Schema Markup for SEO: A Primer
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a dynamic practice that evolves as fast as technology can. As such, it’s important for businesses to keep up with the latest trends and learn how to leverage them for improved search engine reach and standing. And while website designers spend a lot of time optimizing their sites to help them jump in rankings, there’s also something they can do to help their appearance on search engine pages. It’s called Schema markup.
What Is Schema Markup?
Schema.org (Schema for short) is a vocabulary of tags or microdata. When added to your HTML, Schema can help improve the way that search engines represent your page on result pages. Depending on the purpose of your web page, you may want to include different information in your search engine results page (SERP) displays.
For example, if you have a product you want to sell, you could use Schema to display average product rating and the number of reviews on the SERP. That review display is just one of many rich snippets you can include in your Schema code.
Google and other search engines are smart enough to collect a lot of data from your site and use that to display your site on SERPs. However, there is only so much data that search engines can collect. By incorporating Schema markup in your webpages, you’re making sure that search engines display the information you want them to – just like when you customize your meta descriptions.
What Can You Use Schema For?
Schema and structured data have use for a variety of items. Some of the most common uses are in providing additional information for:
- Creative works
- Organizations
- Places
- People
- Events
- Products
Within these categories, you have the option to provide even more types of additional data. An organization description can include a brief history and links to relevant content, while creative works can include information on the artist and time of creation, among other details. Schema provides its full list of markup information here.
As a collaborative effort between Google, Bing, Yahoo!, and Yandex, all these search engines use Schema in their display of search results. As such, you’ll get benefits across the major platforms with just one addition of code to your web pages. Structured data also matters to Facebook Open Graph, Siri, and Google NOW, which is all the more reason to consider it.
What Are the Benefits of Schema Markup?
As mentioned, Schema gives you the benefit of controlling what information search engines display when your webpage ends up on an SERP. When you have that control, you can best optimize your pages to the type of content included. This can help potential visitors get a better idea if your site is for them.
Approximately one-third of websites use Schema and other structured data techniques. By incorporating these techniques in your site, you’re giving yourself an edge in the market. This is evident in click-through rates: There’s about a 30% increase for search results that include rich snippets as opposed to those that don’t, which means a boost in traffic.
How PWG Can Help Your Website With Schema
At Toledo SEO for Growth, we dedicate ourselves to staying up to date on the latest SEO trends – and that includes Schema. We understand how to create the necessary code and implement it into your website to give you the best SERP results. Even more, we work with you to create a custom branding strategy to fit your needs.
Schema markup and semantic search marketing are quickly becoming some of the most influential aspects of SEO. We can help implement structured data into your website, so that you can continue to stay ahead of the curve – and improve your online reach and standing in the process.
Get Started Today
Ready? Let’s get to work. Call (419) 540.4437 or email toledoseoforgrowth@gmail.com to get started today.
Click below for your free SEO report.
