Structured data
Machine-readable annotations on a page, usually Schema.org vocabulary in JSON-LD, that describe entities and make pages eligible for rich…
Technical
Microdata
An HTML attribute-based syntax (itemscope, itemtype, itemprop) for embedding structured data directly in visible markup.
In full
Microdata annotates existing elements rather than adding a separate block, which guarantees the markup matches visible content but couples it tightly to templates. Google still supports it alongside JSON-LD and RDFa, but recommends JSON-LD for new implementations. Mixed implementations, where microdata and JSON-LD disagree, are a common source of confusing validation output.
Example
`<div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Recipe"><h1 itemprop="name">Sourdough</h1>…</div>` annotates a recipe inline.
Related terms
JSON-LD
A W3C-standard JSON syntax for linked data, embedded in a `<script type="application/ld+json">` block; Google's recommended structured…
RDFa
A W3C attribute syntax (vocab, typeof, property) for embedding RDF-based structured data in HTML; supported by Google but rarely used for…
Schema.org
A collaborative vocabulary of types and properties for structured data on the web, founded by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Yandex in 2011.
Rich Results Test
Google's tool for checking whether a page's structured data qualifies for rich results, run against the rendered page.
Where to read more
- Intro to How Structured Data Markup Works · Documentation · developers.google.com
- Schema.org Getting Started Guide · Documentation · schema.org