How To Use Schema
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
How To Use Schema
As one of the recent developments in SEO, schema markup is a kind of optimization that is one of the most influential but least-utilized modes of SEO available. Few understand that once you know the notion and system of schema markup, you can advance your website in the SERPs or search engine result pages. If you are interested, allow me to show you precisely how to use schema markup for your website.
Ready? Here we go.
What is Schema Markup?
First of all, schema markup is code or semantic vocabulary that you place on your website to assist the search engines in return with more informative results for users.
If ever you have tried rich snippets, you will realize definitely know what schema markup is.
Schema markup has many functions and connections.
The first is that schema tells search engines what data means.
For example, the content on your website gets indexed and reflected in search results.
But with schema markup, the content gets indexed and returned uniquely.
How?
The markup informs the search engine what that content means.
Second, schema markup uses a unique semantic vocabulary in microdata format.
Nope, you do not need to acquire any new coding skills.
Web pages with markup still utilize HTML.
The only distinction is attaching jiffies of the schema vocabulary to the HTML Microdata.
TechnicalSEO (a website for schema markup) is a website that we like a lot.
They do a great job with helping folks come up with their schema using their schema generator.
What you have is an agreed-upon set of code markers that informs the major search engines what to ingest with the data on your website.
Lastly, know that schema markup was invented for users.
When a website has schema markup in position, users can scan in the SERPs what a website is all about, what they do, where they are, how much stuff costs, and plenty of other stuff.
Actually, few people even have taken to describing schema markup somewhat your virtual business card.
This is very important for your website because it basically gives a roadmap to Google of what your website is all about.
If you are a small business, if you have a blog, an e-comm shop, etc you definitely will want to use this to your advantage.
Remember that this is a user-focused improvement.
Search engines are there for users to obtain the data they need, and schema markup does that precisely.
Why is Schema Important?
Online sites that employ schema markup will rank favorably in the SERPs compared to those without it.
For example, one study discovered that websites with markup place an average of four higher positions in the SERPs than those without markup.
Even though it is not clear that this higher result is anticipated to the markup alone, there is obviously some kind of association.
Currently, around a third of Google’s search results consolidate rich snippets, which include schema markup. But, according to recent studies, less than a third of websites use schema markup.
Meaning, there are still millions of websites missing out on a huge source of SEO potential.
Therefore, if you utilize this technique, you will have undoubtedly have the edge over the majority.
How to Use Schema Markup for SEO
Now, let’s discuss how to use schema markup.
Your aim is to rank better, look better, and do better in the SERPs and front of users.
It will help you.
Follow these steps:
1. Go to the Data Markup Helper of Google or the website we recommended above.
2. Choose the type of data
3. Paste the URL you seek to markup
Paste your HTML instead if you only have that. Click “Start Tagging” afterward. The webpage will load in the markup tool and present you with the workspace for the next phase of markup—tagging items. The web page is in the left pane, and the data items in the right pane.
4. Select elements
5. Add markup items
Utilize the list of data items as a guide, then highlight the other items to add them to the markup list. You probably would not be able to tag every item on the list. Just add what you can.
6. Create the HTML
Once you are done, click “Create HTML.” On the following page, you will see the HTML of your page with the relevant microdata inserted in your selected spots.
7. Add Schema Markup
Attach the schema markup to your site. First, go into your CMS or source code if you are not using a CMS, then add the highlighted snippets in the appropriate spots. Next, find the schema markup code by finding the yellow markers on the scrollbar. Another option is to download the automatically-generated HTML file and copy-paste it into the CMS or source code. Once you click “Finish,” you will be shown a series of “Next Steps.”
8. Test your Schema
To view what your page will appear like with the added markup, use the “Structured Data Testing Tool”. Rather than analyzing a published web page, you may analyze the code generated, which could be downloaded. Once the code is pasted, you may click “preview.” The testing tool shows what the article will appear in Google search results. You can even inspect every markup element that you added. If needed, you can edit the HTML directly in the testing tool to update it and preview results again.
Tips for Using Schema Markup for SEO
The following few tips will show you how to gain even more valuable results from schema.
- Tip #1: Find The Most Commonly Used Schemas
Schema.org presents a list of the most common types of schema markup. You can look at the “Organization of Schemas” page to view this list and check out the types that are well-suited to your business.
- Tip #2: Use All The Schemas You Need
To get the complete list of the myriad of markup types, visit the Type Hierarchy. This master list provides most of the available markup types.
- Tip #3: The More Markups, The Better
When you start understanding the vast array of item types, you begin to see just how much there is on your web page that you can mark up. However, keep in mind that you should mark up only the content visible to people who visit the web page and not content in hidden page elements.
Final Thoughts
Schema markup is one of the SEO methods that will seemingly be with us for a long time.
However, as easy as schema markup is to implement, it’s unexpected how few businesses and websites have taken account of it.
So, start learning and implementing the relevant microdata to enhance your search results.
Doing so will definitely put your website ahead in the search engine result pages.
