Structured data

1. Alexis Sanders
Merkle Inc
Advanced and Practical Structured Data
@AlexisKSanders
#brightonSEO

2. <script type="application/ld-json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": “Product",
"name": "Super Product!"
"offers": {
"@type": "Offers",
"priceCurrency": "USD",
"price": "12.99",
}
}
</script>
Find 5 errors in this
JSON-LD.

3. Agenda
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Alexis Sanders",
"jobTitle": "Technical SEO Manager",
"sameAs": "https://twitter.com/AlexisKSanders",
"worksFor": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Merkle",
"url": "https://www.merkleinc.com"
},
"url": "https://technicalseo.expert"
}
</script>

4. 4
Merkle SEO team works across a vast array of clients
@AlexisKSanders#brightonSEO

5. 5
I’m Sophia’s #ProudAunt too.
"relatedTo": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Sophia"
}
@AlexisKSandersHelping test Google’s “Bayesian Optimization for a Better Dessert” -> https://research.google.com/pubs/pub46507.html
#brightonSEO

6. <script type="application/ld-json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": “Product",
"name": "Super Product!"
"offers": {
"@type": "Offers",
"priceCurrency": "USD",
"price": "12.99",
}
}
</script>
Answers
 Should be +
 Straight quote
 Comma after property
 Offer
 No comma for last property

7. Moral of Story:
It’s easy to make small errors,
always validate!

8. Agenda
• Overview
• Why we <3 it
• Practical
• Advanced
• Implementing A-Z
(hopefully not zzz)
• Common pitfalls
Agenda

9. Structured data
n. Information with a high
degree of organization.

10. 10
Conceptual visualization of structured data for web
Structured DataUnstructured Data
< >
Markup types
JSON-LD
Microdata
Microformats
RDFa
(e.g., text)
@AlexisKSanders#brightonSEO

11. Schema.org is a vocabulary (of
many), but really is more
comparable to a dictionary.

12. 12
http://schema.org/Product
Definition
(Item) type
Each type (thing you markup) has a definition
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

13. 13
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Story of web structured data: less ended up being more.DomainUsage(Millions)
201720162003 2004 2008 2010/1 2012 2013 2014 20151997 2000
< >
http://webdatacommons.org/structureddata; https://www.slideshare.net/rvguha/sem-tech2014c
*
@AlexisKSanders

14. 14
Mircodata*
<div itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Event">
<span itemprop="name">BrightonSEO</span>
<meta itemprop="url"
content="https://www.brightonseo.com/" />
<meta itemprop="startDate" content="2018-04-26T7:00" />
<meta itemprop="endDate" content="2018-04-27T16:15" />
</div>
< >
@AlexisKSanders*Note: Missing required properties, for illustrative purposes only
#brightonSEO

15. 15
JSON-LD*
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org/",
"@type": "Event",
"name": "BrightonSEO",
"url": "https://www.brightonseo.com/",
"startDate": "2018-04-26T7:00",
"endDate": "2018-04-27T16:15"
}
</script>
*Note: Missing required properties, for illustrative purposes only @AlexisKSanders

16. 16
MICRODATA < >
Implementation
What is it? HTML JavaScript
Easier to copy
and paste on
page
Can be easier
for templated
pages
Support
JSON-LD
Microdata versus JSON-LD
*
*Rich results for products not consistently populating, yet (Aaron Bradley started a Community Tracker: https://goo.gl/kKZk2c)
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

17. Nesting
n. organizing information in
layers; adding objects in
objects.

18. 18
Product
name :
offers :
price :
priceCurrency :
@type : Offer
reviewCount :
aggregateRating :
@type : AggregateRating
ratingValue :
Match Nest Me!
Rated 4.5 out of 5
$7.29 (USD)
75 reviews
Super Shine Apricot Shampoo
brand :
name :
@type : Thing
JĀSÖN
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

19. 19
Product
name :
offers :
price :
priceCurrency :
@type : Offer
reviewCount :
aggregateRating :
@type : AggregateRating
ratingValue :
Rated 4.5 out of 5
$7.29 (USD)
75 reviews
Super Shine Apricot Shampoo
brand :
name :
@type : Thing
JĀSÖN
Super Shine Apricot Shampoo
4.5
75
7.29
USD
JĀSÖN
Match Nest Me!
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

20. 20
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org/",
"@type": "Product",
name :
offers :
price :
priceCurrency :
@type : Offer
reviewCount :
aggregateRating :
@type : AggregateRating
ratingValue :
Rated 4.5 out of 5
$7.29 (USD)
75 reviews
Super Shine Apricot Shampoo
brand :
name :
@type : Thing
JĀSÖN
Super Shine Apricot Shampoo
4.5
75
7.29
USD
JĀSÖN
}
</script>
" "
" "
" "
" "
" "
" "
" "
" "
" "
" "
" "
" " " "
" "
" "
" "
" "
" "
" "
" "
" "
,
,
,
,
,
,
}
}
}
{
{
{
,
,
Match Nest Me!
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

21. Benefits:Why <3
Structured Data

22. 22
Product
AggregateRating
Offer
1. Enhanced SERP Results
Note: Schema.org doesn’t necessarily need to be present for rich results to appear.
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

23. 23
MusicEvent
Note: Schema.org doesn’t necessarily need to be present for rich results to appear.
1. Enhanced SERP Results
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

24. 24
Google’s featured snippets with rich results
https://developers.google.com/search/docs/guides/
*Opt-in, must express interest
Article
BlogPosting
Book*
BreadcrumbList
ClaimReview*
Course
Dataset*
Event
ImageObject
ItemList
JobPosting
LocalBusiness*
Movie
(WatchAction*)
MusicAlbum*
MusicArtist*
MusicGroup*
NewsArticle
Occupation
Organization
(ContactPoint, logo,
sameAs)
Person (sameAs)
Product (Offer)
Rating
AggregateRating
Recipe
Review*
SoftwareAppplication*
TVEpisode
(WatchAction*)
TVSeason (WatchAction*)
TVSeries (WatchAction*)
VideoObject
WebPageElement
(isAccessibleForFree for
Paywall Content)
WebSite (SearchAction)
https://developers.google.com/search/docs/guides/ @AlexisKSanders

25. 25
2. CTR for rich results = higher than without (in most cases)
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

26. 26
3. Offers potential to improve confidence in relevance
“Known for” =
representative term
(e.g., [server], [host],
[dinner] in article
about restaurant)
Google Patent: Assigning terms of interest to an entity 8,589,399, 3/26/12
Example of AssociatingTerms with Business Listing
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

27. “I want to live in a world
where schema is not that
important, but currently, we
need it…
https://searchengineland.com/gary-illyes-ask-anything-smx-east-285706
@methode
Gary Illyes
Google

28. …If a team at Google
recommends it, you probably
should make use of it, as
schema helps us understand
the content on the page…
https://searchengineland.com/gary-illyes-ask-anything-smx-east-285706
@methode
Gary Illyes
Google

29. …and it is used in certain
search features (but not in
rankings algorithms).”
https://searchengineland.com/gary-illyes-ask-anything-smx-east-285706
@methode
Gary Illyes
Google

30. Schema can help us extract
entities better
@JohnMu
John Mueller
Google
Google Webmaster Hangout 2/1/18 ~42 Minutes: https://goo.gl/dsZRc6

31. Google doesn’t mind if
people markup non-
supported markup (change
in SERP may not be
noticeable) @JohnMu
John Mueller
Google
Google Webmaster Hangout 2/1/18 ~42 Minutes: https://goo.gl/dsZRc6

32. We don’t use Schema.org as
a quality factor
@JohnMu
John Mueller
Google
Google Webmaster Hangout 2/1/18 ~42 Minutes: https://goo.gl/dsZRc6

33. 33
4. Product Merchant Center Feed updates (2017)
https://support.goog
le.com/merchants/an
swer/6069143
Structured data markup must be present in the
HTML returned from the web server (i.e., no
JavaScript generated tags)
Benefits:
• Automatic item updates
• Google Sheets Merchant Center
add-on
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

34. 34
5. Future: Support Voice (hypothesis)
Google Mini pulls web answers from
featured snippets. Featured snippets
appear when Google has high
confidence in usefulness of response.
Structured data can support confidence
ratings.
@AlexisKSanders
#brightonSEO

35. 35
• Microdata: 76%
• JSON-LD: 25%
• OGP: 68%
• Twitter Summary Cards: 27%
+25K eCommerce URLs populating
with featured snippets:
Twitter SEO Experiments: https://goo.gl/fRzmgf
Important Note: Correlation does not imply causation.
Huge thanks to
@AlexisKSanders
#brightonSEO

36. 36
Top Occurring Microdata for eCom with Snippet
Twitter SEO Experiments: https://goo.gl/fRzmgf
Huge thanks to
OfferCatalog, 18%
ListItem, 14%
AggregateRating, 9%
Product, 8%Review, 8%
Rating, 7%
NewCondition, 6%
Offer, 5%
Thing, 4%
BreadcrumbList, 4%
Other, 17%
Important Note: Correlation does not imply causation.Huge thanks to
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

37. 37
Twitter SEO Experiments: https://goo.gl/fRzmgf
Huge thanks to
ListItem, 25%
Offer, 16%
Product, 15%WebPage, 6%
BreadcrumbList, 5%
Organization, 4%
SiteNavigationElement, 4%
AggregateRating, 3%
WebPageElement, 3%
ImageObject, 3%
Other, 16%
Top Occurring JSON-LD for eCom with Snippet
Important Note: Correlation does not imply causation.Huge thanks to
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

38. 38
6. Future: Support Voice (speculative)
http://pending.schema.org/SpeakableSpecification
http://pending.schema.org/speakable
http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/18/media/black-panther-box-office/index.html
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

39. Practical schema
for pragmatic, busy people

41. 41
0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000
Organization
PostalAddress
Offer
Article
Person
Product
Blog
WPHeader
SiteNavigationElement
WebPage
Popular Schema: Top 10 Microdata by Domain < >
http://webdatacommons.org/structureddata
@AlexisKSandershttp://webdatacommons.org/structureddata
#brightonSEO

42. 42
0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 3,000,000
ListItem
WebPage
Event
Place
PostalAddress
LocalBusiness
Person
Organization
SearchAction
WebSite
Popular Schema: Top 10 JSON-LD by Domain
http://webdatacommons.org/structureddata
Sept '14
Oct '14
Jan '15
Jan '15
Sept '14
Dec '15
Dec '15
Dec '15
Aug ‘16
@AlexisKSandershttp://webdatacommons.org/structureddata
#brightonSEO

43. 43
Practical Schema: Most sites
BreadcrumbList
Person
Organization
WebSite
ItemList
Properties
itemListElement
sameAs
logo, contactPoint, sameAs
potentialAction
itemListElement
TypeMarking up
Breadcrumbs
Person
Organization
Sitelink Searchbox
Carousel Lists
https://developers.google.com/search/docs/guides/
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

44. 44
https://technicalseo.com/
seo-tools/schema-
markup-generator
@maxxeight
Max Prin
Merkle
Implementing Practical Schema - Beginner
@AlexisKSanders
#brightonSEO

45. 45
Step 1: Navigate to JSON-LD Schema Markup Generator
https://technicalseo.com/seo-tools/schema-markup-generator @AlexisKSanders

46. 46
Step 2: Select your Item Type from Dropdown Menu
https://technicalseo.com/seo-tools/schema-markup-generator @AlexisKSanders
#brightonSEO

47. 47
Step 3: Fill-in-the-Blank
https://technicalseo.com/seo-tools/schema-markup-generator @AlexisKSanders
#brightonSEO

48. 48
Step 4: Test in Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool
https://technicalseo.com/seo-tools/schema-markup-generator
https://technicalseo.com/seo-tools/schema-markup-generator @AlexisKSanders
#brightonSEO

49. 49
Implementing Practical Schema - Intermediate
https://developers.
google.com/search
/docs/guides/
@AlexisKSanders
#brightonSEO

50. 50
Step 1: Read Guidelines
Rules
Opportunities
@AlexisKSandershttps://developers.google.com/search/docs/guides/
#brightonSEO

51. 51
Step 2: Review Item Properties (especially note “Required”)!
Required
Properties
@AlexisKSandershttps://developers.google.com/search/docs/guides/
#brightonSEO

52. 52
Step 3: Check out Example Markups
Examples
@AlexisKSandershttps://developers.google.com/search/docs/guides/
#brightonSEO

53. 53
Step 4: Reverse-engineer by replacing values
Update
values
@AlexisKSandershttps://developers.google.com/search/docs/guides/
#brightonSEO

54. Schema
for overachievers

56. 56
Schema.org (for brave souls)
http://schema.org
/docs/full.html
@AlexisKSanders#brightonSEO

57. 57
Stages of Working with Schema.org
::a ton of confused
stares::
::intense
concentration::
::coffee + intense
concentration::
::unlocking the
eternal mysteries
within Schema.org::
http://schema.org/docs/full.html
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

58. 58
Step 1: Select Type from Schema.org’s Full Hierarchy
http://schema.org/docs/full.html
Select “Core plus all
extensions”
@AlexisKSanders
#brightonSEO

59. 59
Item Type Page
http://schema.org/docs/full.html
(Item) type
Hierarchy
Description
Usage
http://schema.org/Aquarium @AlexisKSanders
#brightonSEO

60. 60
Item Properties, Expected Type, and Description
http://schema.org/docs/full.html
http://schema.org/Aquarium @AlexisKSanders
#brightonSEO

61. 61
Organization of Item Properties
http://schema.org/docs/full.html
CivilStructure
Place
Thing
http://schema.org/Aquarium @AlexisKSanders
#brightonSEO

62. “ExpectedType” tells you
when you’ll need to nest
objects (think: itemscope
itemtype & "@type")

63. • Number
• Float
• Integer
• Text
• URL
• Time
If it’s a data type, you don’t nest
• Boolean
• False
• True
• Date
• DateTime
D
A
T
A
T
Y
P
E
S
Don’t
nest me!

64. nest
nest
nest
nest
nest

65. 65
Step 2: List Item Properties, Expected Type, and Values
http://schema.org/docs/full.html
http://schema.org/Aquarium
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

66. 66
Step 3: Add Syntax (JSON-LD)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org/",
"@type": "Aquarium",
"name": "National Aquarium",
"alternateName": "National Aquarium in Baltimore",
"telephone": "+1-410-576-3800",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "501 E Pratt St",
"addressLocality": "Baltimore",
"addressRegion": "MD",
"postalCode": "21202",
"addressCountry": "US"
}
}
</script>
Beginning
Type
Properties
Type
Properties
end
*Note: Missing required properties, for illustrative purposes onlyhttp://schema.org/Aquarium
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

67. 67
Step 3: Add Syntax (Microdata)
<div itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Aquarium">
<span itemprop="name">National Aquarium</span>
<meta itemprop="name" content="National Aquarium in Baltimore" />
<span itemprop="telephone">+1-410-576-3800</span>
<div itemprop="address" itemscope
itemtype="http://schema.org/PostalAddress">
<span itemprop="streetAddress">501 E Pratt St</span>
<span itemprop="addressLocality">Baltimore</span>
<span itemprop="addressRegion">MD</span>
<span itemprop="postalCode">21202</span>
<span itemprop="addressCountry">US</span>
</div>
</div>
Type
Properties
Type
Properties
end
*Note: Missing required properties, for illustrative purposes only
http://schema.org/Aquarium *Note: Missing required properties, for illustrative purposes only
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

68. Common Pitfalls

69. You

70. 70
Pitfall #1: Syntax
• “” are not the same as ""
–Microsoft switches "" to “”
–Use a text editor
• Mind your Commas
• Tip: Pay attention to in SDTT
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

71. 71
Pitfall #2: Vocabulary
Vocabulary
• Pay attention to required/allowed
properties
• Schema.org types and properties are
case sensitive reference
• Tip: Check in the Structured Data Testing
Tool
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

72. 72
Pitfall #3: Policy Violation
• Adding information that is not on the page
• Check Google’s Structured Data Policies:
https://developers.google.com/structured-
data/policies
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

73. 73
Pitfall #4: Nesting Errors
• Make sure to attribute properties to
correct item type
–E.g., using “name” and giving the
location the event name
• Tip: Pay close attention to { } and
itemscope
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

74. Future
Predictions

75. Disclaimer:

76. Disclaimer:

77. Disclaimer:

78. I (like Dwight) am not a psychic
Disclaimer:

79. 79
Future Predictions Google Schema.org Support
AboutPage
ApartmentComplex
AudioObject
AutoDealer
Brand
CollectionPage
Comment
ContactPage
Corporation
Hotel
1. Top Schema.org used w/o Google webpage documentation
ImageGallery
MusicPlaylist
MusicRecording
PriceSpecification
RealEstateAgent
Residence
Store
Table
UserComments
ViewAction#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

80. 80
Future Predictions Google Schema.org Support
2. Item types that support voice efforts
SpeakableSpecification
HowTo
HowToDirection
HowToSection
HowToStep
HowToTip
HowToDirection
HowToItem
HowToSupply
HowToTool
HowToStep
HowToTip
QAPage
Question
Answer
@AlexisKSanders
#brightonSEO

81. 81
Future Predictions Google Schema.org Support
3. More for publishing and eCommerce (especially actions)
AnalysisNewsArticle
BackgroundNewsArticle
OpinionNewsArticle
ReportageNewsArticle
ReviewNewsArticle
EmployerReview
UserReview
ProductIndividualProduct
ProductModel
SomeProducts
BuyAction
QuoteAction
GS1
Publishing eCommerce
#brightonSEO @AlexisKSanders

82. 82
LifestyleModificationDiet
PhysicalActivity
ExercisePlan
MedicalSignOrSymptom
MedicalSign
VitalSign
MedicalSymptom
MedicalCondition
InfectiousDisease
MedicalGuideline
MedicalProcedure
DiagnosticProcedure
PhysicalExam
SurgicalProcedure
TherapeuticProcedure
Future Predictions Google Schema.org Support
4. Things users want (e.g., medical answers from Dr. Google
(http://health-lifesci.schema.org))
Proactive Health Reactive Health
@AlexisKSanders#brightonSEO

83. Fun stuff for you 
https://technicalseo.com
/homework/structured-data/
https://technicalseo.com
/seo-tools/schema-
markup-generator/visual/
@AlexisKSanders#brightonSEO

84. 84
@methode
Gary Illyes
@JarnoVanDriel
Jarno Van Driel
@aaranged
Aaron Bradley
Experts to Follow
@maxxeight
Max Prin
@searchliaison
Danny Sullivan
@JohnMu
John Mueller
@AlexisKSanders#brightonSEO

85. 85
Icon Sources
https://www.flaticon.com/authors/:
• dinosoftlabs
• eucalyp
• freepik
• gregor-cresnar
• maxim-basinski
• nikita-golubev
• pixel-buddha
• pixel-perfect
• popcorns-arts
• smashicons
• vectors-market
• basic-flat-icons
@AlexisKSanders

86. THANK YOU!
SEE YOU AT THE NEXT
#brightonSEO
@AlexisKSanders
/in/alexissanders