DefinedTerm · Glossary

What is Schema Markup

Schema markup is a structured data vocabulary co-founded by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Yandex that lets webmasters annotate HTML content with machine-readable semantic metadata. Expressed in JSON-LD, Microdata, or RDFa and embedded in a page, it tells search engines, AI assistants, and knowledge aggregators exactly what type of entity a page describes. Google uses schema markup to generate rich results and to feed generative AI answers with citable, factual signals.

edu-lopez-paradaPublicado May 27, 2026Actualizado May 27, 2026

Full definition

Schema markup refers to annotations added to a web page that use the Schema.org vocabulary to describe what the content means, not just what it says. Schema.org was launched in 2011 as a joint initiative by Google, Microsoft (Bing), Yahoo, and Yandex to create a shared ontology for the web. The vocabulary defines hundreds of types—LocalBusiness, FAQPage, HowTo, Product, Article, and more—each with a set of typed properties.

Markup can be written in three syntaxes. JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) places a self-contained object inside a <script type="application/ld+json"> tag, independent of the visible DOM. Microdata and RDFa embed attributes directly on HTML elements. Google officially recommends JSON-LD because it is easier to maintain, validate, and inject dynamically without altering the visual structure of a page.

A schema markup block minimally requires @context (always https://schema.org) and @type (the entity class). Properties map to real-world attributes: a LocalBusiness has a name, address, telephone, openingHours, and so on. Each property value can itself be a nested entity, enabling rich graph representations in a single JSON block.

Why it matters in 2026

Search has shifted from ten blue links to a hybrid surface that includes AI Overviews, Bing Copilot citations, Perplexity sourcing panels, and zero-click answers. These systems need unambiguous semantic signals to attribute content correctly and build factually grounded responses. Schema markup is the most direct signal available: it declares what the page is about, who published it, and what claims it makes.

On the traditional SERP, correctly implemented structured data is eligible for rich results. According to Google Search Central documentation, supported types include FAQ panels, how-to carousels, review snippets with star ratings, event listings, and product availability blocks. Rich results consistently capture higher click-through rates than standard blue-link listings for the same position.

Syntax	Google-recommended	Separate from visible HTML	Maintenance ease
JSON-LD	Yes	Yes	High
Microdata	No (allowed)	No	Low
RDFa	No (allowed)	No	Medium

How to implement

Identify the Schema.org type that best describes the page. Browse the full type hierarchy at schema.org or use the Google-specific documentation in Search Central to confirm eligibility for rich results.
Create a <script type="application/ld+json"> block in the <head> or anywhere in the <body>. JSON-LD is position-independent.
Set @context to "https://schema.org" and @type to the chosen type (e.g., "LocalBusiness").
Populate mandatory and recommended properties as listed in the Google Search Central guide for that specific type. Omitting required fields makes the markup ineligible for rich results.
Validate the block with Google's Rich Results Test at search.google.com/test/rich-results. Fix any errors or warnings before deploying.
After deploying, monitor enhancements in Google Search Console under the "Enhancements" section to track indexing status and any runtime errors Google discovers during crawling.

Example

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "WebPage",
  "name": "Plumbing Services in Chicago",
  "description": "Professional plumbing company serving the greater Chicago metropolitan area.",
  "url": "https://example.com/plumbing-chicago",
  "inLanguage": "en-US",
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "LocalBusiness",
    "name": "Chicago Pro Plumbers",
    "address": {
      "@type": "PostalAddress",
      "addressLocality": "Chicago",
      "addressRegion": "IL",
      "addressCountry": "US"
    }
  }
}

What is Schema Markup

Full definition

Why it matters in 2026

How to implement

Example

Related terms

Fuentes

Términos relacionados