What is Schema Markup?
TL;DR
Schema markup is a form of structured data (typically JSON-LD) added to web pages that explicitly tells search engines and AI systems what the content means - not just what it says.
Definition
Schema markup is a form of structured data (typically JSON-LD) added to web pages that explicitly tells search engines and AI systems what the content means - not just what it says. It defines entities, their attributes, and their relationships in a machine-readable format.
Why It Matters
Schema markup is the primary way AI systems understand your business context. Without it, AI models must infer what your business does from unstructured text. With it, you provide explicit, unambiguous context about your services, locations, team, FAQs, and expertise.
Examples
- LocalBusiness schema with name, address, phone, hours, and services
- FAQPage schema that gives AI systems question-answer pairs they can directly retrieve
- Article schema with author, publish date, and headline for blog content
- Service schema with price ranges and service descriptions
Frequently Asked Questions
Does schema markup help with AI search?
Yes. Schema markup provides AI systems with structured, machine-readable context about your business. It is one of the most impactful things you can do to improve AI retrievability and recommendation likelihood.
What schema types should a local business use?
At minimum: LocalBusiness (or a specific subtype like Dentist, MedicalBusiness), FAQPage, Article (for blog posts), BreadcrumbList, and Organization. Service businesses should also use Service schema for each offering.
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