Schema for AI search: which structured data helps and how to check it

Structured data tells a machine what a page is about. Add schema.org markup as JSON-LD for the things your pages really are, keep it identical to the visible content, and validate it after every change.

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Synopsis

Vocabulary: schema.org.
Format: JSON-LD in a script tag, which most tools read best.
Rule: Mark up what is visible on the page. Do not describe content that is not there.
Start with: Organization, WebSite, BreadcrumbList and the type that fits the page.
Check with: A schema validator and a scan of the page.

Which schema types are worth adding?

Pick the type that matches the page. More markup is not better; correct markup is.

Every site

Organization: who you are, logo, profiles
WebSite: the site name and URL
BreadcrumbList: where a page sits in your site

Content pages

Article or BlogPosting with author and dates
FAQPage for real question and answer pairs
HowTo for a step-by-step procedure

Commerce and software

Product with name, image, price and availability
SoftwareApplication for an app
Review or AggregateRating when you show genuine ratings

What does JSON-LD look like?

A script tag with the type and its properties. Put it in the head or the body of the page.

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Example Company",
  "url": "https://example.com",
  "logo": "https://example.com/logo.png",
  "sameAs": ["https://www.linkedin.com/company/example"]
}
</script>

How do you check structured data?

Validate the syntax, then confirm that it matches the page.

Steps

Run the page through a schema validator to catch syntax errors and missing properties.
Compare the markup with the visible page: names, prices, dates and authors must match.
Fix the differences, deploy, and validate again.
Run a scan to see the structured data checks for the page and the site.

Questions.

Straight answers about schema for AI search.

Does schema guarantee that AI cites me?

No. It removes guesswork about what the page is, which helps machines read it. Whether an engine cites you is up to the engine.

JSON-LD or microdata?

Both are valid schema.org formats. JSON-LD is easier to maintain because it is separate from the HTML.

Can I mark up content that is not on the page?

No. Markup that does not match the visible content is misleading and can be ignored or penalised by the tools that read it.

Check your structured data

Run a scan and see which schema is present, missing or wrong on your pages.