What is Schema Markup?

Schema markup is structured code you add to your website that helps search engines understand what your content is about. It's a way of labeling different elements on your page so Google knows exactly what it's looking at.

Think of it as adding labels to your content. Instead of Google guessing what a number means, schema tells Google "this is a rating" or "this is a price" or "this is a recipe cooking time."

Why schema markup matters

Schema markup helps you show up in rich snippets and featured snippets in search results. These enhanced results stand out visually and typically get higher click-through rates.

For example, recipe schema can show cooking time and ratings directly in search results. Article schema can display your author name and publish date. FAQ schema can get your content featured in the FAQ accordion at the top of search results.

Common Types for Blogs

Article schema is the most important for blog posts. It tells Google about your headline, author, publish date, and featured image. Most blogging platforms add this automatically.

FAQ schema works well if your content answers common questions. Breadcrumb schema helps Google understand your site structure. How-To schema is useful for tutorial content.

Implementation

Most modern website builders and CMS platforms include basic schema markup automatically. For blog posts, you typically don't need to add any code manually.

If you want to add specific types of schema, use Google's Structured Data Markup Helper or a plugin for your platform. Test your markup with Google's Rich Results Test to make sure it's working correctly.