How to Add Schema Markup (Structured Data) for Beginners

Structured data (often called schema markup) is machine-readable information you embed in a page—usually as JSON-LD—so systems can understand entities like your organization, an article, a product, or a local business. Google documents that structured data can help pages become eligible for rich results, but it is not required for generative AI features on Google Search, and invalid or spammy markup can cause problems. This beginner guide sticks to official Google and schema.org sources, shows copy-paste JSON-LD starters, and is honest about FAQ and HowTo rich-result limits.

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What structured data is (and is not)

Google’s introduction: structured data is a standardized format for providing information about a page and classifying the page content; Google recommends JSON-LD in the page (commonly in <head> or <body>). (Intro to structured data)

Follow Google’s structured data general guidelines: markup must match visible content; do not mark up content that is misleading or irrelevant.

Vocabulary lives at schema.org (for example Organization, Article, Product). Google supports a subset of types for specific Search features—always check the Search Central doc for that feature.

Google’s AI optimization guide also says structured data is not required for generative AI search and there is no special schema you must add for AI Overviews/AI Mode—but continuing to use it for rich-result eligibility remains good SEO practice. (AI optimization guide)

How to add JSON-LD (the beginner path)

Pick a type that matches the page (Organization on About, Article on a blog post, Product on a product page).
Paste a <script type="application/ld+json">…</script> block with valid JSON.
Ensure every claim appears on the page for users.
Validate (tools below), then request indexing if needed via Search Console.

Organization

Adapted from Google’s Organization example (Organization structured data):

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "url": "https://www.example.com",
  "logo": "https://www.example.com/images/logo.png",
  "name": "Example Corporation",
  "description": "The example corporation is well-known for producing high-quality widgets",
  "email": "contact@example.com",
  "telephone": "+47-99-999-9999",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "Rue Improbable 99",
    "addressLocality": "Paris",
    "addressCountry": "FR",
    "addressRegion": "Ile-de-France",
    "postalCode": "75001"
  }
}
</script>

WebSite

WebSite on schema.org describes a website. Google previously documented a sitelinks search box that used WebSite + SearchAction; that feature is no longer available in Google Search results, and Google removed the sitelinks search box documentation. (Documentation updates — removing sitelinks search box docs; Oct 2024 blog)

Google still documents a separate, supported use of WebSite markup for site names in search results (not the old sitelinks search box). Prefer Google’s site names guidance if your goal is the site-name treatment. The minimal example below is valid schema.org vocabulary; it is not a promise of any Google rich result.

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "WebSite",
  "name": "Example Corporation",
  "url": "https://www.example.com"
}
</script>

Article / NewsArticle

From Google’s Article examples (Article structured data):

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "NewsArticle",
  "headline": "Title of a News Article",
  "image": [
    "https://example.com/photos/1x1/photo.jpg",
    "https://example.com/photos/4x3/photo.jpg",
    "https://example.com/photos/16x9/photo.jpg"
  ],
  "datePublished": "2024-01-05T08:00:00+08:00",
  "dateModified": "2024-02-05T09:20:00+08:00",
  "author": [{
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Jane Doe",
    "url": "https://example.com/profile/janedoe123"
  }]
}
</script>

Use Article / NewsArticle / BlogPosting as appropriate; keep headline accurate and images real.

FAQPage

FAQPage still exists on schema.org for pages of FAQs. Do not expect Google FAQ rich results for typical sites anymore:

August 8, 2023: Google announced FAQ rich results would only be shown regularly for well-known, authoritative government and health websites; other sites would not see them regularly. HowTo rich results were limited (then fully deprecated—see below). Google said unused structured data does not need to be proactively removed. (Changes to HowTo and FAQ rich results)
May 2026: Google deprecated the FAQ rich result feature (no longer appears in Google Search starting May 7, 2026) and later removed the FAQ rich-result documentation. (Documentation updates)

You may still mark up real FAQs for clarity or non-Google consumers, but do not promise FAQ rich snippets in Google Search.

Minimal schema.org-shaped example (validate against your visible Q&A; not a Google feature guarantee):

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [{
    "@type": "Question",
    "name": "Do I need an account?",
    "acceptedAnswer": {
      "@type": "Answer",
      "text": "No. The checker runs without signup."
    }
  }]
}
</script>

Product

Shortened from Google’s Product snippet sample for readability; Google’s full example also includes image, identifiers, brand, and offers. Copy from the current Product snippet doc when implementing for rich-result eligibility.

From Google’s Product snippet documentation (Product structured data; Product snippet):

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org/",
  "@type": "Product",
  "name": "Executive Anvil",
  "description": "Sleeker than ACME's Classic Anvil, the Executive Anvil is perfect for the business traveler looking for something to drop from a height.",
  "review": {
    "@type": "Review",
    "reviewRating": {
      "@type": "Rating",
      "ratingValue": 4,
      "bestRating": 5
    },
    "author": {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Fred Benson"
    }
  },
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": 4.4,
    "reviewCount": 89
  }
}
</script>

Use merchant-listing fields when the page is a purchase page; follow Google’s current Product docs for offers, shipping, and returns.

LocalBusiness

Google documents local business markup with subtypes such as Restaurant. Example fields from Local business structured data:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Restaurant",
  "name": "Trattoria Luigi",
  "image": [
    "https://example.com/photos/1x1/photo.jpg",
    "https://example.com/photos/4x3/photo.jpg",
    "https://example.com/photos/16x9/photo.jpg"
  ],
  "priceRange": "$$$",
  "servesCuisine": "Italian",
  "telephone": "+12125557234",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "148 W 51st St",
    "addressLocality": "New York",
    "addressRegion": "NY",
    "postalCode": "10019",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  }
}
</script>

Pick the most specific LocalBusiness subtype that fits.

HowTo rich results (deprecated)

In the same August 2023 announcement, Google limited HowTo rich results, then on September 13, 2023 extended the change: Google Search no longer shows How-to rich results on desktop, meaning the result type was deprecated. (HowTo/FAQ changes) Google’s dedicated HowTo structured-data doc URL now returns 404; do not plan SEO work around HowTo rich results.

Validate before you ship

Rich Results Test — Google’s tool for eligible rich-result types (HTTP 200). Paste a URL or code snippet.
Schema Markup Validator — schema.org’s validator for vocabulary correctness (HTTP 200). Useful even when Google does not show a rich result for that type.
Search Console — enhancement / rich-result reports for types Google still supports on your property.

Markup that validates is still not a guarantee of a rich result; Google may choose not to show one.

FAQ

Is JSON-LD better than Microdata?
Google recommends JSON-LD as the easiest approach for most sites. (Intro to structured data)

Will FAQ schema get me FAQ rich results?
For Google Search, FAQ rich results were restricted in 2023 and the feature was later deprecated (documentation removed). Do not count on FAQ rich results. (Aug 2023 blog; Updates)

Do I need schema for AI Overviews?
Google says structured data is not required for generative AI search. Keep using it for rich-result eligibility as part of normal SEO. (AI optimization guide)

Soft next step

Add Organization (or LocalBusiness) and page-level Article/Product markup where it matches visible content, then validate. For a free, no-signup report focused on SEO checks, AI-crawler / robots readiness, and a prioritized fix list (plus optional comparison against up to three competitors)—with a few free reports a day—run your URL at https://sitescope.pages.dev. An experimental AI-knowledge check may appear on some reports; it is not guaranteed and is not a live ChatGPT or Perplexity answer readout.

Sources

Google Search Central — Intro to structured data, General guidelines (HTTP 200)
Google — Organization, Article, Product, Product snippet, Local business (HTTP 200)
Google Search Central Blog — Changes to HowTo and FAQ rich results (Aug 8, 2023; HowTo desktop deprecation Sep 13, 2023) (HTTP 200)
Google — Documentation updates: FAQ rich result deprecation / docs removal (HTTP 200)
Google — Removing sitelinks search box documentation (HTTP 200)
Google — Site names (WebSite structured data) (HTTP 200)
Google — AI optimization guide (HTTP 200)
Rich Results Test, Schema Markup Validator (HTTP 200)
schema.org — Organization, WebSite, Article, FAQPage, Product, LocalBusiness (HTTP 200)
SiteScope — sitescope.pages.dev (HTTP 200)

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