SEO Best Practices for Implementing Schema on a Website (2023)

Schema is a way of marking up data on a website to make it easier for search engines to understand the content. It is important to use schema because it can help improve how your website appears in search results. When using schema on a website, ensure that you utilise the best practice for implementing schema makeup for search engine optimisation. There are certain important errors to avoid like making sure that the schema is in line with schema.org approaches to creating schema. 

When you use schema, search engines can display more detailed and accurate information about your website, which can lead to more people clicking on your website’s listing and visiting the displayed page. This can be especially helpful for businesses, as it can increase the chances of people finding and using their products or services. When done properly, it can help to give your page the featured snippet advantage. They help search engines to properly understand your website content better and can lead to more traffic and customers.

Benefits of using schema in SEO

Using schema makeup can have several benefits, especially if it is done the right way. Some of the most significant benefits of using them on your web pages include the following: 

1. Improved search engine result listings: Schema helps search engines understand your website content better and provide more detailed and accurate information about your website in search results. This can help your website stand out and attract more clicks from people searching for certain keywords that are properly addressed on your web pages. 
2. Increased visibility and click-through rate: Since schema improves how your website appears in search engine result pages, they have the ability to attract more clicks since they help to give more details about the page to searchers. This means that more people may see your website listed when they search for certain keywords. If your website is more visible, it is more likely that people will click on it and visit it directly from search results. 
3. Better user experience: When people see more detailed and accurate information about your website in search results, they may be more likely to trust your website and visit such displayed pages. This can lead to a better overall experience for the user and potentially even increase the chances of them returning to your website in the future.
4. Potential for higher rankings: When you consider ranking factors and how schema helps search engines understand the content of each page and how to better display it to searchers for better experience, it is important to note that as a factor, it can potentially increase your website ranking so why not go for it?
5. Increased chances of being featured in rich results: Schema can also help your website be eligible to be featured in special search results called “rich results.” These are results that include more detailed information and can be more visually appealing, which can make your website more likely to be noticed and clicked on.

Types of Schema in SEO

There are several types of schema that can be used in search engine optimization. Some popular examples include the following:

1. Product schema

This type of schema is used to mark up a website’s products with additional important information which search engines can use to better understand the content of the page. It contains important information about the product listed such as the name, price, availability, ratings, etc. 

Here are some important elements of product schema: 

• name: This should be the name of the product
• description: A brief overview of the product, including its features and benefits
• image: Links to some images of the product that’s listed on the page
• brand: The brand or manufacturer of the product
• sku: The stock keeping unit (SKU) of the product, which is a unique identifier used to track the product in inventory.
• aggregateRating: Give an aggregate rating of the product, based on customer reviews or other ratings on your website
• review: Has any customer reviewed the product on your website after use? Add such reviews here
• offers: Information about the availability and pricing of the product, including the price and any discounts or promotions that may be available.

Here is a sample product schema template utilising the best practices for schema implementation:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org/",
  "@type": "Product",
  "name": "Product Name",
  "image": [
    "https://example.com/photos/1x1/photo.jpg",
    "https://example.com/photos/1x1/photo2.jpg",
    "https://example.com/photos/1x1/photo3.jpg"
  ],
  "description": "Product Description",
  "sku": "1234567890",
  "mpn": "ABCD1234",
  "brand": {
    "@type": "Thing",
    "name": "Brand Name"
  },
  "review": {
    "@type": "Review",
    "reviewRating": {
      "@type": "Rating",
      "ratingValue": "4",
      "bestRating": "5"
    },
    "author": {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Jane Smith"
    }
  },
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.4",
    "reviewCount": "89"
  },
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "url": "https://example.com/product/1234567890",
    "priceCurrency": "USD",
    "price": "119.99",
    "priceValidUntil": "2022-11-05",
    "itemCondition": "https://schema.org/UsedCondition",
    "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock",
    "seller": {
      "@type": "Organization",
      "name": "Company Name"
    }
  }
}
</script>

2. Local Business schema

This is an important schema type for local businesses as it helps to provide more detailed information about a local business to search engines. This information can then be used by search engines to display rich, detailed results about the business on the search result pages especially when someone searches for your brand name. It should contain the following important information: 

• Name: Add the name of the business
• Address: The physical address of the business, including the street address, city, state, and zip code.
• Phone number: The main phone number of the business. This has to be consistent on the website
• Hours of operation: The days of the week and hours that the business is open
• Price range: Give the range of prices for goods or services offered by the business
• Rating: The average rating of the business based on customer reviews
• Review count: The number of reviews that the business has received
• Image: A representative image of the business, such as a logo or a photo of the storefront
• Description: A brief description of the business and what it offers.
• Geographical coordinates: The latitude and longitude coordinates of the business location.

Below is a sample local business schema detail you can edit and use on your website. Do not forget to add your website personal details:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "Business Name",
  "image": "https://example.com/photos/1x1/photo.jpg",
  "telephone": "555-555-5555",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main Street",
    "addressLocality": "City",
    "addressRegion": "State",
    "postalCode": "12345",
    "addressCountry": "USA"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": "40.123456",
    "longitude": "-74.123456"
  },
  "url": "https://example.com",
  "openingHoursSpecification": [
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": [
        "Monday",
        "Tuesday"
      ],
      "opens": "08:00",
      "closes": "17:00"
    },
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": [
        "Wednesday",
        "Thursday",
        "Friday"
      ],
      "opens": "09:00",
      "closes": "18:00"
    },
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": "Saturday",
      "opens": "09:00",
      "closes": "17:00"
    },
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": "Sunday",
      "opens": "10:00",
      "closes": "16:00"
    }
  ],
  "priceRange": "$100 - $500",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.facebook.com/example",
    "https://twitter.com/example",
    "https://www.linkedin.com/company/example"
  ]
}
</script>

3. Recipe schema for food-related websites

The Recipe schema is a type of structured data that can be added to a website to provide information about a recipe to search engines. Some of the most important elements of a recipe schema for food-related businesses include the following: 

1. Name: Give the accurate name of the recipe
2. Image: A representative image of the recipe, such as a photo of the finished dish
3. Description: A brief description of the recipe and what it includes
4. Author: The person or organization that created the recipe.
5. Date published: The date that the recipe was first published on the website.
6. Preparation time: The amount of time it takes to prepare the recipe.
7. Cook time: The amount of time it takes to cook the recipe.
8. Total time: The total time it takes to prepare and cook the recipe.
9. Yield: The number of servings that the recipe makes.
10. Ingredients: A list of all the ingredients needed to make the recipe, including quantities.
11. Instructions: Step-by-step instructions for how to prepare and cook the recipe.
12. Nutrition information: Nutritional information about the recipe, including calorie count, fat content, and other relevant details.

Here is a sample recipe schema template that uses schema best practices:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org/",
  "@type": "Recipe",
  "name": "Recipe Name",
  "image": [
    "https://example.com/photos/1x1/recipe.jpg",
    "https://example.com/photos/1x1/recipe2.jpg",
    "https://example.com/photos/1x1/recipe3.jpg"
  ],
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Chef John"
  },
  "datePublished": "2013-09-17",
  "description": "Recipe Description",
  "prepTime": "PT30M",
  "cookTime": "PT1H",
  "totalTime": "PT1H30M",
  "recipeYield": "4 servings",
  "nutrition": {
    "@type": "NutritionInformation",
    "calories": "240 calories"
  },
  "recipeIngredient": [
    "1 cup flour",
    "1 tsp baking powder",
    "1/2 tsp salt",
    "1/2 cup milk",
    "1/4 cup butter, melted"
  ],
  "recipeInstructions": [
    "Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk and melted butter until a smooth batter forms.",
    "Pour batter into a greased 9x9 inch baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean."
  ]
}
</script>

4. FAQ schema for frequently asked questions

The FAQ schema is generally simple and added to web pages with a questions and answers section. They should contain the important questions listed on the page as well as their answers. Some important elements of FAQ schema include the following: 

1. Question: The question that is being asked in the FAQ
2. Answer: The answer to the question in the FAQ
3. Date published: When the FAQ was first published on the website
4. Date modified: The date that the FAQ was last modified on the website
5. Author: The person or organization that created the FAQ

When in doubt, use schema.org to create a FAQ schema for your website.

5. Review schema for product and service reviews 

Reviews are important for how a business is perceived online. This schema type can be used to add reviews about a product or service to a web page to help search engines understand how customers perceive such products or services online. There are several important elements that can be included in review schema, some of them include the following: 

1. Item reviewed: Name of the product or service that is being reviewed
2. Review body: The main content of the review, including the reviewer’s thoughts and opinions about the product or service
3. Rating: The accurate rating given to the product or service, on a scale of 1 to 5 or 1 to 10.
4. Reviewer: Name of the person who wrote the review
5. Date published: When the review was published on the website
6. Date modified: The date that the review was last modified on the website

Here is a typical product review template to help you write better product review schema:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org/",
  "@type": "Review",
  "itemReviewed": {
    "@type": "Product",
    "name": "Product Name"
  },
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Jane Smith"
  },
  "reviewRating": {
    "@type": "Rating",
    "ratingValue": "4",
    "bestRating": "5"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Company Name"
  }
}
</script>

6. Person schema

This type of schema is usually added to a website to provide information about a person to search engines which can be displayed to searchers who search for such information online. The information it contains can then be used to display rich, detailed results for a person on the search results page, including their name, job title, and other relevant details about them. There are some important information that the person schema should contain. Some of these elements include the following:

1. Name: The full name of the person
2. Image: A representative image of the person, such as a headshot or profile picture.
3. Job title: The person’s current job title or occupation.
4. Affiliation: Name of the organization or company that the person is affiliated with.
5. Description: A brief description of the person and their background or qualifications.
6. URL: A link to the person’s website or online presence.
7. Email: The person’s email address.

Here is a sample person schema template you can edit and use on your website:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org/",
  "@type": "Person",
  "name": "John Smith",
  "image": "https://example.com/photos/1x1/john.jpg",
  "jobTitle": "Software Engineer",
  "description": "John Smith is a software engineer with over 10 years of experience in the industry. He has a strong background in developing web applications and is proficient in a variety of programming languages.",
  "worksFor": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Company Name"
  },
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith-123456",
    "https://github.com/johnsmith"
  ]
}
</script>

7. Article schema 

This is the most common schema type that forms a part of most pages on the internet. They’re generally informational in nature and seek to provide information about the article like the date it is published, topic, images, author and other important metrics that may be used when grading the content of an article. Some of the important information it should contain include the following: 

1. Headline: The main title of the article
2. Image: A link to the representative image of the article, such as a featured image or the article’s main subject, you can have more than one image link inside the schema
3. Description: A brief summary of the article’s content like the meta description in less than 180 characters
4. Author: Name of the person or organization that wrote the article
5. Date published: When the article was published on the website
6. Date modified: The date that the article was last modified on the website
7. Publisher: Name of the organization or website that published the article
8. Main entity: The main subject or topic of the article

Article schema can easily be made using on-page SEO plugins directly on WordPress.

8. Video schema

Video schema is a type of structured data that can be added to a website to provide information about a video which is listed on the page. This type of schema should only be used on pages with video content. Some of the important information a video schema should contain include the following:  

1. Name: The main title of the video
2. Description: A brief summary of the video’s content in less than 180 characters
3. Thumbnail image: A representative image of the video, such as a frame from the video or a custom thumbnail image
4. Upload date: The date that the video was uploaded to the website.
5. Duration: The length of the video in seconds.
6. Interaction count: The number of times that the video has been interacted with, such as the number of views or likes.
7. Author: Name of the person or organization that uploaded the video.

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org/",
  "@type": "VideoObject",
  "name": "Video Name",
  "description": "Video Description",
  "thumbnailUrl": "https://example.com/thumbnails/video.jpg",
  "uploadDate": "2022-09-14",
  "duration": "PT1H3M51S",
  "contentUrl": "https://example.com/videos/video.mp4",
  "embedUrl": "https://example.com/embed/video",
  "interactionCount": "123456",
  "expires": "2022-09-20T00:00:00+00:00",
  "publication": {
    "@type": "PublicationIssue",
    "issn": "1234-5678"
  },
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "John Doe"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Company Name",
    "logo": {
      "@type": "ImageObject",
      "url": "https://example.com/logo.jpg"
    }
  }
}
</script>

9. Music schema

This type of schema is only used on music websites to provide more detailed information about a track, artist or album to search engines so that more accurate results can be displayed on search engine result pages. A good music schema should contain the following information:

:

1. Name: The name of the music album or track.
2. Description: A brief summary of the music album or track’s content in less than 180 characters
3. Image: Link to the representative image of the music album or track, such as the album cover or a photo of the artist
4. Genre: The genre or style of the music
5. Artist: The performer or group responsible for the music
6. Composer: The person who composed the music
7. Duration: The length of the music track in seconds
8. Date published: The date that the music was published or released
9. URL: A link to the page where the music can be played or purchased

Here is a sample detailed music schema template you can edit and use on your website:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org/",
  "@type": "MusicGroup",
  "name": "Band Name",
  "genre": "Rock",
  "image": "https://example.com/photos/1x1/band.jpg",
  "url": "https://example.com/bands/band-name",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.facebook.com/bandname",
    "https://twitter.com/bandname",
    "https://www.instagram.com/bandname"
  ],
  "member": [
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "John Smith",
      "roleName": "Lead Vocals"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Jane Smith",
      "roleName": "Guitar"
    }
  ],
  "track": [
    {
      "@type": "MusicRecording",
      "name": "Song Name",
      "url": "https://example.com/bands/band-name/song-name",
      "duration": "PT3M45S",
      "inAlbum": {
        "@type": "MusicAlbum",
        "name": "Album Name",
        "image": "https://example.com/photos/1x1/album.jpg",
        "url": "https://example.com/bands/band-name/album-name",
        "datePublished": "2017-01-01"
      }
    }
  ],
  "event": {
    "@type": "MusicEvent",
    "name": "Concert Name",
    "startDate": "2022-09-20T19:00:00-08:00",
    "location": {
      "@type": "Place",
      "name": "Venue Name",
      "address": {
        "@type": "PostalAddress",
        "streetAddress": "123 Main Street",
        "addressLocality": "City",

10. Book schema

Do you have a website that publishes books? You need a book schema. This type of structured data can be added to a website to provide more detailed information about a book to search engines. It should contain the title, author, publisher, price and other details. Here are some important elements of a book schema: 

1. Name: The main title of the book.
2. Description: A brief summary of the book’s content in less than 180 characters
3. Image: Link to a representative image of the book, such as the cover or a photo of the author
4. Author: Name of the person or group responsible for writing the book
5. Publisher: Name of the organization or company that published the book.
6. Date published: The date that the book was published.
7. Number of pages: The total number of pages in the book.
8. ISBN: The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) of the book.
9. URL: A link to the page where the book can be purchased or downloaded.

Here is a sample book schema to help you implement better schema best practices on your website. Just edit it and copy to your website page where it should be used:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org/",
  "@type": "Book",
  "name": "Book Name",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "John Smith"
  },
  "datePublished": "2012-08-02",
  "description": "Book Description",
  "isbn": "1234567890",
  "image": "https://example.com/photos/1x1/book.jpg",
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Publisher Name"
  },
  "numberOfPages": "345",
  "genre": "Fiction",
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.5",
    "reviewCount": "67"
  },
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "price": "19.99",
    "priceCurrency": "USD",
    "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock",
    "itemCondition": "https://schema.org/NewCondition",
    "url": "https://example.com/book/1234567890"
  }
}
</script>

Here are the Best Practices for Implementing Schema on a Website

When implementing schema types on your website, there are certain mistakes that have to be avoided in order not to cause more harm than good. Here are some best practices for implementing schema on web pages:

1. Use valid and appropriate schema types

When using schema on web pages, it is important to determine the appropriate schema type for such pages. The schema to be used on web pages should be based on the nature of the content on such pages. Do not use a schema like video schema when you know that the page does not have any video content. This page for example has both article and video content and will be appropriate to use both schema types on this page as you may see using a schema detector. This will help search engines understand your website better and provide the most accurate and relevant information in search results.

2. Test your schema using Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool

Google’s structured data testing tool is an awesome tool to detect errors in any schema type. Before you add schema to your website, it is a good idea to test it using Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool. This will help you ensure that your schema is correctly implemented and there are no errors. If you have ever managed the search console of any website, you must have seen error reports about the schemas implemented on your pages. This is one way to avoid such errors. 

3. Use clear and concise language in your schema markup 

When writing schema, ensure that you’re very clear in your instructions as possible. Avoid using jargon or overly technical terms that may not be easily understood by search engines.

Stay up-to-date with changes to schema standards: Schema standards can change over time, so it is important to stay up-to-date with any changes and make sure that your schema is in compliance. Before you implement any schema, try to use schema.org to change for any updates on such schema types, this will help to reduce the number of schema errors reported on your search console. 

4. Use schema on relevant pages

Only use schema on pages that are relevant to the schema type you are using. As I posited earlier, it has to be purely based on the content of the website. This will help ensure that search engines can understand the content of your pages and provide the most accurate and relevant information in search results when such pages are indexed. 

5. Don’t overuse schema

Sometimes you see pages that are heavily loaded with different schema types even though the content of such pages does not include such schema inclusion. A typical example is pages using the software schema simply because they talked about software or described certain features of a particular software when the website itself is not software. This is a common error that must be avoided. While schema can be helpful, it is important not to overuse it.

6. Keep schema up-to-date 

It is important to keep your schema up-to-date and accurate. If you make changes on a webpage that affects the number or type of schema it contains, the schema on such pages should be updated appropriately. A typical example is when you edit an old blog post, add new sections like FAQ, change the meta title and meta description, change the images, etc. but fail to update the schema to include such details. 

7. Use schema in conjunction with other SEO techniques

Schema should only be seen as a way to better structure the content of a web page so that search engines can better understand them and utilise it in a better way when listing results on search engine result pages. While schema can be helpful for SEO, it should be used in conjunction with other SEO techniques, such as keyword optimization and high-quality content, and do not overly depend on schema to rank a webpage.

8. Use a schema markup tool 

There are several tools available that can help you implement schema on your website. Some tools can help you autogenerate schema for each page on your website while others are important for testing. Using tools like schema.org can help you create a better and more efficient schema for your website.  Some SEO plugins like Yoast and Rankmath can help you generate schema automatically for your pages based on your settings. 

Best Practices for Implementing Schema: Final Thought

In conclusion, using schema is an important aspect of SEO that should not be overlooked. When you implement schema on web pages following best practices as described in this article, you can help search engines understand your website’s content and improve its ranking in search results. It’s important to use relevant schema and include as much information as possible, while also avoiding common mistakes such as using irrelevant schema or failing to properly nest elements before publishing them on your website. 

Enema OJ

Hi there! I'm a business growth and digital marketing consultant who specializes in helping businesses make more profits through better online visibility and reach.

I understand the importance of a good and well tailored digital strategy and will use my creativity and expertise to create compelling, informative pieces that will help you achieve your business goals.

Practicing SEO and digital marketing actively for over 7 years has taught me what the lifeblood of every business is and how to keep its foundation juicy. If you desire to increase your brand visibility, generate more traffic and increase your sales and conversion, I'm the one you're looking for.