Technical SEO
Core Web Vitals, crawlability, XML sitemaps and mobile-first indexing explained.
Read guideWhat Is Schema Markup?#
Schema markup (also called structured data) is code you add to your web pages' HTML that uses a standardised vocabulary from Schema.org to explicitly describe your content's meaning to search engines. While Google can infer a lot from reading your content, schema removes ambiguity entirely — it tells Google definitively whether a page contains a recipe, an FAQ, a product, a local business, a news article, or a how-to guide.
The SEO benefit is twofold. First, schema can trigger rich results — enhanced SERP displays showing star ratings, FAQ dropdowns, step-by-step instructions, event dates, and recipe information directly in search results. These visually distinctive results earn significantly higher click-through rates than standard blue links. Second, with the rise of AI-powered search (Google AI Overviews, Bing Copilot), structured data has become an increasingly important signal for AI systems to accurately understand and cite your content in generated responses.
JSON-LD: Google's Recommended Format#
Schema markup can be implemented in three formats: JSON-LD, Microdata, and RDFa. Google strongly recommends JSON-LD as it is the easiest to implement (placed in a script tag rather than embedded throughout HTML), the easiest to maintain (update one script block rather than HTML across the page), and the least likely to cause display issues. All examples in this guide use JSON-LD format.
JSON-LD schema is placed in a <script type="application/ld+json"> tag, ideally in the <head> section of your HTML. It does not affect your page's visual appearance — it is purely a signal for machines. Always validate any schema you add using Google's free Rich Results Test (search.google.com/test/rich-results) before publishing.
The Most Important Schema Types for UK Websites#
1
FAQPage Schema
Marks up question-and-answer pairs on your page, enabling Google to display expandable FAQ dropdowns directly in search results. This is one of the highest-CTR rich result types available and also a primary source of voice search answers. Best applied to: FAQ pages, product pages with common questions, and any article with a dedicated FAQ section. Required properties: @type: "FAQPage", mainEntity array of Question items each with a name (the question) and acceptedAnswer (the answer). See our SEO FAQ page for a live example.
2
HowTo Schema
Marks up step-by-step tutorial and instructional content, potentially displaying numbered steps directly in SERPs. Best for: tutorials, guides, and process-oriented articles. Required properties: @type: "HowTo", name (title), step array of HowToStep items each with name and text. Optional but valuable: totalTime, estimatedCost, tool, and supply arrays for practical how-to content.
3
Product Schema
Essential for any e-commerce product page. Enables star ratings, price, and availability to appear in search results — dramatically improving CTR for shopping queries. Required: @type: "Product", name, image, description. Strongly recommended: offers (with price, priceCurrency set to GBP for UK, availability), aggregateRating (with ratingValue and reviewCount), and brand. Full details in our E-Commerce SEO guide.
4
LocalBusiness Schema
Reinforces your business's name, address, phone number, opening hours, and geographic coordinates for local search. Critical for UK businesses wanting strong local pack and Google Maps presence. Use the most specific subtype available (Restaurant, MedicalBusiness, LegalService, etc. rather than generic LocalBusiness). Must include: name, address (with PostalAddress including UK postcode), telephone (UK format), openingHours. Coordinates from our Local SEO guide.
5
Article and NewsArticle Schema
Improves Google's understanding of editorial content and is required for Google News inclusion (NewsArticle type). Important properties: headline, datePublished, dateModified, author (with Person type including name and URL), publisher (with Organisation type and logo). The dateModified property signals content freshness to Google and can positively influence rankings for queries where recency matters.
Website-Wide Schema Implementation#
Every website should implement these schema types regardless of niche: WebSite (on your homepage, enables the Sitelinks search box in some cases), Organisation (on your homepage, establishes your brand entity including logo, social profiles, and contact information), and BreadcrumbList (on all inner pages, displays the page hierarchy in SERP snippets and improves navigational understanding). These baseline schema types establish your website's identity with Google and contribute to knowledge graph recognition for your brand.
Schema Markup for AI Search Visibility#
With Google's AI Overviews and Bing Copilot increasingly synthesising content from web pages into AI-generated answers, structured data has taken on new importance. AI search systems rely heavily on structured, unambiguous data when constructing answers — pages with comprehensive schema markup are more likely to be parsed accurately and cited as sources in AI-generated responses. The Speakable schema property (marking sections suitable for audio delivery) is an emerging standard specifically designed for AI assistant and voice search contexts. Implementing it now positions your content for increasing AI search relevance as these technologies mature.
Common Schema Markup Mistakes#
- Marking up content not visible on the page: Never add schema for content that is not actually displayed to users — Google penalises misleading structured data.
- Incorrect property values: FAQPage with answers under 50 words, or Product schema missing required price fields, will not trigger rich results even if technically valid.
- Not validating before publishing: Always use the Rich Results Test. Invalid JSON syntax (a missing comma or unclosed bracket) will silently prevent all schema from being processed.
- Using the wrong type: Using generic "Thing" or "WebPage" when a more specific type exists misses the SEO opportunity. Always use the most specific applicable schema type.