GOOGLE CLARIFIES: Why JSON-LD Is Recommended For Structured Data

Google has made an update to its guidelines for structured data. Although it approved of 3 structured data formats, it has made the decision to back 1 out of the 3 in particular: JSON-LD. This guide will explain why Google recommends this format, along with detailing what structured data is, the format types available, and much more.  

What Is Structured Data? 

Do you work in digital marketing? If so, you will have seen a term that is growing more and more in prevalence in the SEO world: structured data. The reason is that, to maintain or grow your current SEO results, you need to place an emphasis on ensuring your website has structured data.  

So, what is it?  

In summary, structured data is used to better describe your website to the search engines – aka Google – so they understand what you have to offer. Yes, they can pick out keywords to gain an idea about your content, and they can use backlinks to learn the validity of your content, but a lack of data structure can leave them lost.  

Structured data takes your content, translates it into code that is easily read by search engines, and ensures your pages are presented the right way in search results.  

For example, say you run an online business that sells video games. Without structured data, your product pages will appear on Google like any old listing – and that’s not good. You fail to stand out, catch the eye of viewers, and tell them the key information they want to see. With structured data, on the other hand, your “rich snippet” search result could display the game’s box art, its price, review score, whether it is in stock, and so on – and that’s great.  

Structured Data Types Approved By Google 

When it comes to structured data types, there are 3 Google supported formats available. These are:  

• JSON-LD 
• Microdata 
• RDFa 

Let’s take a closer look at each type: 

JSON-LD 

What is JSON-LD? This is a structured data format that has moved to the front of the line. This is because Google has recommended JSON-LD as the format to use for your website’s structured data.  

The implementation of JSON-LD is done with the assistance of a <script> tag. This is placed in either the HTML web page body or within the page head. Additionally, it is also separate from any present HTML tags for the page.  

Microdata 

You know that JSON-LD is separate from HTML tags. However, that’s not the same story with Microdata. In fact, its method of defining a web page’s data is to use these HTML tags and attributes.   

The structured markupStructured markup is used to identify a document's content and enable it to be parsed by a machine. of a web page with Microdata sees it interleaved with the current content. This means that it is typically found within the page’s body.  

RDFa 

RDFa doesn’t differ too much from the aforementioned Microdata. Whenever you have user-visible content, it utilizes the present HTML tag attributes in a similar way. The difference between the 2, however, is minor variations to the syntax of RDFa and Microdata. 

Why Is JSON-LD Preferred?  

With the options available, why is it that Google preferred structured data with JSON-LD over the others enough to announce this? The search giants clarified this answer themselves in their Introduction to structured data markup in Google Search:  

In general, Google recommends using JSON-LD for structured data if your site’s setup allows it, as it’s the easiest solution for website owners to implement and maintain at scale (in other words, less prone to user errors).

As mentioned in the previous section, Google is still fine with users opting for Microdata or RDFa. That said, they would rather you go with JSON-LD for the points they have highlighted. Compared to the other 2 options, JSON-LD is viewed as the most straightforward format to implement, edit, and scale.  

Furthermore, it also comes with a range of Google features. See it as a reward for following Google’s guidance!  

What Google Features Are Enabled With JSON-LD?  

As mentioned, there are numerous benefits up for grabs if you decide to opt for JSON-LD over the other structured data formats. Here are the features you can use:  

• Rich Results: With the addition of JSON-LD, there is a greater chance your web pages will benefit from rich results. Everything from articles and videos can gain enhancement through Rich CardsThese are previews of websites that provide more information about a particular result.. There are other ways your search results could be boosted by schema markup. BreadcrumbsWebsite breadcrumbs reveal the nesting of webpages within one another in a hierarchy. They’re used to help web users find relevant content, showing up on SERPs., for instance, helps Google to categorize all the content on your webpage, and sections may appear separately and within the “People also ask” section of search results.  

• Actions In Gmail: It’s not only about search. JSON-LD can also help by improving another aspect: Gmail. When interacting with customers through this email platform, users can be presented with call-to-actions like subscription renewals, event RSVPs, social media prompts, product review requests, etc. The bonus is that all of this can be done by the user within Gmail.  
• Product Reviews: Do you sell products? In that case, it is possible the reviews you receive could be featured in your search results. Okay, it’s not going to display what a customer has written. Yet it can take the product rating and display this on the SERP, complete with a star rating that includes extra visual appeal.  
• Knowledge GraphThe Knowledge Graph is a knowledge base that Google uses to organize information. Cards: If your website has gained enough credibility to be viewed as an authority in your industry, you could gain preferential treatment from Google. This includes it being added to the Knowledge Graph. This extends to Knowledge Graph cards, where added information is provided – located to the right of the usual search results – about events and organizations.  

Benefits Of Schema Markups For SEO 

So, what do you gain from an SEO perspective with schema markups and putting in the effort with your structured data? The answer: a lot.  

While you cannot rely on schema markups to propel you up the search rankings, no solid evidence exists that says it has a direct impact on your organic search resultsOrganic search results are the natural, un-paid search results for a keyword on Google.. You will still need to place a heavy emphasis on those keywords, backlinks, high-quality content, and so on.  

However, those rich snippets are key to boosting click-through rates. It’s not hard to see why. They improve the visibility of your pages in SERPs in a big way. The added image, data, and other eye-catching components are like taking a plain donut and adding the toppings. The donut on its own is tasty, but that extra addition, that extra visual flair, turns it into an irresistible treat.  

Another major benefit is that it helps the web crawlers to better analyze your web pages. There is no confusion on their end. As a result, and due to this added context, they guarantee your content is being displayed in the right place for the right audience.  

Getting Started With Structured Data And JSON-LD 

Are you ready to boost your structured data efforts with JSON-LD? SEO Auditing should be the first step of the process. You need to learn about the current state of your structured data, including what alterations have to be made.  

Then it’s a case of getting to grips with the JSON-LD format. Google’s Add Structured Data To Your Web Pages provides a handy step-by-step guide. Although if you’d prefer more direct assistance, don’t hesitate to contact the team here at Click Intelligence.