Glossary
What is structured data?
Structured data is code added to a page, usually as JSON-LD using the schema.org vocabulary, that describes what the page contains in a machine-readable way: an article, a product, an organisation, an FAQ, a breadcrumb trail. Search engines use it to understand pages and to show rich results.
How it looks
<script type="application/ld+json">
{"@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "DefinedTerm",
"name": "Backlink", "description": "A link on another website..."}
</script>
JSON-LD is Google's recommended format because it sits apart from the visible HTML.
Types that matter for a software startup
| Type | Use |
|---|---|
| Organization | Company name, logo, social profiles |
| SoftwareApplication | Product, category, offers, ratings |
| Article / BlogPosting | Blog posts, with dates and author |
| BreadcrumbList | Site hierarchy in results |
| FAQPage | Question and answer sections |
| DefinedTerm | Glossary definitions |
| Dataset | Original data, like our statistics CSVs |
Rich results
Google shows enhanced results for some types: breadcrumbs, review stars on eligible types, product details and more. It has narrowed some: FAQ rich results now show mainly for authoritative government and health sites, and HowTo rich results were retired. Markup is still useful for understanding even where it doesn't produce a visual feature.
Structured data and AI
Structured data states facts unambiguously: your company's name, logo, product category, prices. That helps search engines build their Knowledge Graph entry for you and helps AI systems that read pages pick up correct facts.
Rules
Markup must describe content that's visible on the page and true. Marking up hidden or misleading content violates Google's structured data guidelines and can result in a manual action.
Testing
Use Google's Rich Results Test for supported types and the Schema Markup Validator for general schema.org validity. Search Console reports errors for supported types.
Example
Each glossary page here carries DefinedTerm, BreadcrumbList and FAQPage markup; each statistics page carries Article and Dataset markup with a link to the CSV.
Common mistakes
- Marking up reviews or ratings that aren't shown on the page.
- Using Product markup on pages that don't sell a product.
- Leaving required properties empty, so rich results never trigger.
- Generating markup with values that differ from the visible page.
FAQ
Does structured data improve rankings?
Not directly. It helps understanding and can earn rich results that improve clicks.
Is JSON-LD better than microdata?
Google recommends JSON-LD; it supports all three formats.
Do FAQ rich results still show?
Since 2023, mostly for well-known government and health sites. FAQ markup is still valid.
Which structured data should a SaaS add first?
Organization on the homepage, SoftwareApplication or Product on product pages, BreadcrumbList sitewide and Article on blog posts.
Sources
- Google Search Central: Intro to structured data
- Google Search Central: Structured data general guidelines
- schema.org