Schema markup

Schema markup is code that describes the content of a page in the shared Schema.org vocabulary, for example an article with its author, a product with its price or a business with its address. Search engines use this structured data to understand a page and, for supported types, to show rich results, and Google recommends adding it in the JSON-LD format.

What we found on 1,898 publisher homepages

On 11 November 2026 we fetched the homepages of 2,087 active publisher domains from the Linkbroker marketplace catalogue and read the JSON-LD they contain. The basis is 1,898 homepages that returned HTML, most of them German-language sites.

• 69.9% use schema markup in JSON-LD.
• The same few types dominate, as a share of the pages with JSON-LD: WebSite 87%, SearchAction 74%, WebPage 62%, Organization 57%, BreadcrumbList 55% and Person 19%.

Two things stand out. The basic set of WebSite, WebPage, Organization and breadcrumbs is almost always the same, which is exactly what common SEO plugins for content management systems output by default, so much of it is probably generated automatically. That is a solid base. And three in four of these pages still carry SearchAction, the markup for the sitelinks search box that Google removed from its results in November 2024. The markup does no harm, but it no longer changes anything in Google Search, a good example of why schema markup needs looking after when Google changes what it supports. The limits: a one-day snapshot, and homepages only.

We use it the same way on linkbroker.io: every glossary page carries Article markup with the author as a Person and Linkbroker as the publisher, and the homepage describes the company as an Organization.

Schema markup, structured data and JSON-LD

• Structured data is the umbrella term: information in a fixed, machine-readable format.
• Schema.org is the vocabulary for it, launched in 2011 by Google, Bing and Yahoo, with Yandex joining the same year. It defines types such as Article, Product or Organization and their properties such as author, price or address.
• JSON-LD, Microdata and RDFa are the formats you use to add the vocabulary to a page. Google supports all three and recommends JSON-LD, because it sits in its own script block and is easy to maintain.

A short Article example in JSON-LD looks like this:

<script type="application/ld+json">

{"@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article",

"headline": "How to care for wooden garden furniture",

"author": {"@type": "Person", "name": "Jane Example"},

"datePublished": "2026-11-12"}

</script>

Does schema markup help SEO?

Yes, but not as a shortcut to higher positions. Google uses structured data to understand what a page is about and to decide whether it qualifies for a richer appearance in search results. Markup makes a page eligible for such a result, Google decides case by case whether to show it, and the page still has to rank on its own merits. The practical gain is clarity: who wrote the text, which company stands behind it and what a product costs. Where a rich result does appear, it can make your listing stand out and attract more clicks.

Which rich results Google still shows in 2026

Google's search gallery (last updated 16 October 2026) lists the features it currently supports. For most websites these are the relevant ones:

• Article and Video for guides, news and video content.
• Breadcrumb to show where a page sits in the site structure.
• Product and review snippets for price, availability and ratings in shops.
• Organization and Local business for logo, contact details and opening hours.
• Event, Recipe, Job posting, Profile page and Discussion forum where the content fits.

Some older favourites are gone. Google switched off FAQ rich results for all websites on 7 May 2026, HowTo rich results disappeared in 2023, and the sitelinks search box in 2024. FAQPage and HowTo markup is still valid and does not cause problems, but it no longer produces a special display. Put questions and answers visibly in the text instead, where they help readers directly.

Does AI use schema markup?

For the AI features in Google Search, Google says there is no special schema.org structured data you need to add. What it does ask is that your structured data matches the visible text on the page (Google Search Central). Markup still helps systems tell entities apart: a consistent Organization block with your brand name, logo and profiles makes it clearer which company a page refers to. What gets a brand into AI answers, though, is mostly clear content and what other sites write about it, as explained under answer engine optimization and AI visibility.

How to add schema markup to your website

1. Check what is already there. Many content management systems and shop systems output markup by default. Run a page through Google's Rich Results Test before you add anything twice.
2. Choose the type that fits the content. A guide is an Article, a product page a Product. Use one type for the main content and add Organization and BreadcrumbList.
3. Mark up only what is visible. Google's guidelines require markup to reflect the page truthfully. Prices, ratings and authors in the code must also appear on the page.
4. Add the JSON-LD. As a script block in the page source, through a field in your CMS, a plugin or your templates. Google also reads markup inserted with JavaScript, as long as it is in the rendered page.
5. Test and monitor. Use the Rich Results Test during development and the enhancement reports in Google Search Console after launch. The Schema Markup Validator checks whether the vocabulary itself is used correctly.

Conclusion

Schema markup gives machines clarity rather than rankings. Start with Organization, Article and BreadcrumbList, test with Google's tools and update the markup when Google changes its features. The same applies to guest posts: when you order an article through our marketplace, you can add facts, steps or questions in the briefing and our editorial team writes the technical markup free of charge. Whether it appears on the page is up to the publisher.

Frequently asked questions

Is schema markup a ranking factor?

Not directly. Google uses structured data to understand content and to show rich results, and a richer result can bring more clicks without a higher position.

How do I check if my website has schema markup?

Enter a URL in Google's Rich Results Test or the Schema Markup Validator. The URL Inspection tool in Search Console also shows which structured data Google found in the indexed version of a page.

Is FAQ schema still worth adding?

Not for a rich result, because Google stopped showing FAQ rich results for all websites in May 2026. Existing FAQPage markup does no harm, and visible questions with direct answers still help your readers.

What is the difference between schema markup and structured data?

Structured data is the general term for machine-readable information on a page. Schema markup is structured data that uses the Schema.org vocabulary, which is the one Google and other search engines rely on.

Related terms: LLM SEO · Indexing · SEO content · Reviews