Importance of Structured Data in SEO
All the talk around the complexity of structured data and schema markup is only that, just talk. Once you understand the basics and its impact on SEO, it all becomes pretty simple. Anyone can start using structured data on their websites. Keep reading to find out how.
What is Structured Data?
The inception of structured data can be traced all the way back to 2011. It was around this time that the different search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo! came together to build a standardized list that would include the various entities that they collectively agree to support. This was called Schema.org.
But even after all these years, a lot of confusion can still be seen regarding the whole concept and when it can be utilized for SEO purposes. Coming to its definition, structured data refers to all the data that is organized. Essentially categorizing data so that it’s easier to comprehend.
Importance in SEO
When it comes to SEO, structured data refers to the stipulated format that is used to present information about a particular page. This gives the search engines a better insight into what the webpage is about.
It has proven to be extremely helpful since it is based on the usefulness of the content that Google, and other search engines, determine where the webpage will rank. Only it is relevant and can help people in solving their queries, is it then ranked higher to improve user experience.
Things that are marked up in structured data
Several objects, as well as information, can be marked up using structured data. Some of them which are currently supported by Google have been listed below:
- Local business
- Music
- Article
- Video
- Recipe
- TV & Movie
- Event
- Product
All these are examples that can be displayed with a higher visual appeal than organic results in SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages). Since they are more aesthetic, they are referred to as rich snippets.
Impact of Structured Data on SEO
Structured data affects SEO in the following ways:
Better rankings
Structured data in and of itself cannot boost your rankings. What we mean to say is that just by adding structured data you won’t improve your rankings. It is only when Google deems the content relevant will your rankings be boosted. But the chances do increase if you use structured data.
Increased CTR
Click-through rates depend heavily on the aesthetic appeal of options. Now since structured data gives more visually appealing results to the users, CTR automatically increases for the websites that are featured.
More conversions
As CTR increases, so do the conversions. This is also owing to the quality of answers provided to the users owing to the structured data framework. If the users find what they’re looking for, they’re more likely to increase conversions.
Gives authority
The fact that Google is displaying some result on the top has to mean something, at least this is what goes on in the minds of the users. And they’re not wrong. Google does pay great attention to what it displays on the top since it gives that website a more trustworthy as well as authoritative look.
The Three Ways of Structuring Data
The different ways in which data is structuring is done have been given below:
1. JSON-LD
This is the one recommended by Google. The easiest one to carry out as there is no requirement of “tag” HTML elements, which is a must with the other formats. JSON-LD uses only one big block of code that lets Google know the highlights of the page.
2. Microdata
Unlike the Google-recommended JSON-LD where all the content is entered into one big block, Microdata’s marked data is spread all across the page. This is the reason why when it comes to complex applications, it can get real messy pretty quickly. However, there are certain SEO plugins that build a website’s schema markup using Microdata.
3. RDFa
As with Microdata, markup HTML elements are spread throughout the page in this schema syntax as well. This one is, however, probably the least used syntax. But if you do come across Facebook’s Open Graph meta tags, you might come across it there, since they are based on RDFa.
How to Add Structured Data to a Website?
There are several ways in which you can add structured data to your website. One method, where the platform is already being used by millions around the globe, is taking the help of WordPress plugins.
This is because WordPress has several dedicated plugins for this very purpose. Schema App Structured Data is the one that stands out and while using these plugins, having a basic knowledge of structured data can be really helpful because then you can check the markup on your own and make changes if required.
For those who aren’t particularly familiar with WordPress, Google has its own Structured Data Markup Helper that has proven to help a lot of webmasters in adding schema markup to websites. It is very easy to use and is most often used.
Conclusion
While structured data is extremely powerful, it is not exactly the top priority of SEO when it comes to most websites. But that doesn’t mean that it has no value. Do implement a marked schema as it is pretty straightforward, and can prove to be helpful in expanding your website’s reach.
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