Schema markup, the most leveraged fix in SEO that almost every site is missing.

Schema.org markup is the universal vocabulary that tells Google, AI assistants, and every other machine what your content actually is. Proper schema unlocks rich snippets, knowledge graph presence, and AI discoverability. Here is what it is and how to get it right.

Check Your Schema See How It Works
Schema markup explained. JSON-LD, Schema.org

What schema markup actually is.

Schema.org is a vocabulary Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Yandex built together to let websites describe their content in a machine-readable format. When you add schema (usually as JSON-LD in the page head), you are telling Google exactly what the page is about. Google rewards sites that do this with rich snippets in search results and better knowledge graph placement. AI assistants use it to extract your facts when people ask ChatGPT about your business.

  • Schema.org, the standard vocabulary
  • JSON-LD, the recommended format
  • Goes in the page head as a script tag
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The schema types every site needs.

Local business schema

Required for any business with a physical location or service area. Name, address, phone, hours, geo.

  • Required for any business with a physical location or service area.
  • Name, address, phone, hours, geo.
  • Service area coverage for businesses without physical location

Service schema

For each service you offer. Title, description, area served, price range, provider.

  • For each service you offer.
  • Title, description, area served, price range, provider.
  • HowTo and Step schema recommendations for guides

Content schemas

Article for blog posts, FAQ for Q&A pages, BreadcrumbList for navigation. All three unlock rich snippets.

  • Article for blog posts, FAQ for Q&A pages, BreadcrumbList for navigation.
  • All three unlock rich snippets.
  • Schema.org compliance against current specification

What most sites get wrong with schema.

The #1 issue. Most sites have zero schema.

  • The #1 issue.
  • Most sites have zero schema.
  • Business type classification for enhanced search display

Using Article schema on a service page instead of Service schema.

  • Using Article schema on a service page instead of Service schema.
  • Product markup with pricing, availability, and reviews
  • Offer validity periods and pricing specifications

Schema is present but half the required fields are empty.

  • Schema is present but half the required fields are empty.
  • Article and BlogPosting with author and publish date
  • HowTo and Step markup for instructional content

Schema references info (phone, address) that no longer matches the rest of the site.

  • Schema references info (phone, address) that no longer matches the rest of the site.
  • Individual Review markup with author and date
  • Rating scale validation and source attribution
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How SchemaReports audits schema.

Phase 9 of every SchemaReports audit validates every JSON-LD block on your page against Schema.org, checking presence, type appropriateness, required property completeness, recommended properties, and rich snippet eligibility. You get a full list of what is missing with specific recommendations. This is literally the origin of the SchemaReports name.

  • Full JSON-LD validation
  • Schema type appropriateness
  • Required and recommended properties
See What We Find
SchemaReports schema validation

Schema Markup in Practice

See which structured data types we detect and whether your site qualifies for rich results.

Schema Types
Schema Types Found
Local Business 48%
Missing: geo
Organization 67%
Complete!
FAQ MISSING
Featured snippet opportunity
Breadcrumb 100%
Implemented
WebSite 50%
No SearchAction
Service MISSING
Service offerings visibility
Local Business Fields
Required
Name ✓
Address ✓
Phone ✓
Address
Street ✗
City ✓
State ✓
Zip ✓
Recommended
Hours ✓
Geo ✓
Image ✓
URL ✓
Description ✗
Area ✗
Price ✗
Rich Results
Rich Results Eligibility
Knowledge Panel 60%
LocalBusiness Name Address Phone Geo
FAQ Snippets 0%
FAQ Schema 3+ Questions Has Answers
Breadcrumbs 100%
Breadcrumb Schema
Sitelinks Searchbox 50%
WebSite Schema SearchAction

Schema markup, common questions

Do I really need schema markup?

Yes, it is how Google and AI assistants understand what your business is.

  • Rich snippets display business info directly in search results
  • Local businesses get map packs and knowledge panels
Where does it go?

In a script type application/ld+json tag in your page head.

  • Business-specific recommendations based on your actual content
  • Priority ranking so you know what to fix first
Which format should I use?

JSON-LD. Microdata and RDFa work but JSON-LD is recommended by Google.

  • All common Schema.org types for business and content
  • Industry-specific schema recommendations
Does WordPress do this automatically?

Depends on your theme and plugins. Many do partial schema. The audit checks completeness.

  • Invalid syntax just gets ignored by search engines
  • Misleading markup can trigger manual penalties
How do I validate my schema?

Google Rich Results Test is the standard validator. SchemaReports Phase 9 goes deeper with completeness scoring.

  • After every website redesign or CMS update
  • Quarterly for sites that rarely change

  • WordPress plugins like Yoast and Rank Math handle basic schema
  • Our reports explain fixes in language you can share with developers

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Check Your Schema

Find out what schema your site is missing.

10,000+ sites have already been audited. See what's holding yours back, 12 phases, 1,000+ data points, AI-powered analysis. Completely free.

  • The only audit that checks Psychology, Trust, and AI Readiness
  • 12 phases, 1,000+ data points, results in under 5 minutes
  • Free to run, free to download, yours to keep forever
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Find out what schema your site is missing