Structured data

Topic Overview

Structured data refers to any data that resides in a fixed field within a record or file. This includes data contained in relational databases and spreadsheets, characterized by the clear definition of entities and relationships. In terms of digital marketing, structured data is used to provide context and meaning to the information on a webpage, making it easier for search engines to accurately index the content. It typically uses specific vocabulary, following standards such as Microdata, JSON-LD, and RDFa, which are understood by major search engines. By using structured data, digital marketers can provide detailed information about a product, article, or event to search engines, enhancing the visibility of their content on search engine results pages (SERPs).

Usage Types

Structured data can be implemented in various ways depending on its intended use. The following sections describe some of the main usage types.

Schema Markup

Schema Markup is a form of microdata that provides a shared vocabulary for structuring data. It is a project of Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Yandex, aiming to create a structured data markup schema that search engines understand. It can be used to mark up all kinds of items from products to events, making it easier for search engines to display rich results.

Open Graph Protocol

Open Graph Protocol is a technology first developed by Facebook to enable the integration of any web page with its social media platform. It allows a webpage to become a rich object in a social graph, providing structured information—such as the title, description, and preview image—to the social platform.

Twitter Cards

Twitter Cards make it possible to attach media experiences to tweets that link to your content. This is done by adding a few lines of HTML to your webpages. Users who tweet links to your content will have a card added to the tweet that's vis

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