"Structured data": what they are and why implement them

Structured data (also known as markup) is meta-information added manually to the HTML code of a website page. Their function is to provide search engines with additional information about pages to classify their contents structured data (structured data, or also markup) represent meta-information added manually to the HTML code of a website page. Their function is to provide search engines with additional information about pages to classify their contents.

These elements are in fact evaluated by Google which analyzes the site's ability to return the most relevant results to user searches.
Consequently, their presence allows to obtain important advantages in terms of UX.

Although for some the development of structured data is not a priority when it comes to developing a website, we want to show you that their potential is really high and can make a difference to your strategy.

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Structured data format

For this data a is used standard format (the famous semantic vocabulary schema.org) universally recognized that allows search engines to understand the relationships between pages and define the type of content, which is transformed into metadata.

This operation ensures that these codes are not viewed directly by site visitors, but are easily interpreted by Google. In fact, Big G, through structured data, understands the exact meaning of the images and contents of the marked pages and is able to show them accurately in the SERP. The aim, therefore, is to provide the most relevant results for queries.

Schema.org was founded in 2011 by IT companies Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Bing who joined forces on a common project. This language plays a rather important role. In fact, as Big G implements an increasingly semantic site, these markups become precious allies to ensure effective communication on the web.

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The vocabulary of Schema.org

Schema's vocabulary includes several formats for building a data structure around all possible types of web elements. On the Official site find the various aspects that markers can take on.

Schema markups are commonly used to indicate:

• Articles
• Products
• Events
• People
• Local Activities
• Organizations
• Recipes
• Guests Book
• condizioni mediche

Once you add them to your site, these objects help search engines interpret what your pages are about.

Information is displayed through rich snippets.
Here is an example of review format:

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The methods to set the info 

There are 3 main formats you can choose from to implement structured data on the web.

• JSON-LD
• Microdata
• RDFaLet's see them in detail: 

JSON-LD

JSON-LD is the format most recommended by Google and is also the easiest to implement. This is because it does not require the insertion of HTML elements, which are needed instead with the other typologies. JSON-LD can be installed as a single block of code and tells Big G the main topics of the page.

Microdata

Therefore, while with JSON-LD the structured data is present in a single large block, Microdata is distributed throughout the page.

Additionally, markup can be created for any page element. If we are dealing with simple entities, the installation is very quick and intuitive, while for complex operations we can use some SEO plugins.

RDFa

RDFa works like Microdata in that it marks up the HTML elements in the page, instead of creating one big single block like JSON-LD. It is usually the least used syntax because it is the most complex.

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The advantage of these notions 

First of all, a premise must be made, namely that structured data is not a direct ranking factor. The same Google made this concept clear.

 So a more than legitimate question follows: why use structured data?

We explain it to you here:

• these metrics simplify the work of crawlers, helping search engines to identify the various entities present on the page;
• create a connection between the various entities, ensuring their consistency and order;
• make i Search Results more consistent possible with the needs and intentions of users, helping to answer their questions clearly and promptly.

 Nowadays, there are still many sites that indicate to crawlers the data they can collect from archives, formatted in HTML code. However, this language can be difficult to understand. Structured data, on the other hand, helps Google spiders better in understanding what the core business of a company is and the main topic addressed by the website, extricating themselves from the jungle of information present on the web and in a specific portal. In the guidelines of Google Search ConsoleFor example, we read that "If Google understands the markup on your pages, it can use that information to add rich snippets and other features to your search result".

If this data didn't exist, every search engine would have to work much harder to understand its meaning and why it was placed on a specific page. Furthermore, although they do not directly contribute to the positioning of the site in the SERP, they certainly help it to return results that are more relevant to the user's request.

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The tools that Google offers

In most cases, Google is perfectly capable of recognizing the entities of a website, however structured data ensures greater accuracy in terms of both interpretation and cataloging of information.

When Google receives this data, it first identifies the entity type (Person or Brand), then the relationships between related entities (companies, products, services). If the competition hasn't yet leveraged this meta information, we're sure to be in for one advantage over competitors.

One of the most famous uses of structured data is represented by rich snippets. These are contents enriched by information and graphics on the SERPs. In addition to conveying additional details, they contribute to optimize a web page for search engines. This is because they have the power to capture the user's attention and thus increase visits to the page.

For example, if a user searches for a restaurant, he could show users the average price range and the reviews received from visitors, making the site more reliable in the eyes of Big G.

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How to add data to the site

Google provides webmasters with some lists of structured data to copy and paste into the site page, customizing them as needed. Also on schema.org there are some examples from which you can take inspiration.

What you have to worry about doing is correctly highlighting the elements of the page that need to be marked. Then you will have to click on "Create HTML": a code will be generated which can then be clicked on to insert it on the site.

Also the Search Console assists us in inserting structured data on our site. In this section, in fact, every element recognized and analyzed is present and the possibility of errors is also reported. In fact, the Google platform is able to indicate if there are critical issues capable of negatively influencing the views of rich snippets or other functions. If this is the case, you will have to intervene by correcting the malfunctions.

Even in the case of rather long procedures, we assure you that the results obtained are definitely worth it. The length and complexity depend on the systems you choose to use to manage the site and the levels of control we want to have throughout the process.

Here are two possible methods:

1. If you choose to use Google's Structured Data Markup helper

As mentioned, there is a Google platform that helps webmasters install structured data regardless of the type of host or site.

1. First, go to the page of Google's Structured Data Markup helper.
   Select the type of website.
2. Copy and paste the URL of the page where you want to add markups.
3. Click on “start tagging”.
4. Two boxes will appear. The one on the left is the content of your page, the one on the right is the tool related to the use of structured data.
5. Click on Create HTML: it will create an HTML code in JSON-LD format that you can insert into your page.

2. If you choose to use WordPress plugins

If you used WordPress to build your site, follow these simple steps.

Even with regard to structured data, the famous platform offers a wide range of plugins to install. Let's see the example of Schema App Structured Data.

Markups will be generated for the entire site, however manual editing is also available.

When you want to modify a page or a single element, you can select the appropriate box with the writing "Structured Data app schema".

You can trust the plugin, which usually automatically selects what it considers the best structured data to highlight, but you also have the option to choose what you see fit.

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How to check that everything works

Ok, maybe implementing this data won't seem too complicated to you, but of course you'll also need to verify that everything works at its best along the way.
In this sense, Google provides two tools.

The first is the media data test, which monitors your publicly accessible page in progress. The second is the Search Console. The latter allows you to constantly monitor the indexing, positioning and correctness of the markups.

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