Structured data is code that describes your page to search engines in a standard format: this is a business, here's its address; this is a product, here's its price. It helps Google understand your content and can make you eligible for rich results, such as star ratings, prices and breadcrumbs, in search.
JSON-LD is the format to use
There are several formats, but Google recommends JSON-LD: a block of JSON inside a script tag, separate from your visible HTML. It's easier to add and maintain.
Which types matter in 2026
| Type | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Organization / LocalBusiness | Your business identity, address, contact details |
| Service | Each service you offer |
| Product and Offer | Products with prices and availability |
| Article / BlogPosting | Blog posts and news |
| BreadcrumbList | Breadcrumb trails on every page |
| Person | Authors and team members |
| Review / AggregateRating | Genuine reviews, following Google's rules |
| Event | Events with dates and venues |
| VideoObject | Videos on your pages |
Types that no longer give rich results
- HowTo: rich results removed in 2023.
- FAQPage: Google retired FAQ rich results for all sites in May 2026. The markup is harmless, and other systems may still read it, but don't expect FAQ dropdowns in Google.
Example: local business
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Dentist",
"name": "Lanka Dental Care",
"url": "https://lankadental.lk",
"telephone": "+94112345678",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "25 High Level Road",
"addressLocality": "Nugegoda",
"addressCountry": "LK"
},
"openingHours": "Mo-Sa 09:00-19:00"
}
Use the most specific type available, such as Dentist, Restaurant or Hotel, rather than the generic LocalBusiness.
Example: blog post
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "BlogPosting",
"headline": "How to Rank Higher on Google Maps in Sri Lanka",
"datePublished": "2026-10-29",
"author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Prabath Thalangama" },
"publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "SEOguru.lk" }
}
Rules to follow
- Mark up only what's visible on the page. Don't add reviews or prices that users can't see.
- No fake reviews. Review markup must reflect genuine reviews.
- Use absolute URLs.
- Keep it accurate. If your hours change, update the markup.
- Server-render it, especially for products and prices. Markup injected late by JavaScript can be picked up less reliably.
How to test
- Rich Results Test: shows which rich results a page is eligible for and any errors.
- Schema Markup Validator at validator.schema.org: checks general schema validity.
- Search Console enhancements reports: show errors across your whole site.
Structured data and AI search
Clear structured data about your organisation, people and services also helps AI systems understand who you are, which supports visibility in AI answers. See Google AI Overviews and SEO.
Check yours
Our free SEO health check detects whether your homepage has structured data. We add full, valid schema as part of technical SEO. This website, for example, uses ProfessionalService, Person, Service, BlogPosting and BreadcrumbList markup.