Leveraging schema markup is an essential step in SEO and helps search engines better understand the content that’s on your website.

What is Schema Markup?

Schema markup is a specific kind of code added to websites to optimize its listing on the Search Engines Results Page (SERP).

By adding code to your site, Google will display additional information about your business under your search result’s title tag, such as:

• Hours of operation

• Store address

• Product ratings

• Social media profiles

• Event details and more!

Although schema markup is not an official ranking factor, utilizing it can help improve search visibility and UX, increase click-through-rate, and decrease bounce rates, leading to an indirect improvement in search engine rankings.

There are hundreds of schema markups to choose from, but some of the most popular and useful ones are broken down below.

6 Types of Schema for SEO

1. Site Navigation Schema Markup

   The site navigation schema markup helps users understand the structure of your website and can help increase click-through-rate for your site links.

   With up to six pages listed below your site’s title tag and meta description, you can use the site navigation schema markup to point users directly to your site’s subpages. Each site link can have unique title tags and meta descriptions for your site’s subpages.

   These site links are a great way to draw traffic directly to specific pages on your site and you can even add a ‘Contact Us’ site link using the site navigation schema markup.

   

                                  Site Navigation Schema Markup Example - PSM   
    

2. Local Business Schema Markup

   One of the best ways to increase traffic and conversions for small and local businesses is to use the local business markup.

   This markup can display information for specific branches of a business or organization such as address, operating hours, menu, phone number, and more. This is a great way to increase visibility for your local businesses and improve UX for users on the verge of converting.

   Local business markup can also display up-to-date information regarding dine-in service, takeout, and delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic for restaurants.

                                     

                                                          Local Business Schema Markup Example - Chipotle
    

   Check out our guide on how to use Google My Business for your small business for additional ways to improve your local business’s performance on Google’s SERP.

    

3. Organization Schema Markup

   Similar to the local business markup, the organization schema markup is a great option for larger businesses.

   This schema shows users a short description of the organization, the company logo, location, and contact information.

   For businesses that are active on social media platforms, the organization schema is also a great way to link relevant company profiles such as Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

                     

                                     Organization Schema Markup Example - Insomnia Cookies
    

4. Rating, Product & Offer Markups: E-commerce Schema Markup

   Rating, product, and offer markups are essential schema markups for any e-commerce business, and can greatly improve your business’s visibility on the SERP.

   These e-commerce schema markups display product information such as prices and availability below the title tag for your specific products on the search results page. Businesses can also add a rating schema markup that displays a product rating on a scale from one to five stars.

    
                          E-commerce Schema Markup Example - Gap 
    

5. Breadcrumbs Schema Markup

   If you haven’t done so already, breadcrumb linking on your website is a great way to improve user experience and increase search engine rankings.

   The breadcrumbs markup uses the breadcrumb linking already established on your site and displays the path users take to get to a specific page. This allows users to navigate through your site more easily after leaving the search engine results page and reduces bounce rate.

                            Breadcrumbs Schema Markup Example - Pottery Barn  

6. Event Schema Markup

   For businesses that regularly sell tickets to events like concerts, festivals, lectures, and seminars, the event schema markup is a great way to show users relevant information on the search results page. Details such as date, price, and location can be displayed below the meta description of your search result.

                              Event Schema Markup Example - StubHub

 

How to Generate Schema Markup

So how can you create schema markup for your website? Merkle and Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool is a great place to start to help search engines better understand your content. Merkle is a user-friendly schema generator that creates the HTML code necessary to add basic schema markups. Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool, which is moving to schema.org in April 2021, helps users test their structured data and schema markups for any errors.

Simply paste your code or website URL into the code to check syntax and ensure your schema markups are running properly!

About the author: Anthony is a Northwestern student hailing from Detroit, Michigan. He’s a Taurus passionate about Pottery Barn. One day, you’ll catch him winning Survivor...or opening a cheese and wine store.