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What is schema markup and how does it impact SEO?

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How search engines interpret and display your website's content depends largely on schema markup.

This makes it crucial to understand the intricacies of schema markup comprehensively, helping elevate the chances of your website's search engine visibility and the overall user experience it delivers.

We often come across cases when businesses invest heavily in search engine optimization but fail to get the positioning in search engine rankings they desire or deserve and are buried deep within SERPs.

If this also resonates with you, it's time to leverage schema markup and take your SEO game to the next level.

In this blog, we will delve deeper into understanding what is schema markup and the SEO benefits it delivers.

What Is Schema Markup?

Schema markup is a code or a set of tags that are added to the website's HTML to help search engines interpret information on your website quickly and return accurate and detailed information for users.

Schematic markup creates descriptive descriptions, also called Rich Snippets that appear in search results.

Schema markup is a form of microdata or structured data that gives context to web pages that may otherwise come across as ambiguous.

Does Schema Markup Increase Search Engine Rankings?

There's no direct evidence to support the claim that schema markup can singularly boost your search engine rankings.

However, it goes without saying that Rich Snippets do stand out in search results, helping your webpage stand tall in an otherwise crowded internet marketplace.

The improved visibility achieved via schema markup can boost click-through rates, resulting in more footfall on your website. And this invariably leads to increased lead generation, improved brand awareness, and higher revenue.

As per one study, rich snippets are included in less than one-third of Google's search results. What it means is there are plenty of opportunities marketers and business owners can and should explore. Another study revealed that, on average, a website with schema markup ranks at least four positions higher than those without markup.

As the SEO world continues to get more and more competitive and search engines' algorithms evolve rapidly, there aren't many techniques that can promise fast results.

But schema markup can!



How Does Schema Markup Impact SEO โ€“ Top Benefits

In terms of SEO, schema markup is instrumental in offering value to both search engines and users.

Schema Markup Helps Search Engines Interpret Semantic Meaning Of Website's Content

Essentially, schema markup ensures that the web page's content and information present therein is better understood by search engines.

Search engine rankings depend on how well the search query fed to Google is interpreted by it and its ability to match it with the web pages that seem relevant to the query.

If search engines can interpret the information on your website better, the chances of your website ranking higher increase drastically. And Schema Markup helps with just that!

It is even more critical in the era of voice search and other queries we are used to using voice.

Schema Markup Helps Improve Search Engine Listing Visibility

Structured markup provides information to Google that it then displays as Rich Snippets, drastically enhancing the SERP listing's visibility.

There are many different schema types, including FAQs, reviews, breadcrumbs, ratings, and more, which help users notice a listing even if it's not listed on top of the SERPs. It also plays the role of social proof that boosts brand authority and convinces users to choose a particular listing over competitors.

Schema markup helps expand and better expose the SERP real estate through ratings, reviews, etc. It also helps with increasing the organic CTR or click-through rate, one of the many SEO benefits offered by schema markup.

Schema Markup Can Potentially Boost Search Engine Rankings

As Google and other search engines better interpret the information present on your website, the chances of your website ranking for relevant search queries increase drastically.

Structured markup helps search engines interpret the data and information on your website clearly and in an organized manner in comparison to a website that doesn't have schema markup. It gives you an advantage over your competitors, helping you gain higher visibility and search engine rankings.

On average, expect to gain an increase of at least 2 to 4 positions in Google search results with schema markup.

Schema Markup Can Boost ROI

For users and prospects close to making a purchasing decision, schema markup helps convert them into customers.

This is because schema markup helps make your SERP listing more appealing and informative, which helps grab users' attention.

For example, users are more likely to click on a SERP listing displaying star ratings over the ones that don't. Schema markup, like ratings and reviews, helps imbibe confidence and trust in prospects, resulting in more clicks and sales.

Other data-oriented schema types, like availability, price, reviews, timings, etc., play a crucial role in pushing the prospects down the sales funnel.

The point is to use schema types productively to highlight your brand, products, or services' unique selling points and attributes. This draws in more traffic and half-baked leads and helps increase conversion rates drastically, resulting in higher ROI.

Enhance Brand Presence Through Full Knowledge Graph

Whenever you search for a brand, there's a good chance that a big box is displayed on the right-hand side of the web page (On PC). It appears as the first result when searching through a mobile phone.

This knowledge graph contains all the crucial business information consumers need about a brand, including timings, phone numbers, addresses, reviews, ratings, social media accounts, websites, and more.

Unfortunately, a good chunk of businesses still don't have a schema type to display knowledge graphs. The critical thing to note here is that Google only displays a knowledge graph if it is sure the information is accurate.

Inputting crucial information about your business as structured data ensures Google knows the information is trustworthy and accurate. It gives Google all the information it needs to create and display a knowledge graph for your company.

Enhanced Categorization

Adding structured data to your website through schema allows search engines to categorize content on your website accurately.

The purpose, relevance, and context of content on your website are better understood by Google's algorithm due to structured data, ensuring your content is pulled by search engines for matching search queries.

Get Seen In Specific Search Features

Google showcases some special search features such as "Top Stories," "Rich Snippets," and "Knowledge Graphs." The chances of appearing in these specialized search features increase considerably with schema markup.

Using structured data enables search engines to classify your website as a trusted and authoritative source of information, enhancing visibility, trust, and targeted exposure.

Schema Markup Benefits Local SEO

Adding location-oriented structured data, such as business hours, addresses, contact details, and more, to your website through schema markup is known to help businesses with physical locations.

It accelerates local SEO efforts by helping search engines showcase geo-targeted results to end users looking for local nearby businesses, products, and services.

Schema markup enhances the chances of reaching the local target audience and ranking higher for "near me" and "near me" search queries.

Eye-Catching Visuals

If you've to choose from plain text-based listings and listings that feature appealing images, thumbnails, or videos - chances are that you'll click on listings with visuals.

Schema markup makes it possible to include visually appealing elements in SERP listings, helping grab end users' attention and allowing your listing to stand out from competitors.

Position Your Website On Top For Voice Search

Voice search is on the rise across the globe, and with the advent of AI-enabled speakers, televisions, mobile devices, and more, it's no secret why!

With voice search, there's only one result offered by these devices, and reaching that spot can be challenging. Thankfully, following the best practices to include structured data through schema for Rich Snippets also helps with voice SEO.

There's also a speakable schema you must include for parts of your website that are specifically voice-based and are meant to be spoken. This improves the chances of these web pages appearing in voice search results.

Increase Social Media Following

It's no secret that social media is integral to a cohesive SEO strategy, and schema can significantly boost your social media following.

Mark up your social media handles using SameAs schema and get your top social media linkable icons in the SERP listing.

Prospects interested in knowing more about your brand, product, or services, or users who are highly active on social media can visit your social media accounts directly from a search listing, ideally leading to more followers.

Final Takeaway

If you want to level up your SEO game, the importance of schema markup can't be ignored.

It helps search engines understand your website better, making way for your website to become a reliable, trustworthy, and authoritative source of information for relevant search queries.

It not only helps increase your brand's presence but also boosts click-through rate via eye-catching visuals and helpful information about your brand, products, or services through featured snippets.

If you're doing everything right in terms of SEO but ignoring schema, you're lacking the secret sauce you need to materialize your SEO efforts. And that missing secret sauce is Schema Markup!

So, go ahead and add structured data to your website today to help your website stand out and achieve the search engine ranking it deserves!

About the Author

KeywordRankers

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I like to introduce myself as an SEO junkie and word's architect. I've been in the SEO and content writing business for over ten years now and have learned a lot on the way and still learning.

I love writing, and what started as a passion has become a full-time business. I am confident of what I bring to the table because if there's one thing I learned in this business, it is that you can only thrive if you get "repeat orders." So, how can I get repeat orders from you?

Simple - by providing quality work that not only impresses you but leaves you astounded!

I can go on, but it's much better to try one of my services and check it out yourself.

I leave no stones unturned to exceed the expectations of my clients - every single time.

Please do feel free to drop in a message for any queries or concerns.

Looking forward to your order soon!

Thank you!

Nick

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