Schema is a code used to provide search engines with more information to understand your content better and clearly. A Schema also implies a semantic vocabulary of microdata and tags added to your HTML. In this way, you can improve the way SEO reads your page’s content and how it represents your page in SERPs. 

What is a schema markup, and why should you use it?

As mentioned earlier, schema markup is structured data that can make your webpage look more attractive and informative in SERPs. It allows you to use snippets and images that can help you display the exact information users are likely to click on SEO. According to Google, schema turns out to be an essential criterion in ranking algorithms. Yet, many web pages are not profiting from this principal feature.

What’s more about schema is that it minimizes the guesswork on what a webpage is all about. With this clarity, SEO can efficiently interpret the relationship and meaning of specific properties mentioned on it. The optimal feedback that SEO can receive is bringing in rich snippets that can optimize and enhance your web page on search results. 

Adding schema helps the SEO crawl better, raises the website ranking, converts unstructured data into structured data, and gives the web pages an upper hand over their competitors.

Everyday tips for structured schema data

• Use more than one schema type and standard guidelines that you can find listed in Google’s documentation. You have many structured data possibilities to choose from at Schema.org vocabulary. 
• Even though structured data is not yet listed as a ranking factor, it can help you add rich snippets to your SERP listings. You can combine a content structure with specific structured data types to help your page occupy a better and more assertive presence in the SERP.
• Make sure you add schema in the content that is included on the target website where visitors are mainly positioned. So, be careful where you add schema, don’t waste it to a webpage where users would not benefit from. 
• Meanwhile, you are adding more information and probably embedding more entities; make sure you note the relationship using the page URLs and IDs. In other words, if you are adding up the service that your business offers, you have to make sure that the service notes the URL page for that Service and the URL and the ID of the webpage. 

 

Types of Schema in SEO – for nearly all kinds of website

Schemas are commonly used to markup certain pieces of info based on the context, such as People, Products, Services, and Places. But several types have an expanded use in SEO for almost any kind of website. 

1.Organization/local businesses

If you own a business website, you can apply both Organization and Local Business schema. These schema types are typically used for small and medium businesses that provide services to a specific local or regional market. 

It is good to know that LocalBusinessstructured data can support specific business types. For example, schema can uphold such businesses as Real Estate agents, Dentists, Legal and Emergency Services, and many more.

Here is a Pro Tip on ranking your site higher than your social profiles. You can use the “sameAs” property, which comes to aid to rank your website above your social accounts for branded terms.

Same as LocalBusiness, Organization scheme is widely used for specific businesses despite their local or geographical area, such as Medical, Governmental, Educational, Sports, and several other companies.

For Organization structured data, “ContactPoint” is used to settle down accurate information presented on a business/brand’s Knowledge Graph. 

2.Search action

SearchAction is searching for an object which generally leads to a FindAction. For example, suppose your website has a search function implemented. In that case, SearchAction is an impressive form of structured data worthy of using. With time, Search action has become one of the most used schema types with significant impact, especially on branded navigational queries. 

Try to search “Adobe,” “Reddit,” “WebMD,” or “Thesaurus,” and you will see a new website search feature listed directly in the SERP. 

Note: While SearchActiongives Google official permission to add a site-search field in SERP’s listings, you have no guarantee whether it is going to be used by Google one day or not.

Another good reason SearchAction is a powerful and essential form of schema is that it can help Google understand all the generated URL types. 

e.g.,The search indicator on WordPress is generally example.com?s=[search-term] so the ?s= .

3.Breadcrumb

Breadcrumb structured data indicates the search engine results pages (SERPs). It is worth noting that the Breadcrumb schema is helpful for large sites with substantial navigation, categorization, and URL paths. What’s more about Breadcrumb markup is that it shows where the page is positioned in a websiteandarrays a consistent relationship between the user and the content.  

3.Articles and blog posting

One of the most productive activities conducted on the website will constantly be publishing articles and blog posts. Therefore, the article or BlogPostinc schema is a precious SEO asset for websites that constantly publish news, research studies, blog posts, and news articles.

4.Collection

Referred to the strategic content optimization topic, Collection markup is a helpful feature for your brand’s blog index page. Collection markup can also be used for any creative work portfolio and be applied in eCommerce product category webpages. 

5.VideoObject

Using it in your website videos, we recommend you utilize VideoObject structured data. This type of schema assists Google in better understanding the content of the video and all the other details. But, of course, to help Google with that, you have to provide great information like the duration time of the video, thumbnail URL, a short video description, as well as the transcript!

Specialized schema types for SEO by Vertical

Having plenty of industry verticals around, it is hard for brands to find the specific schema types that can perfectly reflect their business model. So, the only way for brands to benefit from using a particular schema is to choose the one that represents the products and services of their business decently.

Below, we have listed some specialized schema types that can help you decide the best for your business model.

6.SaaS

SaaS is a saturated landscape incorporated with savvy SEOs and Software that help Service brands tremendously from using schema. Here are some types most relevant :

• SoftwareApp – It is also great for mobile apps. If your SaaS brand has multiple Software products, feel free to create a schema for all of them.
• Reviews – this is used only for your Software product (not the company).
• Services: You can offer the two types of ad hoc services with your solution – Onboarding and White-labelling. 
• How-to’s – We suggest you implement an introduction, manual, or ‘getting started guide.
• FAQ – This is commonly found on the current FAQ page and the pricing page.

7.eCommerce

As you might know, organic search visibility is prized in marketing real estate, so your site needs to use structured data to stand out in the online retail space. 

• Product – the key to earning rich snippets around specific product details.
• Product collection – establish a thematic/logical connection between a set of product variations related to each other. 
• Reviews – it is preferred for specific products. Still, it can also be used for a company that doesn’t have product-specific reviews. 
• How TO & FAQ is a dynamic supplement to manuals, review posts, product pages, or any other FAQ content.
• Local business is generally used for brands that still have a traditional business model. You can offer delivery services, gift wrapping, customization, and alterations.

 

8.Finance

There is a lot to investigate in the world of finance when it comes to banks, credit unions, financial institutions, and even more specialized lenders or financial advisors. Some of the most known financial products are:

• CreditCard
• BankAccount
• BrokerageAccount
• investment funds
• money transfer
• LoanorCredit

Even if you are a national brand, you can use one of these LocalBusiness types below:

• financial services (the broadest)
• accounting services
• BankorCreditUnion (if you are a multi-location bank)
• insurance agency

 

9.Medical

These schema markups are used only for businesses that offer different medical services. Some of the most impactful forms of structured data are MedicalClinic, MedicalProcedure, MedicalTherapy, medical condition, and Physician schema markup.

In the coming days this article will be changed by adding new models of Scheme types./Nardi Doda