What are structured data?
Structured data are additional information in the HTML or script code that describe the content of a webpage in a machine-readable way. You can think of them as “labels” assigned to individual pieces of content – for example, this text is a recipe title, this section is an address, or this image is a company logo. Technically, it is a standardized data format developed collaboratively by major search engines (the Schema.org initiative). This ensures that all common search engines understand these annotations. In practice, structured data are usually embedded in the form of JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) in the page header or body. JSON-LD is currently the preferred format because the code is externalized and easier to maintain – Google itself recommends JSON-LD as it is generally the easiest to implement. Alternatively, Microdata or RDFa can also be used, where the markups are integrated directly as attributes in the HTML. It is important to note: Regardless of the format, the content of the annotations always follows the common vocabulary of Schema.org.
Why are structured data important?
Structured data improves communication between your website and search engines. By clearly marking content, Google & Co. can interpret and categorize it better. The direct consequence is that websites qualify for certain search features, which increases visibility in search results. For example, structured data enables the display of Rich Snippets – that is, enhanced search result displays with additional information such as star ratings, prices, event dates, or similar. This additional information makes the search result more noticeable and relevant and has been shown to often lead to a higher click-through rate (CTR).
Typical improvements from Rich Snippets include, for example, rating stars under a result, the publication date of an article, product information (price, availability), or a breadcrumb path. Users can quickly recognize more about your offering – positive reviews instantly build trust with the viewer. Information from structured data also flows into Knowledge Panels and helps voice assistants provide precise answers. All of this contributes to a better online presence and user experience.
Important to know: The use of structured data is not a direct ranking factor – you will not automatically be pushed to position 1 just because you use markup. However, Google emphasizes that structured data are indirectly rewarded in various ways by making content more understandable for algorithms and creating the prerequisite for Rich Results. In short: No structured data, no Rich Snippets. Furthermore, structured data are becoming increasingly important with current developments (AI-powered search like Google’s AI overviews, voice search via Assistant, etc.) – they help make content specifically available for such new search interfaces.
Structured Data vs. Schema.org
The terms structured data and Schema.org are often used synonymously, but they do not mean exactly the same thing. Structured data generally refers to any form of data that is organized according to a predictable schema (as opposed to unstructured free text). In SEO and web development, it primarily refers to the markup of web content in a standardized way. Schema.org, on the other hand, is the name of the project or the vocabulary collection that was jointly initiated by Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Yandex. Schema.org thus provides the dictionary of types (e.g., Person, Article, Event) and their attributes (Properties) with which we describe structured data on our pages.
In other words: Structured data is the concept, while Schema.org specifies the concrete vocabulary and syntax that we should use for markup. In SEO contexts, Schema.org types are almost always meant when structured data is mentioned. Theoretically, other formats or vocabularies could also be used, but Schema.org has established itself as a quasi-standard. There are three recognized embedding forms – JSON-LD, Microdata, and RDFa – but Google prefers JSON-LD and treats all correctly implemented formats equally. JSON-LD has the advantage that the markup code is outsourced into a <script> block, keeping the HTML source code tidy.
Examples of Structured Markup on Typical Agency Pages
Homepage – Organization
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org/",
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Rheinwunder GmbH",
"url": "https://rheinwunder.com/",
"logo": "https://rheinwunder.com/logo.png",
"contactPoint": {
"@type": "ContactPoint",
"telephone": "+49 228 243 313 53",
"contactType": "customer service",
"email": "info@rheinwunder.com"
},
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "Sebastianstraße 38",
"addressLocality": "Bonn",
"postalCode": "53115",
"addressCountry": "DE"
},
"aggregateRating": {
"@type": "AggregateRating",
"ratingValue": "4.9",
"ratingCount": "31"
},
"sameAs": [
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/rheinwunder",
"https://www.xing.com/companies/rheinwundergmbh"
]
}
</script>
Service Page – Service
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org/",
"@type": "Service",
"name": "SEO Consulting",
"serviceType": "Search Engine Optimization Consulting",
"provider": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Rheinwunder GmbH",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "Sebastianstraße 38",
"addressLocality": "Bonn",
"postalCode": "53115",
"addressCountry": "DE"
},
"telephone": "+49 228 243 313 53",
"url": "https://rheinwunder.com/"
},
"areaServed": "DE"
}
</script>
Team Page – Person
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org/",
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Ralph Grundmann",
"jobTitle": "Managing Director and Founder",
"worksFor": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Rheinwunder GmbH"
},
"sameAs": [
"https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralph-grundmann-123456789/",
"https://rheinwunder.com/agentur/#!team"
]
}
</script>
Blog article – Article (BlogPosting)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org/",
"@type": "BlogPosting",
"headline": "ChatGPT Pro in practical test – Is the investment worth it?",
"description": "We tested the paid ChatGPT Pro for its practical usability.",
"author": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Lisa Altendorf"
},
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Rheinwunder GmbH",
"logo": {
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url": "https://rheinwunder.com/logo.png"
}
},
"datePublished": "2023-11-30",
"dateModified": "2023-11-30"
}
</script>
Breadcrumb Navigation – BreadcrumbList
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org/",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"name": "Homepage",
"item": "https://rheinwunder.com/"
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 2,
"name": "Blog",
"item": "https://rheinwunder.com/blog/"
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 3,
"name": "ChatGPT Pro in Practice Test",
"item": "https://rheinwunder.com/llm/chatgpt-pro-test/"
}
]
}
</script>
Event Page – Event
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org/",
"@type": "Event",
"name": "SEO Seminar for Beginners",
"description": "Fundamentals workshop on search engine optimization – ideal for beginners.",
"startDate": "2024-05-10T09:00:00+02:00",
"endDate": "2024-05-10T13:00:00+02:00",
"eventAttendanceMode": "OfflineEventAttendanceMode",
"eventStatus": "EventScheduled",
"location": {
"@type": "Place",
"name": "Rheinwunder Academy, Bonn",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "Sebastianstraße 38",
"addressLocality": "Bonn",
"postalCode": "53115",
"addressCountry": "DE"
}
},
"organizer": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Rheinwunder GmbH",
"url": "https://rheinwunder.com"
},
"offers": {
"@type": "Offer",
"url": "https://rheinwunder.com/seminar/seo-einsteiger",
"price": "299",
"priceCurrency": "EUR",
"availability": "https://schema.org/InStock",
"validFrom": "2024-01-01T00:00:00+02:00"
}
}
</script>
FAQ Page – FAQPage
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org/",
"@type": "FAQPage",
"mainEntity": [{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "What does SEO consulting cost at Rheinwunder?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "The costs for our SEO consulting depend on individual needs."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Does Rheinwunder also offer training or workshops?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Yes. In addition to consulting projects, we regularly conduct seminars and workshops in the areas of SEO, SEA, and content marketing."
}
}
]
}
</script>
E-E-A-T: Strengthening Reputation, Authority, and Trust
Structured data helps to make E-E-A-T signals visible and technically usable.
With information about authors (Person), ratings (AggregateRating), organizations (Organization), and verifiable sources (sameAs), you can demonstrate experience, expertise, and authority.
Consistency – e.g., identical address and contact information in the markup and visible content – further increases trustworthiness.
Thus, structured data can significantly contribute to positioning your website as a credible, reliable source for users and search engines.
Structured data is a central component of modern SEO strategies.
They make content machine-readable, create clarity for search engines, and strengthen the foundation for rich results. In combination with high-quality content and consistent E-E-A-T development, they form the basis for long-term visibility and trust – both in traditional search results and in AI-driven search. Take the next step: Request GEO consulting now and structure your content so that it is understood by humans and machines – and preferred by AI systems.
