Website owners are always looking for ways to improve their online visibility and reach wider audiences. This is why industries like SEO and digital marketing are so prolific among business owners. When it comes to website ranking, most people think of on-page SEO factors like keywords and content, which is correct. SEO can do a lot for your online rankings and improve site visibility. However, if you want to take this to the next level, there is another factor that can have a significant impact on your site’s rankings: schema.
Schema is a code you can add to your website to help search engines understand your content better. This can be especially helpful if your content is complex or if you use specific technical terms that might be confusing for search engines.
Adding schema to your website can help improve your click-through rate from the search results and help you rank higher for specific keywords. In this article, we’ll take a look at what schema is, how it can help improve your website SEO, and how to use it effectively.
What is Schema?
Most website owners rely on basic SEO to inform search engine algorithms about their site content, which is then displayed to the user to help them find the information that they are looking for. While undoubtedly effective, there are still some gaps with this that can make it hard for your site to be found by your audiences on SERPs. With schema markup, you can take this a step further and improve your online visibility.
Schema is a code (often referred to as “structured data”) that you can add to your website to help search engines understand your content better. It is a system of tagging content on your site so that search engines can read it more efficiently and accurately. In a nutshell, it is a technical way of telling search engines exactly what your site’s content is about, which helps minimise confusion for users.
This data is meant to help improve the specificity of your website content, help users make informed decisions about the content they are looking for, and determine if your website is the best choice for their needs. Schema can be used for all kinds of content, including articles, products, events, and even people.
Adding schema to your website can help improve your click-through rate from the search results and help you rank higher for specific keywords. When done right, it has been found that websites that implement structured data have ranked roughly four positions better than sites that don’t.
How Can Schema Help Improve My Website SEO?
Schema can be intimidating to set up for the first time, but the results can pay off significantly for you and your website. Here are some ways that correctly implemented structural data can pay off for you.
1. Schema can help search engines understand your content better. As mentioned above, a schema is a way of tagging your content so that search engines can read it more quickly and accurately. This can be especially helpful if your content is complex or if you use certain technical terms that might be confusing for search engines.
It can also help identify your website apart from others that use the same terms and names as yours, refining your visibility on SERPs, adding value to your website, and attracting more specific audiences more likely to result in conversions.
2. Schema can help improve your click-through rate from the search results. Studies have shown that search results have higher click-through rates with schema markup. This is because schema can help your listings stand out from the rest, making them more clickable. CTRs are essential to SEO as they are one of the main ranking factors for organic search.
3. Schema can help you rank higher for specific keywords. In addition to helping improve your click-through rate, schema can also help you rank higher for particular keywords. This is because schema can help identify your website as a relevant result for specific searches, helping you attract more targeted traffic that is more likely to convert.
4. Schema can help you get featured in rich snippets. Rich snippets are special listings on SERPs that include additional information about your content, such as reviews, ratings, and author information. These listings tend to stand out more in the search results, which can help increase your click-through rate.
5. Schema can help you get featured in other Google products. In addition to appearing in rich snippets, schemas can also help you get featured in other Google products, such as the Knowledge Graph and Google Now. Getting featured on these is a great way to boost your brand online, boost user trust and reliability, and improve site rankings on SERPs.
6. Data markups are not as widely used as they should be. While many website owners and businesses know about schema, this is not something they choose to implement. Roughly only about a third of websites use data markups, which means that there is a lot of untapped potential for your SEO that any smart website owner should use for their sites. By implementing schemas in your website, you are giving yourself a significant advantage over your competition.
Different Types of Schema Markups
There are many different types of schema markups that you can add to your website. The most common ones are:
1. Article schema: Article schema is commonly used for websites that contain articles and blog posts. It helps identify key information about your articles, such as the author, date published, and keywords. Keep in mind that there are different schema attributes for different types of content, such as news articles, blog articles, academic articles, etc., so make sure you correctly identify the correct schema for the content you produce on your website.
2. Product schema: Product schemas help you sell a specific product and service. These help identify key information about your product, such as the price, features, and reviews. It is a good way of helping your products and services stand out from your competition or helping potential customers make an accurate comparison between options.
3. Event schema: For scheduled events like webinars, lectures, forums, etc., event schemas are used. It helps identify essential information about your events, such as the date, time, location, and speakers. This is a great way to attract a larger audience to your event.
4. Person schema: A person schema is used for the specific identification of a person, including their name, job title, contact information, and social media profiles. This can be used for personal and business websites that want to feature specific team members.
5. Local business schema: Local business schemas are commonly used by businesses with a physical location they want customers to visit. It helps identify essential information about your business, such as the address, phone number, opening hours, and reviews. This is a great way to help your business stand out in the local search results.
How to Implement Schema Markup On Your Website
Now that you know how schema can help improve your website SEO, you’re probably wondering how to implement it effectively on your site. Here’s a quick overview of how to get started with schema.
1. Decide what type of schema you want to use. There are many different types of schema markup available, so it’s essential to decide which one is right for your website and content. Some of the most common schema types include articles, products, events, and people. The easiest way to get started with this is through Schema.org. This website is an open-source tool founded by tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo to help standardise the schema markup process and attributes to help website owners.
Many schema markup tools are available, so choosing the one that is right for you and your website is essential. You can use several tools to get started, such as the Schema Markup Generator and the Google Structured Data Markup Helper. Remember that you don’t necessarily need technical coding knowledge to implement schema on your website. Still, you do have to understand the attributes that are required to describe your site’s content.
2. Choose the right schema type for your content. Once you’ve decided what schema you want to use, it’s time to choose the right schema type for your content. For example, if you’re writing an article, you want to use the Article schema type. If you’re selling products on your website, you want to use the Product schema type.
3. Implement the schema markup on your website. Once you’ve decided on the type of schema you want to use and the tool you’ll use to generate it, you can implement the schema markup on your website. This can be done by adding the code to your website’s HTML or using a plugin or tool that automatically generates the code for you.
4. Test your implementation. Once you’ve implemented schema markup on your website, testing it to ensure it’s working correctly is essential. You can do this using the Google Structured Data Testing Tool for this. This tool will help you identify any errors in your schema markup and provide suggestions for fixing them.
5. Monitor your results. After you’ve implemented schema markup on your website, it’s important to monitor your results to see how it’s impacting your SEO. You can track your website’s traffic and rankings over time. You can also use Google Search Console to track your website’s structured data and see how your website is appearing in search results. Like any strategy you implement on your website, take the time to track its progress and tweak it when necessary.
Additional Tips for Effective Schema Implementation
Here are a few additional tips to keep in mind when implementing schema markup on your website:
Identify the Correct Schemas for Your Website: There are many different schema types available, so choose the ones most relevant to your website and content. This means that you need to correctly identify your website’s critical points, what your products and services are, and what value you offer your customers. Remember that schemas tell search engines exactly what your website and business are about, so identification accuracy is crucial before implementing schemas.
Use Multiple Types of Schema. You can use multiple schema types on your website to provide more information about your content. When you start implementing schema on your website, you may be surprised at how many items on your web pages can be marked up. This is why it’s crucial to correctly identify the suitable schemas for your website, as this will provide search engines with a more accurate look at your business, which helps boost site rankings.
Following these tips can effectively implement schema markup and improve your website’s SEO, especially when you combine with with a website that has been designed and developed according to current standards. Schema markup is a powerful tool that can help you rank higher in search results, improve your click-through rate, and boost your brand online. So if you’re not already using it, now is the time to get started.
