Structured data describes the people, organisations, products and other entities represented by a page. It should express accurate information already supported by the content. Adding fields merely to satisfy a validator can create misleading claims.
This guide explains how to choose relevant markup, connect it with the site's existing implementation and test its actual scope. Valid markup can support search understanding without guaranteeing a rich result.
Separate vocabulary from search features
Schema.org provides a broad vocabulary, while a search engine supports its own selection of features and requirements. A type available in a generator is not necessarily a supported Google result format. Check the intended use before planning a visible search outcome.
Choose the most specific applicable type using its defined meaning. A Service property can describe an area served or an offer, but it cannot supply the business facts. Confirm those values with the responsible owner.
Review the factual content first
Compare names, addresses, hours, prices, availability and other claims with the page and authoritative business records. Remove unsupported or obsolete values. Hidden, irrelevant or misleading content should not be added merely because the syntax is valid.
Keep a record of where important values originate and who maintains them. A content change can make correct markup stale. Include structured data in the publication workflow rather than treating it as a one-time technical addition.
Model the organisation and its locations accurately
Organisation information can be placed on the homepage or a suitable page describing the organisation, according to the intended implementation. It does not need to be duplicated everywhere to establish a coherent identity. Use relevant properties rather than filling every available option.
Represent real local locations separately where required, using applicable subtypes and their actual details. Departments with different facts need appropriate modelling. Repeating one headquarters record across unrelated locations can misrepresent the business.
Keep article and navigation details faithful
For article markup, identify the real author and relevant publication and modification dates. The technical vocabulary can use Person or Organization where applicable. Preserve exact technical names, including Organization, while using British English in editorial prose.
Breadcrumb markup should represent a meaningful trail with the correct order, names and destinations. Review it alongside visible navigation. A generated sequence of labels is not useful if it describes a route the website does not actually support.
Inspect the existing graph and generators
Identify markup supplied by the CMS, theme, plugins and custom code before adding another block. Inspect the actual page output for duplicate or contradictory entities. Establish how identifiers and relationships connect the relevant pieces.
Where a platform offers a supported extension interface, use an approach compatible with the installed version. A documented integration for another installation does not establish that the same code is appropriate here. Test the final combined output.
Use validation tools for distinct questions
A general Schema.org validator can help check markup vocabulary and structure. Google's Rich Results Test assesses relevant Google-supported rich-result possibilities. These are different scopes, so record which question each result answers.
Inspect errors and warnings in relation to the intended feature. Passing a technical test does not verify every business claim or guarantee search appearance. Maintain a separate factual review of the content and values.
Check the public implementation after deployment
Test the live URL, including rendered markup where appropriate. Verify that the relevant page and image resources are accessible to the intended crawler. A correct draft or development preview can differ from the public template.
Recheck after changes to the theme, generator or content model. Search systems make their own appearance decisions, so judge the implementation by accurate representation and verified behaviour rather than a promised visual result.
A useful markup review record
- Identify the entity, page and intended feature.
- Document factual owners and source fields.
- Review the complete generated graph.
- Preserve exact type and property names.
- Record validation scope and resolved findings.
- Verify public content, dates, images and navigation relationships.
Our crawl and indexing guide covers access checks. The canonical URL guide helps keep the addresses associated with the markup consistent.
