What is structured data?

Structured data is the way to go if you want your website to be included in search engines. It is an organised system of information that helps search engines and other digital visitors better understand your site and its content. Search engines use structured data to index websites more efficiently, giving users faster and more accurate search results. This article covers the types of structured data, why you need structured data and how it can benefit your business.

What is structured data?

Structured data is information marked with specific formats. This makes the data understood by both humans and computers. When you include structured data in your website, it will benefit both search engines, and your users. Structured data can be added to your website in various ways. Some examples are via microdata, RDFa or JSON-LD. These formats are computer-readable instructions that tell search engines what information is on your site. They also make for better indexing and enable data retrieval. Finally, they provide a better user experience. If you do not use structured data, search engines have to rely on algorithms to understand your content, which can lead to inaccurate results.

Types of structured data

There are different types of structured data. Hereonder we cover four of the most commonly used types.

• Product - Structured product data describes the details of each product on your site, including prices, availability and related products. This type of structured data can help users find products more easily and will help you improve your sales.
• Recipes - Structured data on recipes is similar to structured data on products in that it helps users find recipes more easily. This type of structured data can also be used to create a list of ingredients and instructions.
• Event - Structured event data is used to describe an event, such as a concert or football match. With this type of structured data, users can find events more easily and you can improve your marketing.
• Place - Structured place data is used to describe a physical location, such as a museum or café, that you organise or operate. With this type of structured data, users can find places more easily and you can improve your marketing.

Why is structured data important?

Structured data allows search engines to understand the content of your site. And that, of course, is essential for any business with a website. If your website is not included in search engine results, you are missing out on potential customers. The better search engines understand your content, the higher your site will rank in search results. This means your site gets more traffic and more customers. A strong online presence is important for all businesses. More than 80% of internet users search for products or services online. So not having a strong online presence will cause you to miss out on potential customers!

Advantages of structured data

Structured data gives benefits on many different levels. For instance, it is indispensable in a good SEO strategy. If your website has a strong SEO strategy, it is likely to rank higher in search engine results. If your website is missing important information, such as prices and descriptions, your SEO strategy will not be as successful. Structured data helps search engines understand your content, which will lead to higher rankings. You can always come to us for SEO advice to help you do this.

But structured data is also important for your human visitors. If your website is clear and easy to navigate, it will be more attractive to customers. This will help you get more sales and better online visibility. If your website is not well structured, customers will find it harder to find the information they are looking for. And when customers cannot find the information, they will drop out.

How to add structured data to your site

To make your website search engine-friendly and include structured data, you need to tag your site's content. This can be done manually, but it is usually easier to use a service. If you use WordPress, there are some plugins you can use for this purpose. For example, you can use the Amazon Product Ads plugin to add the necessary product information to your site. Google Structured Data Markup plugin you can use for event structured data. 

Summary

Structured data is an important onder part of any website, but it is something that is often overlooked. When you include structured data in your website, both search engines and your users will see an improved experience and better results. Structured data can be added to your website in various ways, such as through microdata, RDFa or JSON-LD. If you choose not to use structured data, search engines will have to rely on algorithms to understand your content. This will undoubtedly lead to inaccurate results. 

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