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Packet 06 · Structured dataExample sowing: November–December

What structured data does, and what it doesn’t

Structured data is a standard format for describing a page’s content to Google, like a label on a seed packet, and it can make the page eligible for richer search results. It doesn’t guarantee them: Google says it does not guarantee your structured data will show up in search results, even when it is marked up correctly.

On a recipe page, for example, structured data can say which parts of the page are the ingredients, the cooking time and the calories. Google uses it to understand the page, and can use it to show a rich result: a search result that is more engaging than plain text.

The two sides of the label

What Google says structured data does, and what it doesn’t
It doesIt doesn’t
Give Google explicit clues about the meaning of a page. Guarantee a rich result. Google tailors results to the person searching, and may decide a plain text result is best.
Make a page eligible for rich results, if it includes every required property for that feature. Change how a page ranks if things go wrong: a structured data manual action removes rich result eligibility, and Google says it doesn’t affect how the page ranks in web search.
On a home page, as Organization data, help Google understand the organisation’s details and can influence which logo Google shows. Cover anything readers can’t see. Don’t mark up content that is not visible on the page, even if it is accurate.
As LocalBusiness data, tell Google about business hours, departments and more. Bring back the FAQ rich result. Google says that feature is no longer shown in Google Search results, and removed its documentation in June 2026.

Which format

Google supports three formats: JSON-LD, Microdata and RDFa. It says all three are equally fine as long as the markup is valid, and recommends JSON-LD where your setup allows, as the easiest to implement and maintain. If you use a CMS such as Wix, WordPress or Shopify, Google says it may have a settings page or plugin for structured data instead of editing the code.

For Google Search behaviour, Google says to rely on its own Search Central documentation rather than schema.org’s, because schema.org lists more properties than Google Search needs.

A small example

Dotto’s example, invented for this page

Organization data has no required properties; Google recommends adding the ones that apply. This is a short JSON-LD block for an invented business, using properties from Google’s own Organization example, placed in the home page’s <head>:

JSON-LD (example)

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@type": "Organization",
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "name": "Example Bakery",
  "url": "https://www.example.com",
  "logo": "https://www.example.com/images/logo.png"
}
</script>

Every value in it should match what the page shows. Google’s guidelines say structured data must be a true representation of the page content, and not used to impersonate any organisation or misrepresent your ownership, affiliation or primary purpose.

Testing before and after

  1. Before publishing: run the Rich Results Test, and fix any critical errors.
  2. After publishing a few pages: use the URL Inspection tool to see how Google sees them, and make sure they aren’t blocked by robots.txt, noindex or a login.
  3. Afterwards: watch the rich result status reports in Search Console. Google warns that markup can break after it goes live, through templating or serving issues.

Was it worth it?

Google suggests a before-and-after test on a few pages. Pick pages with no structured data that already have several months of Search Console data, that won’t be affected by the time of year, and that are read often enough to give meaningful numbers. Add the markup, confirm with URL Inspection that Google found it, then record a few months in the Performance report, filtered by URL. It is slow work, which suits a bed you plant once and tend for a season.

The rules that keep it eligible

  • Keep it current. Once time-sensitive content stops being relevant, Google stops showing a rich result for it.
  • Don’t mark up irrelevant or misleading content, such as fake reviews.
  • Put structured data on the page it describes.
  • Use the most specific type and property names that apply.
  • Don’t block structured data pages from Googlebot with robots.txt, noindex or other access controls.
  • Supply fewer recommended properties that are complete and accurate, rather than every property with poor data.

Google’s list of structured data features it supports shows which apply to which kinds of site.

All six packets