What is structured data?
Structured data is a standardized format for giving search engines extra information about your content. Instead of Google having to guess that your page is a recipe, you explicitly tell it: "This is a recipe. Here's the name, the cook time, the ingredients, and the rating."
When Google understands your page better, it can display your content in richer ways — star ratings, FAQs, event dates, price ranges — right in the search results. This is called a rich result (sometimes called a rich snippet).
The vocabulary for structured data comes from Schema.org, a collaboration between Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Yandex. You tell Google "this is an Article" or "this is a Product" using Schema.org types.
JSON-LD: the format Google recommends
There are three formats for structured data: JSON-LD, Microdata, and RDFa. Google recommends JSON-LD because it's clean, easy to read, and doesn't require you to mix code into your HTML content.
JSON-LD goes inside a <script> tag in the <head> (or body) of your page:
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "How to Make Perfect Pasta",
"author": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Maria Rossi"
},
"datePublished": "2024-03-15",
"image": "https://example.com/pasta.jpg"
}
</script>The @context tells Google which vocabulary you're using (Schema.org). The @type tells it what kind of thing this page is about.
Which schema types matter most?
Not all schema types unlock rich results — some are just informational for Google. Here are the most useful types for typical websites:
Article / BlogPosting / NewsArticle
For blog posts and news articles. Helps with "Top Stories" carousel and article rich results. Required fields: headline, image, datePublished, author.
Product
For e-commerce pages. Unlocks price, availability, and star rating in search results. Required: name, image, offers.
FAQPage
For pages with FAQ sections. Unlocks an accordion of questions directly in search results — huge for CTR. Required: mainEntity with Question and acceptedAnswer items.
LocalBusiness
For local businesses. Helps with Google Maps and local pack listings. Required: name, address, telephone.
BreadcrumbList
Shows the page's path (Home > Blog > Article) in search results. Small but useful for UX.
Recipe
For food/cooking content. Unlocks cook time, servings, rating, and calories in results.
WebSite
Adds a sitelinks search box to your homepage result. Optional but nice for brands.
What happens if your schema has errors?
Google validates structured data during crawling. If required fields are missing or the format is wrong, Google ignores the schema entirely — no rich results.
Common schema errors:
Missing required fields: An Article schema without an author or image field won't qualify for rich results.
Invalid date formats: Dates must be ISO 8601 format (2024-03-15), not March 15, 2024.
Mismatched content: If your schema says the page is a Product but the page is clearly an article, Google may ignore it.
Multiple conflicting schemas: Having two @type: "Article" blocks that contradict each other.
You can test your structured data using Google's Rich Results Test tool at search.google.com/test/rich-results.
Adding schema to a page: a simple FAQ example
The FAQPage schema is one of the easiest to add and has a dramatic impact — it can double the vertical space your result takes up in search results.
If your page has a FAQ section with three questions, you'd add this:
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "FAQPage",
"mainEntity": [
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Is shipping free?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Yes, all orders over $50 include free standard shipping."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Can I return an item?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "We accept returns within 30 days for unused items."
}
}
]
}
</script>Requirements: the Q&A content must actually exist and be visible on the page — Google doesn't allow hidden schema.
How to find schema problems on a page
You can view a page's JSON-LD by opening browser dev tools (F12), going to the Elements tab, and searching for application/ld+json. But this requires reading raw JSON which can be error-prone.
The better approach is to use a validation tool or a browser extension that surfaces schema issues instantly — showing you which schemas are present, whether required fields are missing, and which ones are valid.
Hawk Eye does this instantly
Hawk Eye's Schema Validator detects every JSON-LD block on the page and checks each one against the required fields for 13 schema types. It gives each schema a Valid or Issues badge and lists exactly which required fields are missing — no copying JSON, no external tools needed.
Add Hawk Eye to Chrome — FreeKey Takeaways
- Structured data tells Google what your content is — it unlocks rich results like star ratings, FAQ accordions, and recipe info.
- Use JSON-LD format inside a <script type='application/ld+json'> tag — it's Google's recommended format.
- FAQPage and Product schemas have the biggest visual impact in search results.
- Missing required fields (like author or image in Article) will prevent rich results from showing.
- Google's Rich Results Test and browser extensions like Hawk Eye can instantly validate your schema.