Structured Data

Structured data is a standardized format (typically Schema.org vocabulary) for providing information about a page and classifying its content for search engines.

Definition

Structured data adds context to web pages by labeling content elements in a way search engines understand. It is the difference between sending '3.5' and sending 'ratingValue: 3.5, bestRating: 5, itemReviewed: Product X.' Search engines use structured data to generate rich results: review stars, recipe timers, event dates, product prices, FAQ accordions, and more.

Why Structured Data Matters in 2026

Structured data is no longer just for rich snippets. AI search engines, LLMs, and generative answer systems rely heavily on structured data to extract and cite information. Pages with well-implemented schema markup are disproportionately represented in AI-generated answers. Structured data has become a GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) requirement.

Common Structured Data Formats

Google recommends JSON-LD as the preferred format. Other formats include Microdata (attributes embedded in HTML) and RDFa. JSON-LD is preferred because it keeps structured data separate from visible HTML, making it easier to implement, maintain, and update without touching page content.

Note

Structured data is not a ranking factor in itself. Google has confirmed it is not used for ranking. However, it enables rich results, which improve CTR, and helps AI systems extract and cite your content. The indirect ranking benefits are significant.

In code

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Product",
  "name": "Premium Coffee Beans",
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "price": "24.99",
    "priceCurrency": "USD"
  }
}

Key takeaways:

• Structured data labels content for search engines and AI systems

• JSON-LD is the recommended format

• Not a direct ranking factor, but enables rich results and AI citations