Structured data and schema basics

Structured data (often called schema) helps search engines understand your content more clearly. It adds labels and context so Google and other systems know what a page is about. Schema doesn’t change what users see. It changes how machines interpret it.

What schema does

Schema helps search engines understand:

• What type of business you are
• What services you offer
• Where you’re located
• What articles and pages cover
• Reviews, FAQs, events, products

Why it helps SEO

Schema can improve:

• Rich results (stars, FAQs, breadcrumbs)
• Local SEO visibility
• Product and review visibility
• Crawl efficiency
• Topic clarity

For service businesses, schema clarifies who you are, what you do, and who you serve. That helps both search engines and AI systems.

Types of schema that matter

Organisation – Business name, logo, URL, social links.

Local Business – Address, opening hours, phone.

Service – Your services described clearly.

FAQ – Questions and answers for service and resource pages.

Article – For blog posts and guides.

Breadcrumb – Helps search engines understand site structure.

Product – For ecommerce (Shopify, WooCommerce).

How to add schema

WordPress – Plugins like RankMath or Yoast can add schema based on page type. Choose one and configure it for your structure.

Shopify – Apps such as JSON-LD for SEO or Schema Plus handle product and store schema.

Manual implementation – Only if necessary. Usually plugins or apps are enough.

Best practices

• Use schema that matches the page type
• Avoid overusing or duplicating schema
• Keep data accurate and consistent
• Validate with Google’s Rich Results Test

Schema plus internal linking

Schema tells search engines what a page is. Internal linking tells them how pages relate. Used together across your hubs and key pages, they build topical authority.