Create structured data markup for improved SEO and rich snippets.
{
"message": "Select a schema type, fill the form, and click 'Generate Schema'."
}
Schema markup helps search engines understand your content better. This guide explains what it is, why it matters, and how to use our generator to create it for your website.
Schema markup is code you add to your website that tells search engines exactly what your content means. Without it, search engines have to guess. With it, they know for certain.
Here's a simple example: If your page says "5 stars," a human knows that's a rating. But search engines need the schema to confirm it's a rating, not just the words "5 stars" mentioned in a sentence. Schema provides that clarity.
JSON-LD is the format Google recommends. It's just a script tag you drop in your page's head section. You don't have to touch your existing HTML, which makes it pretty straightforward to add.
Schema markup does a few important things for your website:
Rich results are those enhanced listings you see in Google with extra info - star ratings, prices, images, cooking times, whatever's relevant. They stand out, so people click them more.
Example: By adding structured data to a recipe page, you can expect search engines to display details like cooking time and calorie count directly in search results, which can significantly improve click-through rates.
Without schema, Google's reading your page and making educated guesses. With schema, there's no guessing. You're explicitly telling them "this is a product, this is the price, this is when it was published."
Example: By adding Product structured data to a laptop review page, search engines can better understand the page intent and correctly classify it as a product review, helping attract more relevant search traffic.
If you run a local business, schema helps you appear in those local pack results and on Google Maps. Plus people can see your hours, phone number, and address without clicking through.
Example: By adding LocalBusiness structured data with opening hours, a coffee shop website can appear in searches like “coffee shops open now,” helping attract more nearby customers during active business hours.
This is the part people underestimate. Even if you're ranking in position 4 or 5, having a rich result with star ratings or extra info can pull more clicks and your listing just looks more trustworthy and informative.
Search is changing with ChatGPT, Google's AI overviews, and other AI tools. Schema matters even more now because AI needs structured data to pull accurate answers.
When AI generates an answer to a question, it looks for websites with clear, structured information. Your schema makes it easy for AI to extract the right data. Plus, when AI cites sources, pages with proper schema are more likely to get picked because the AI can verify the information is legitimate.
Voice search is another big one. When someone asks Alexa "what time does [business] open," the answer comes from your LocalBusiness schema. No schema means Alexa might not have an answer.
Schema follows a specific pattern. Here's what the pieces mean:
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Your Article Title",
"author": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Author Name"
},
"datePublished": "2024-01-15"
}
</script>@context - Always "https://schema.org" - this tells browsers you're using the schema.org vocabulary
@type - What kind of thing you're describing (Article, Product, Event, etc.)
Properties - The details about that thing (headline, author, datePublished, etc.)
Nested objects - Some properties have their own @type, like the author above is a Person object
Use it for: Blog posts, news articles, any editorial content
What to include:
The basics are headline, image, and publication date. Add author info if you want the author's name showing in search results. Publisher info with a logo is good for branding. If you update articles, include the modification date - Google likes fresh content.
How it helps: Articles with proper schema can show up in Google's Top Stories carousel. You'll also see the author photo, publication date, and thumbnail image in regular search results, which makes your listing more clickable.
Use it for: Any product page on an e-commerce site
What to include:
Name and image are required. Add the price, currency, and availability (in stock, out of stock, preorder). Brand name helps too. The real gold is in reviews - aggregate ratings show those star ratings in search results, and individual reviews add credibility.
How it helps: Product schema shows price, availability, and that 4.5-star rating directly in search results. People can comparison shop without clicking through to multiple sites. If your schema shows you're in stock and cheaper than competitors, you get the click.
Use it for: Any business with a physical location - restaurants, stores, offices, service providers
What to include:
Name and full address are must-haves. Add your phone number and opening hours for each day of the week. If you have reviews, include the aggregate rating. Price range ($ to $$$$) helps set expectations. Photos of your business make your listing more appealing. Coordinates (latitude/longitude) help with map integration.
How it helps: When someone searches "restaurants near me" or "open now," your business shows up with all the info they need - hours, ratings, price level, phone number. If your hours show you're currently open, you're more likely to get the visit.
Use it for: FAQ pages, Q&A sections, any page with questions and answers
What to include:
Each FAQ needs a question and a complete answer. You can include HTML in the answer text if needed. Focus on the questions your customers actually ask - check your support tickets or search console data for common queries.
How it helps: Google displays FAQ schema as an expandable section right in search results. People can read your answers without visiting your site. Sounds counterintuitive, but it builds trust - they see you have good answers and are more likely to click through or contact you.
Use it for: Any scheduled event - concerts, conferences, webinars, workshops, classes
What to include:
Event name, start date/time, and location are required. For virtual events, use a VirtualLocation with the meeting URL. For physical events, include the venue name and address. Add an image of your event poster or venue. Ticket info (price, availability, purchase URL) is important if you're selling tickets. Include the organizer and main performers/speakers.
How it helps: Events with schema appear in Google's event search and can show up in local results. People searching for "events this weekend" or specific event types can filter by date, location, and price. Your event stands out with all the key details visible upfront.
Use it for: Landing pages, about pages, general informational pages
What to include:
Basic info is the page name, description, and URL. Breadcrumbs help Google understand where this page fits in your site structure. If your page has one main topic or entity, specify it with mainEntity. For pages you want featured in voice search, mark the key sections as speakable.
Why it works: WebPage schema with breadcrumbs creates those nice navigation trails in search results that show "Home > Category > Current Page". It helps people understand your site structure before clicking and makes your result look more organized and professional.
Step 1: Pick Your Schema Type
Click the schema type in the sidebar that matches your content. The form updates automatically with the right fields.
Step 2: Fill In The Form
Fill out everything marked with a red asterisk (*) - those are required. The optional fields help too, so add whatever's relevant. There's helper text under each field if you're not sure what format to use.
Step 3: Add Multiple Items If Needed
Some schemas need multiple entries. For FAQs, click "Add Question" for each Q&A pair. For HowTo, add all your steps. For LocalBusiness, add opening hours for each day you're open.
Step 4: Generate and Check for Errors
Hit "Generate Schema" and the tool checks your inputs. If something's wrong, you'll see red borders and error messages. Fix those, then generate again.
Step 5: Copy the Code
Once it generates successfully, copy the JSON-LD code. Paste it in your page's <head> section inside <script type="application/ld+json"></script> tags. WordPress users - most SEO plugins have a spot for this in the page editor.
Step 6: Test It
Always test with Google's Rich Results Test before going live. This catches any mistakes and shows you what rich results you're eligible for.
No. Focus on pages where rich results would actually help - product pages, blog posts, local business info, events, FAQs. Your homepage and contact page can benefit from Organization or LocalBusiness schema, but don't stress about adding it to every single page.
Usually a few days to a few weeks. Google needs to recrawl your page and process the schema. Even then, showing rich results isn't guaranteed - Google picks what they think is most useful for searchers. Valid schema doesn't automatically mean you'll get rich snippets.
Yes, if they describe different parts of your content. An article about an upcoming event could have both Article and Event schema. Just make sure each one accurately represents something actually on the page.
Schema isn't a direct ranking factor, but it can help indirectly. Rich results get more clicks. Higher click-through rate signals to Google that your result is useful, which can help rankings over time. Schema also helps Google understand your content better, which might help with relevance.
Three ways to do the same thing. Google recommends JSON-LD because it's separate from your HTML - you just drop in a script tag. Microdata and RDFa mix schema into your HTML tags, which gets messy and harder to maintain. Stick with JSON-LD unless you have a specific reason not to.
Errors might prevent rich results, but they won't hurt your regular rankings. Google Search Console shows you schema errors and warnings. Fix them when you can, but don't panic - minor errors are common and usually don't break anything.
For basic schema (Article, FAQ, LocalBusiness), this generator gives you code you can paste in yourself. No developer needed. For complex stuff like dynamically generating schema from a database or custom schema types, a developer helps. But most sites can handle the basics without one.
Only if you use it wrong. Don't add fake reviews, make up information, or include schema for content that doesn't exist on the page. That's schema spam and Google will penalize you for it. As long as your schema accurately represents what's actually on your page, you're fine.
Google Search Console has an "Enhancements" section that shows your schema status - what's valid, what has errors, what's eligible for rich results. You can track impressions and clicks for pages with rich results to see if they're actually helping.
Match your visible content - If it's not on the page where users can see it, don't put it in your schema. This is the #1 rule.
Be as specific as possible - Use "Restaurant" instead of "LocalBusiness", "BlogPosting" instead of "Article" when it fits better.
Fill in recommended fields - Required fields get you valid schema. Recommended fields get you rich results. Worth the extra effort.
Update when content changes - Changed your prices? Updated your hours? Your schema needs updating too.
Test before publishing - Five minutes with Google's Rich Results Test can save you from publishing broken schema.
Check Search Console regularly - Errors pop up. New warnings appear. Keep an eye on the Enhancements section.
Stay consistent - Use JSON-LD everywhere. Makes life easier when you need to update things.
Don't lie - Fake reviews, false info, hidden content all violate Google's guidelines and will get you penalized.