Confused about JSON-LD? You’re not alone.
This little acronym plays a pretty major role in Google’s ability to index your content.
In this post, Ray Day, SEO Strategist, explains JSON-LD, why it’s important, and how to use it effectively for SEO.
What You’ll Learn
- What is JSON-LD Code?
- Where Does JSON-LD Schema Go?
- JSON-LD Nesting
- What’s the Difference Between JSON-LD and JSON?
- Common JSON-LD Schema Mistakes
- What Changes Will You See By Implementing JSON-LD?
- JSON-LD SEO: Testing Your Structured Data
- JSON-LD Frequently Asked Questions
What Is JSON-LD Code?
JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) is a simplified means to create machine-readable data from websites, making your content easier for search crawlers to index.
JSON-LD offers syntactic simplicity found with the traditional JSON but offers more inherent meaning.
As a result, Google and Bing support JSON-LD because it enables developers to efficiently organize and connect data using schema markup. This not only improves user experience and search engine visibility but also helps future-proof websites for AI-driven search results. By providing structured data, sites are better positioned to appear in rich results and adapt to evolving algorithms focused on delivering more relevant, context-aware answers.
The lightweight data format will enhance a website’s performance as all data is seamlessly linked across the internet.
How Does JSON-LD Work?
JSON-LD works by annotating various elements on web pages, which helps create a clear structure that search engines can interpret.
When Google’s crawlers encounter structured data, they can better understand a web page’s content, making indexing more efficient.
When using JSON-LD, your webpage becomes more structured, and the embedded data allows search engines like Google to display rich snippets. These features include information like review stars, event details, product information, and FAQs.
Why Is JSON-LD Essential For SEO?
Structured data is an important asset for anyone publishing content online. JSON-LD makes it easier for machines to read, and as a result, Google can better index your content, improving its chances of appearing in rich results.
Rich snippets in particular have shown to improve click-through rates (CTR) by as much as 30% according to recent 2023 studies, making structured data essential for competing in organic search results.
Where Does JSON-LD Schema Go?
Unlike microdata, RDFa, or microformats, JSON-LD can be embedded directly within the <script> tag in the page’s <head> or anywhere else in the pages <body>.
<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“your”: “code”
}
</script>
It’s also possible to implement JSON-LD dynamically by inserting it into the Document Object Model (DOM).
JSON-LD Nesting
Nesting refers to organizing information into layers. For JSON-LD, this involves using certain immutable tags that don’t change at all, making them easy to reuse.
An Example of Nesting
Nesting in JSON-LD starts with the item property which specifies the item type. The item properties will belong to item types that are unique.
For example, an item property “name” can be an event name, person name, or name of a place. In the example below, the name of the performer and venue are both nested.
In the first item type, (ex. Performer) you would first match it with the item property (ex. actor, director, singer). The item property is then identified by opening curly brackets with the new item type (“@type”:) and attribute/value data.
A type could also include nearly any Action, Person, Place, Product, Event, or another type of thing, with subtypes underneath those item types. Getting granular with these details can give search engines a highly specific context that helps with SEO.
Another element you’ll want to incorporate is “@context:”. You can include this code in the following format: class=”redactor-autoparser-object”>https://schema.org”
This code is crucial as it lets the browser know what each element on the page means according to the definitions found on schema.org.
When used the right way, these immutable tags can contribute to an advanced SEO strategy that helps you get ahead of competitors neglecting to use JSON-LD.
What’s the Difference Between JSON-LD and JSON?
JSON stands for JavaScript Object Notation. It’s a lightweight data-interchange format used to send and receive structured data. JSON-LD, on the other hand, uses JSON format but is structured in a way that makes it compatible with schema.org standards.
The real difference is that JSON-LD allows web pages to communicate their content’s meaning more explicitly to search engines, resulting in rich results such as star ratings or recipe snippets that enhance user engagement.
Common JSON-LD Schema Mistakes
If your structured data is not working, there may be common errors to check:
- Syntax Issues: Ensure you’re using the correct quotation marks.
- Using Wrong Vocabulary: Refer to Schema.org for required and allowed properties.
- Inaccurate Data: Information must match what’s visible on the webpage.
- Formatting Mistakes: Copying from programs like Microsoft Word can break your markup.
What Changes Will You See By Implementing JSON-LD?
By implementing JSON-LD, you can expect several significant changes to how your content appears in search results. Google supports this structured data format to enhance rich results, which can include:
Logos
With JSON-LD, you can ensure your business logo is displayed prominently in search results. This increases brand recognition and gives users a consistent visual connection to your brand across search engines.
Example: When users search for your business, the logo appears alongside your website link and description, helping your brand stand out visually.
Social Profile Links
JSON-LD enables you to link your social media profiles directly within search results, making it easy for users to find and follow you on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Example: Your business’s Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn profiles can appear as clickable icons under your website’s link, enhancing your online presence.
Event Details
Businesses or organizations that host events can use JSON-LD to showcase upcoming events right in the search results. This allows potential attendees to see event dates, locations, and even purchase tickets directly.
Example: If you’re hosting a webinar or in-person event, the event’s title, date, and location appear in search, making it easy for users to get the details without needing to visit your site.
Site Links in Search Results
By using JSON-LD for site navigation, you can influence which pages Google displays as site links beneath your main search result. This offers users quick access to important pages such as “Contact Us,” “Services,” or “About Us.”
Example: If your homepage is ranked, additional links like “Products,” “Blog,” and “Contact” can appear as quick-access options, improving navigation for users.
FAQs and How-to Guides
JSON-LD markup also allows Google to pull specific questions and answers or step-by-step guides from your content and feature them directly in search results as rich snippets.
Example: A business offering technical support can use FAQ schema to display common troubleshooting questions in the “People Also Ask” (PAA) section of search results, increasing the chances that users will click your content when looking for quick answers directly in the SERPs.
Key Additions in 2023
Google has also expanded support for video object schema, which allows video content to appear in video-rich snippets. This presents a huge opportunity for businesses using video marketing.
Google increased its emphasis on structured data, now using it for additional rich result types, such as product reviews, FAQs, and how-tos. Additional updates for ecommerce (Product) and local business (LocalBusiness) schemas were also made.
JSON-LD SEO: Testing Your Structured Data
To ensure your JSON-LD code is functioning, you should regularly test it using tools like:
1. Schema.org’s Markup Validator to validate all Schema.org-based structured data without Google specific warnings.
2. Google’s Rich Results Test was recently updated in 2023 to include new schema types and provide better diagnostic information to troubleshoot issues.
JSON-LD Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the disadvantages of JSON-LD?
While using JSON LD or JSON-LD comes with certain benefits, there are potential disadvantages to consider.
For instance, you might have a problem with indexing via JSON if you use MySQL. MySQL doesn’t currently support the columns used in JSON structured data, meaning that search engines may not be able to index these columns directly.
2. What is the difference between JSON and JSON-LD?
You might wonder what the difference is between JSON and JSON-LD when new to these concepts. There are somewhat subtle differences to consider.
Put simply, JSON schema helps describe large volumes of data in a way that works like an XML schema, making data machine-readable. Meanwhile, JSON-LD works more like schema.org structured data to describe certain objects and elements on web pages, making it possible for machines to not only read but understand data.
In this way, JSON LD or JSON-LD is potentially more effective for crawling and search engine optimization than the JSON markup language.
3. Is JSON-LD better than microdata?
When comparing the two, you may be curious to know whether JSON-LD is better than microdata for web content.
What makes them different is that JSON-LD schema entails incorporating a JavaScript object into your pages’ HTML, defining data in the process. Meanwhile, microdata defines data through the use of HTML attributes and tags.
If you’re not sure which to use, Google’s structured data guidelines recommend using JSON LD or JSON-LD instead of microdata to define a website’s data.
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