Content and entities
Structured data
Structured data is machine-readable markup that states what a page is and what it contains. It helps search engines show rich results and helps AI systems understand a page before deciding whether to use it.
In more detail
The common vocabulary is schema.org, usually written as JSON-LD in the page head. Marking up only what is genuinely visible on the page is both the rule and the safest practice.
Guides that cover this
Related terms
Schema markup
Schema markup is structured data written with the schema.org vocabulary, describing a page as an article, a product, an FAQ, an organisation or another recognised type. It makes a page's purpose explicit rather than inferred.
JSON-LD
JSON-LD is the recommended format for structured data: a block of JSON in the page head describing the page using schema.org types. It is preferred because it sits apart from the visible markup and is easy to maintain.
FAQ schema
FAQ schema is structured data marking a page's questions and answers as an FAQPage. It makes question-and-answer content explicit, which suits both rich results and AI systems looking for a direct answer to lift.
Entity
An entity is a distinct thing a system can recognise and reason about — a company, a product, a person, a place. Search and AI systems work with entities rather than strings, so being recognised as one matters.
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