Structured data is a small block of machine-readable information you add to a page — usually as JSON-LD — that tells search engines exactly what the page is: an article, a product, an organisation, an event, a recipe. It does not directly change rankings, but it removes ambiguity and can make a page eligible for richer search results.
What it actually does
- Clarifies meaning. Instead of inferring that a number is a price and a date is a publish date, the search engine is told.
- Enables rich results. Star ratings, FAQ dropdowns, breadcrumb trails, event dates and article bylines in the search listing all depend on the right markup being present and accurate.
- Feeds knowledge panels and other surfaces that pull structured facts about an organisation or person.
The types most sites should add
- Organization (or LocalBusiness for a physical location) — sitewide, with name, logo, contact and social profiles.
- WebSite — sitewide.
- BreadcrumbList — on every page below the home page.
- Article / BlogPosting — on editorial content, with headline, date, author and image.
- Product — on shop pages, with price and availability.
- FAQPage — where you have a genuine FAQ.
Rules that keep you out of trouble
- The markup must describe content that is actually visible on the page. Marking up an FAQ that users cannot see is a violation.
- Do not invent ratings or reviews. Fabricated
AggregateRatingmarkup is a common cause of manual penalties. - Keep it accurate as the page changes — stale structured data is worse than none.
How to check it
Use Google's Rich Results Test on a live URL, and watch the Enhancements section of Search Console for errors across the site. Valid markup that produces no rich result is still useful — it is doing the clarifying job even when the listing looks plain.
In short
Add Organization, WebSite, BreadcrumbList and Article markup to start, keep it truthful and in sync with the page, and validate it. We build this into every site we deliver — our SEO checklist covers where it fits in the wider picture.