What is structured data?

Structured data (also called schema markup) is standardised code that gives search engines extra context about the content of a page. With it you state explicitly what something is: a product, recipe, review, event or FAQ. That helps Google understand your page better and sometimes show rich results.

What does structured data do?

With a vocabulary such as Schema.org you mark up parts of your page, for example the price of a product or the steps of a recipe. Search engines read those labels and so understand the meaning behind the text, not just the words themselves.

Rich results and visibility

Structured data can lead to rich results: eye-catching search results with stars, prices, images or FAQ dropdowns. They attract attention and can increase your click-through rate. It is a valuable part of technical SEO.

Structured data and AI search engines

Because structured data labels your content explicitly, it also helps AI search engines interpret and cite your information correctly. That links it to GEO. You can find the guidelines in the Google Search documentation.

Does structured data guarantee rich results?

No. It makes them possible, but Google decides itself whether and when rich results are shown.

Do I need a plugin for it?

In WordPress you can add schema through an SEO plugin such as Rank Math, without writing code yourself.