Glossary Term : Schema Markup

Schema markup is a type of structured data that you add to the code of your website to help search engines (and now AI assistants) better understand the content on your pages.

Jun 18, 2025

Think of it as a labeling system for your content. It tells machines exactly what your data means, not just what it says.

For example:

Instead of a webpage saying “Samsung 55-inch 4K Smart TV,” schema markup tells AI:
- This is a Product
- The Brand is Samsung
- The Screen Size is 55 inches
- It’s a Television with 4K resolution
- The Price is $799
- It’s In Stock

This structured format uses a shared vocabulary called Schema.org, supported by Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and other major platforms.

Why it matters in today’s AI-first world:

AI assistants rely on structured data like schema markup to understand and rank your content
It makes your product listings more discoverable in AI-driven environments like Google Shopping, Amazon’s Rufus, and Microsoft Copilot
It increases the likelihood that your product will be featured in AI-generated shortlists, voice search results, and smart comparisons

In short, schema markup turns your product page from a digital brochure into a machine-readable source of truth.

Adding schema markup to your website involves inserting structured data (usually in JSON-LD format) into the HTML of your product pages. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

Step 1: Identify What You Want to Mark Up

Most e-commerce sites start with:

Product
Offer (price, availability, seller)
Review and AggregateRating
Breadcrumbs
Organization (your brand/company)
FAQ or HowTo (if applicable)

Step 2: Use Schema.org for the Right Vocabulary

Schema markup uses the standardized vocabulary found at Schema.org. For a product page, you’ll commonly use:

@type: "Product"
name: Product name
description: Short product description
image: Product image URL
brand: Brand name
offers: An object with price, currency, condition, and availability
review or aggregateRating: Customer reviews or ratings

Step 3: Generate the Code (Use a Free Tool)

Use tools like:

Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper:
https://www.google.com/webmasters/markup-helper/
Merkle’s Schema Markup Generator:
https://technicalseo.com/tools/schema-markup-generator/

Step 4: Add the Code to Your Website

If you’re using Shopify:
Use your theme editor or a custom Liquid section to inject the code into your product templates.
If you’re using WordPress:
Use a plugin like Rank Math, Yoast SEO, or Schema Pro to automate this.
If you’re coding manually:
Paste the JSON-LD <script> block into the <head> section or near the end of the <body> on the relevant product page.
While you can't directly add schema markup to your Amazon product listings in the same way you would on your own website, you can leverage the Selling Partner API and focus on optimizing your product listings for search engines. Amazon's platform handles the structured data for its listings, and you can influence how your products appear on Google by providing accurate and detailed product information.

Step 5: Test It

Use Google’s Rich Results Test to make sure everything works:

https://search.google.com/test/rich-results

It will show you if your schema is correct and whether Google can read it.

Pro Tips:

Keep your schema updated if product info (like price or stock) changes
Avoid duplicating schema or nesting multiple Product tags improperly
Focus on accuracy over keyword stuffing—AI rewards clarity and trustworthiness