pages. This can lead to better search results, richer features in search engine result pages, and new applications that use the structured data.
Benefits of structured data:
– Improved SEO through better indexing, crawling, and richer snippets
– Enhanced user experience with interactive elements like ratings, images etc.
– Increased clicks and conversions for businesses by optimizing product info
– New ways to discover and analyze content through semantic search, bots, digital assistants etc.
– Streamlined data management workflows.
Systems and software related to structured data:
– Search engine tools like Google Search Console to test and validate structured data.
– Site crawlers that scan pages to extract structured data.
– Tag managers and schema generators to create and deploy markup.
– Content management systems like WordPress have plugins to add structured data.
– Analytics tools to track performance of structured data.