If you have been digging to find some of the Google ranking factors, you might have come across something called schema markup. This is one of the harder to implement SEO strategies and often questioned on whether it has any effects on search engine results or not.
But, first and foremost - what is Schema Markup?
Schema markup is a standardized format for providing information about a page and classifying the page content.
Schema can be placed on different pages of the website and tell search engines a clean structure of what the content is about, what your brand is about and much more.
Here are some popular use cases of schema markup:
- Rich Snippets: When schema is added to pages for products, recipes, or reviews, these pages can appear in search results as rich snippets. Rich snippets are enhanced with extra details like star ratings, images, and summaries, making them more eye-catching and informative.
- Products and Services: Product schema highlights details such as price, availability, and images, making it an essential addition for e-commerce sites wanting their listings to stand out.
- Events: Event schema provides details like event names, dates, locations, and ticket availability, which are often highlighted directly in search results—ideal for boosting visibility for local or industry events.
This is just the tip of the iceberg – there is a lot more about what you can do with schema and how to implement it. Explore more on Schema.org
Schema Markup and SEO: Do You Really Need Schema For SEO?
There has been an ongoing debate about whether schema markup impacts SEO. The conversation gained momentum back in 2018 when John Mueller was asked on Twitter about the effects of structured data on rankings. His response was clear:
“Using schema doesn’t give you a ranking boost,” he stated, adding, “Schema doesn’t make you rank better.” He even emphasized that “Schema has nothing to do with rankings.”
This is around the time we had emerging news articles in the SEO landscape talking about the falling demand and use of structured data. SEO Round Table dedicated an article explaining this while Search Pilot took a different approach by testing how schema markup affects SEO. They ran A/B tests to see if adding or improving schema could lead to more website traffic, better CTR, and higher visibility. Their goal was to find out if schema could indirectly improve SEO by making search results more attractive, even though it doesn’t directly affect rankings as per John Mueller’s words.
They tested different types of schema, such as Article, Product, Review, and Organization, as well as improvements like adding author information or pros and cons. Some tests showed a positive impact, like more clicks from rich snippets, while others, like switching from Microdata to JSON-LD, had no real effect.
So where does structured data and SEO sit in 2025?
As described by other research done to address this question – structured data does not have a direct impact on ranking.
Where a successful SEO campaign outshines others is the maximum optimization of the resources made available. This is where schema becomes important. Using schema can help Google populate your SERP result with more features, like reviews, a shorter url based on the breadcrumbs and help you as an author or business get a featured snippet in the big web.
These smaller effects send signals to Google, which can contribute to higher rankings. Therefore, the relationship is not a direct one-to-one correlation, but rather a contributing factor to the bigger SEO picture.
We will share some tips to get you running up with the schema very quickly so you can validate the results yourself.
Schema Markup Benefits
While a significant portion of the SEO community believes that schema markup doesn’t directly affect rankings, there is compelling evidence from another group of marketers that suggests otherwise.
One undeniable benefit of schema markup is its ability to help Google crawl your website more efficiently. This is especially valuable for large websites or newer businesses with little initial traffic. By providing search engines with structured data, you can help them understand your content quickly and accurately, which can optimize your crawl budget. The faster and more accurately Google can crawl your site, the better your chances of having all relevant pages indexed, which is a big win for any website.
The real reward comes from minimizing the effort Google has to expend to understand what your pages are about. If you provide the necessary information upfront, in a structured format, you allow the search engine to process it with minimal effort—saving both time and resources. This, in turn, can have positive effects on your site’s SEO performance.
However, it’s important to note that schema markup isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” solution. It comes in many variations and isn’t simply a plug-and-play tool. While there are plugins available that claim to handle schema markup automatically, they often cause more harm than good, as they may generate incomplete or incorrect data.
Depending on what you’re aiming to rank for, the type of schema you use will vary. For example, Business Schema is particularly useful for companies looking to establish credibility, especially if their brand name is common or widely used. Adding schema to your business profile can help prove that your business is the genuine article, ensuring that Google understands who you are and what you offer.
Google’s Perspective and Transparency
A closer look at how search engines work and how they’ve evolved over the years reveals just how challenging it is for Google to maintain an index that consistently provides the most relevant results. Google’s algorithm is complex, constantly adjusting to serve users with the best content based on their search intent.
Google is cautious about revealing all its ranking factors to prevent manipulation and maintain a high-quality user experience. Schema markup may be one of the subtle elements influencing rankings, as it helps Google’s algorithms, like BERT, better understand content.
With AI-driven search and the rise of features like featured snippets and review counts, schema’s role in SEO is growing. While Google doesn’t directly claim schema affects rankings, its influence on content visibility and user engagement is undeniable. As algorithms evolve, schema will become even more crucial for effective SEO.
Does Schema Help with Local SEO?
When it comes to local SEO, schema markup can be especially valuable. Using schema types like LocalBusiness, Organization, and Breadcrumb can significantly impact how a business appears in local search results. For businesses targeting specific geographic areas, schema helps provide search engines with essential details such as the business name, address, phone number, and operating hours. This additional context makes it easier for Google to understand a business’s relevance in location-based searches, which can improve visibility in the local pack and Google Maps results.
For example, by implementing LocalBusiness schema, you can help Google showcase your business with a more detailed and rich result, potentially displaying your business information directly on the search results page. This can lead to a higher click-through rate (CTR) as users can find everything they need right within the search snippet, without having to visit your website.
Schema also plays a role in ensuring that your brand is recognized as legitimate, especially in industries where business names are widely used or contested. When applied correctly, schema markup can establish trust and credibility, making your business stand out from competitors in your area.
Overcoming the Complexity of Schema Markup
For many business owners, the idea of implementing schema markup can feel overwhelming—especially if you’re not familiar with coding. The thought of missing a single comma or syntax error, potentially breaking the entire structure, can make the process seem intimidating. Historically, schema implementation required a fair amount of technical know-how, but that’s no longer the case.
With the rise of advanced AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, implementing schema has become much easier. These AI tools can assist you in generating schema markup with ease. Simply provide the necessary information about your business, and the AI can create the structured data for you. What’s even better is that you can make adjustments and iterate on the markup with these tools, all while communicating in natural language.
Since the technical complexities are handled for you, the cost of adding schema to your pages is minimal. Because of this abstraction it’s a no brainer to make use of schema wherever possible.