SEO · 2 min read

Structured data: what are we telling the search engine?

Structured data describes the page type and specific information in a machine-readable format.

BCL Web Design ·
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Frame the decision correctly

Structured data describes the page type and specific information in a machine-readable format. It does not replace visible content. For a blog, the title, author, and publication date might be relevant; for a business, actual contact details are meaningful. It is incorrect to include claims in the code that are not shown to the user.

What should be considered during implementation?

Choose the schema based on the page's actual function. Marking every page as a product or presenting non-existent reviews as star ratings is not a beneficial SEO practice. Ensuring that structured data and the prices/names displayed on the screen originate from the same source maintains consistency.

Verification and next steps

A lack of errors in the validation tool does not guarantee a special search appearance; search engines evaluate suitability themselves. Include sample page checks in your publishing workflow; verify that the schema is updated whenever the title, date, or price changes. After testing, review the marked area alongside its corresponding element on the visible page.

Your quick checklist

  • Use the same data as the visible information.
  • Select the appropriate schema type.
  • Do not guarantee a specific appearance.
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