Sometimes you’ve got to geek out a little for Google to understand your business…
Let’s be real, running a business is hard enough without having to learn a new tech language to show up properly in Google search.
But here’s the deal – If you want your website to perform at its best, you do need to get familiar with a little something called structured data (or schema markup, for the more technical folks).
Don’t worry, we’re not going to drag you into a deep coding rabbit hole.
This is your simple, business-owner-friendly guide to understanding why structured data matters, what it looks like in action, and how it can help search engines truly understand your website.
If you’d like more information on how this aligns with an SEO strategy, you can check out our service page.
What is structured data?
Think of structured data as a way to give Google a cheat sheet for your website. It’s a special layer of code that clearly spells out what your content is about.
It’s like telling Google, “This is a product,” “This is a review,” or “This is a local business.”
Instead of relying on Google to interpret your content through natural language (which it’s good at, but not perfect), structured data lays it all out in a format that’s easy for machines to read and understand.
Why should you care?
Structured data can lead to rich results – those eye-catching, info-packed search snippets that show product ratings, business hours, reviews, and more before someone even clicks your link.
They’re proven to increase engagement and drive more qualified traffic to your site.
More visibility. Better clicks. More trust.
Google doesn’t just use structured data to understand your page. It uses it to understand you.
Your business. Your products. Your reviews. Even your location.
This is especially important for local businesses or eCommerce sites trying to stand out in a crowded digital space.
JSON-LD is the format Google loves
When it comes to structured data, Google recommends using JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data). It’s the cleanest, most scalable, and least error-prone way to add schema markup to your site.
It doesn’t clutter your visible content and is easy to manage behind the scenes.
Will this actually help my traffic?
Here’s where it gets interesting. Structured data doesn’t always mean more traffic, but it often means better traffic.
By helping Google serve your content in a more relevant way, you may show up for more specific, high-intent searches—people who are genuinely looking for what you offer.
That means fewer random visits and more of the kind that convert.
Key types of schema that make a difference
Here are a few structured data types you should consider for your website:
- Local Business Schema – Helps you show up in Google’s Map Pack with your name, location, hours, and reviews.
- Product Schema – Makes your products pop in search with details like price, availability, and ratings.
- Review Schema – Adds star ratings to your search result snippets. Builds trust at first glance.
- Breadcrumb Schema – Improves user experience and navigation by showing the structure of your site in search results.
- Organisation Schema – Tells Google who you are, what you do, and how to contact you.
- Person Schema – Great for highlighting authors or team members.
You don’t need to know everything
We get it, schema markup sounds like something reserved for developers.
While it does involve a little coding, it’s nothing to be intimidated by. You don’t need to know everything, just enough to make sure your foundations are solid.
Whether you’re a small local business, a startup, or an established brand, structured data helps Google understand your site better, so it can serve it to the right people, at the right time, in the right format.
Need help implementing it? We’ve got your back. Let’s make sure your website is speaking Google’s language—without you needing to speak code. Contact us today.