What is structured data and how does it help SEO?

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Accepted Answer

**Structured data** is machine-readable metadata you add to a page (using the **Schema.org** vocabulary) that describes its content explicitly — "this is a Product priced $20" or "this is a Recipe with 30-min cook time." Search engines use it to understand the page and to show **rich results**. ## JSON-LD — the recommended format Google recommends **JSON-LD**: a ` ``` ## What it unlocks: rich results With valid structured data, your search listing can show **star ratings, prices, FAQs, breadcrumbs, recipe times, event dates**, etc. — instead of a plain blue link. This dramatically improves click-through rate even at the same ranking position. ## Common schema types ```text Product, Article, Recipe, FAQPage, BreadcrumbList, Organization, LocalBusiness, Event, Review, VideoObject ``` ## Validate it Use Google's **Rich Results Test** and **Schema Markup Validator** to confirm the markup is valid and eligible — malformed structured data simply won't produce rich results (and misleading markup can incur penalties). ## Why it matters Structured data is how you turn an ordinary search listing into an eye-catching rich result — a direct lever on click-through rate and visibility. JSON-LD keeps it cleanly separated from your HTML, and it powers not just Google's rich snippets but also voice assistants and other tools that consume the web's data semantically.