An introduction to structured data

The structured data is especially important when you need to tell Google and other search engines what your website is about.

Without defining to the search engines what it is about, it is not possible to get them to show up in the search results. Through specific ''tags'' in the structured data, you signal to the search engines what information to display in the SERP - this is also called a 'markup', which is something we'll get to later.

Unstructured data is data that has not been organized or locked down via a set of rules in a given coding language. Examples include images, infographics, videos, documents or presentations.

Structured data, on the other hand, is organised via one or more rules in a coding language - either Microdata, RDFa or JSON-LD, with Google recommending the latter but still able to understand the other two.

As mentioned earlier, structured data is a ''language'' that can be understood and read by search engines, web crawlers and the browser you are reading this blog post on right now. 

In order to understand and read a language, not only in a human context but also in the case of search engines, two variables must be met. 

1. The grammar of language 
2. Vocabulary of the language

When you talk to someone, whether it's a computer or another person, you need to use your vocabulary (words that have a particular meaning) as well as grammar (a set of rules that defines how you can use words and their meanings). The same is true when Google, for example, needs to understand your website. You need to make it clear to the other party what it is about. 

So, is there a specific vocabulary we need to use when ''talking'' structured data? Yes, there is!

Schema.org is the most universal vocabulary in structured data. Created by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Yandex, it aims to promote schema in structured data. It is also community-based and is thus updated with new words several times a year, which you can easily implement in your existing HTML code. Smart, right?

But what does Schema code look like? Below you can see a code that was created based on this blog post. ↓

In this code snippet we tell Google what this blog post is about, who who is the sender and when it was published. In terms of the grammar angle, it's actually free choice on all shelves. However, Google recommends JSON-LD, but recognizes the other two as well as the first. It basically comes down to what you or your IT manager is most comfortable with.

The general user of the Internet is not familiar with the concept of structured data, but still experiences it on a daily basis. Automatic creation of calendar events when booking flight tickets, prices of products in search results and extended information about your search are just some of the things you can do by structuring your data in front of Google. Structured data can affect the SERP in two different ways - via content features and Rich Snippets.

Sitelinks and Sitelink Searchbox - Let the user search your site via Google

Sitelinks allow you to display multiple links under one of your search results. This allows the user to quickly and easily navigate to one of your subpages. Of course, Google may not allow you to create sitelinks directly in the search results, but to increase your chances, you should create correct alt texts, anchor texts and a good URL structure on the page.

Sitelink Searchbox is an extension of the former, where a search box is included in the search result. This means that the user can search for a specific product on the website directly in the search result. It should be noted, however, that the search box only appears when the user makes a search for a brand. ↓

For more information on how to create a Sitelink Searchbox for your website, take a look at the Google guidelines right here.

For simplicity, it's actually surprisingly easy to make your own schema code. It's even easier as a web shop owner, as many plug-ins (e.g. Woocommerce or Shopify) can generate schema codes for your product pages themselves. 

Creating a schema code may seem daunting, especially when it comes to implementing and setting up the code piece - however, Google is your saviour. Their Structured Data Markup Helper is a great easy way to create a schema code - especially if your page is already published or you have the HTML code for the upcoming page. 

Alternatively, you can use this Schema Markup Generator, which in principle works in the same way. However, you do not have the option to select the data from a website, it must be entered manually. 

When you enter it yourself, you actually have the option to tailor the entire code set. For example, you can choose what type of business you have, your opening hours, upcoming events and much much more. It's therefore more ''open'' in terms of freedom and choice when it comes to criteria compared to Google's own.

To test if your schema code works, you can use Google's Structured Data Testing Tool. Via this page you can check your schema code for any errors and shortcomings. If no errors appear, you can safely add it to your website via the backend system. 

This blog post is just a small introduction to structured data, and Schema codes in general. In fact, you can go even deeper and specify what kind of data you want search engines to read - down to the smallest detail. If you stay tuned to our blog, there will be an in-depth blog post on just that in the near future. 

So in short... STAY TUNED!

It may seem a bit geeky, and you may even wonder if structured data is really relevant to you and your business. Especially if your time can be spent elsewhere. 

... The answer must still be said to be a resoundingly yes from here. 

Since we see more and more searches where the user in many cases does not click on the search result, but actually gets an answer to his search query already in the search engine. This is exactly what happens with structured data, and therefore you should already think about how you want to implement it.

A good start is half the battle. Bad beginnings are.... well, not good. If you don't have the resources to put together a well thought out SEO strategy, feel free to drop me a line at seo@webamp.dk or get in touch with one of my colleagues at info@webamp.dk.