First, what is schema markup? schema.org defines it as:
schemas are html tags, that webmasters can use to markup their pages in ways recognized by major search providers. Search engines including Bing, Google, Yahoo! and Yandex rely on this markup to improve the display of search results, making it easier for people to find the right web pages.
So why would you want to use schema markup?
Again from Schema.org ” Many applications, especially search engines, can benefit greatly from direct access to this structured data. On-page markup enables search engines to understand the information on web pages and provide richer search results in order to make it easier for users to find relevant information on the web.”
What are some examples of schema markup in SERP results?
A local result:
This is an example of a page from Yelp.com. Below the headline, it shows cumulative customer ratings, total number of reviews and price range.
An E-commerce Example:
In this example, we helped one of our clients, Vitamin Science implement schema markup using the Data Highlighter Tool in Webmaster Tools. Their SERP results now show customer rating, total number of reviews and a price for the product.
Here are some other examples you can use for E-commerce Schema Markup:
- Limited Time Offer
- Product name & price
- Product Availability
- Reviews & Ratings
- Images & Video
- Paid Search Products (Shopping Campaigns in Adwords)
- Brand
- Color
- Sku
- model
- Weight
- Description
A complete list can be found on the schema site.
For Yahoo store customers, we can easily implement these changes in your templates with no work on your part.
If you want to try to implement this yourself and you’ve claimed your site in Google Webmaster Tools, you can use the Data Highligher Tool
This video will help you get started:
Why would an e-commerce store want to do this?
Using schema markup lets you extend the number of things you can describe in search result listings.
it extends the number of things that you’re able to describe to the search engines using structured data markup, especially things in the realm of e-commerce.
Does schema help your content rank higher?
Matt Cutts says that it doesn’t give you a ranking boost. Here are his thoughts:
