What is Product structured data, and how do you add it?
guide // , 4 min read, by Darthwares
Product structured data is a standardized format for providing information about a product to search engines. When you add this data to your product pages, your product information can appear in richer ways in Google Search results, including Google Images and Google Lens. This allows users to see details such as price, availability, and review ratings directly in search results, enhancing visibility and user experience.
On this page // 5 sections
The short version
- Product structured data helps Google display rich product information directly in search results.
- There are two main types: Product snippets for informational pages and Merchant listings for purchasable products.
- Providing comprehensive data for merchant listings covers eligibility for product snippets.
- Key properties include brand, GTIN, SKU, and offers, which detail pricing and availability.
- Use Google Search Console's URL Inspection tool to verify your structured data is indexed.
What are the types of Product structured data?
Google documents two main classes of product structured data. The first is for Product snippets, which are used for product pages where people cannot directly purchase the product. The second class is Merchant listings, intended for pages where customers can purchase products from you.
It is generally recommended to provide as much rich product information as available, without concern for the exact experiences that will use it. This is because adding the required product information properties for merchant listings means that your product pages can also be eligible for product snippets. Providing both structured data on web pages and a Merchant Center feed maximizes your eligibility for various experiences and helps Google correctly understand and verify your data.
A product can be a wide range of items or services. For example, Schema.org defines a product as something like a pair of shoes, a concert ticket, the rental of a car, a haircut, or an episode of a TV show streamed online.
What information should you include in Product structured data?
To provide comprehensive product information, you should include several key properties. Schema.org defines properties such as the overall rating, based on a collection of reviews or ratings, of the item. You can also specify the brand or brands associated with a product or service, or the brand or brands maintained by an organization or business person.
Another important identifier is the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN). A correct GTIN value should be an all-numeric string of either 8, 12, 13, or 14 digits, or a "GS1 Digital Link" URL based on such a string. The Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) is also useful; this is a merchant-specific identifier for a product or service, or the product to which an offer refers.
Crucially, you should include an offer to provide this item. This could be an offer to sell a product, rent a movie, perform a service, or give away tickets to an event. This property is essential for Google to understand the product's availability and price.
How do search engines use Product structured data?
When you add structured data to your product pages, your product information can appear in richer ways in Google Search results. This includes visibility in Google Images and Google Lens. For example, users can see price, availability, review ratings, and shipping information directly in search results.
Providing as much rich product information as available maximizes your eligibility for these enhanced search experiences. Google uses this data to correctly understand and verify your product details, ensuring that relevant information is displayed to users at the point of search.
How do you check if your Product structured data is indexed?
Indexing is the process where Google finds your page, processes its content, and adds it to the Google index, making it eligible to appear in Google Search results and other Google services like Discover. The Page indexing report in Google Search Console shows how many URLs on your site have been crawled and indexed by Google.
Your goal is to get the canonical version of every important page indexed. To find the index status of a specific page, you can use the URL Inspection tool. It is acceptable for a URL not to be indexed for valid reasons, such as an expected robots.txt rule, a noindex tag on the page, a duplicate URL, or a 404 error for a removed page without a replacement.
For Google to crawl a page, it needs a way to find it. This means the page must be linked from a known page or included in a sitemap. After you fix all instances of a specific issue on your site, you can ask Google to confirm your fixes through Search Console.
Common questions
What is the main benefit of Product structured data?
The main benefit is that your product information can appear in richer ways in Google Search results, including Google Images and Google Lens. Users can see details like price, availability, and review ratings directly in search results, which can improve visibility.
What is the difference between Product snippets and Merchant listings?
Product snippets are for product pages where direct purchases are not possible. Merchant listings are for pages where customers can purchase products from you. Providing data for merchant listings generally makes your pages eligible for product snippets as well.
What is a GTIN, and why is it important?
A GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is an all-numeric string of 8, 12, 13, or 14 digits, or a "GS1 Digital Link" URL. It is an important identifier that helps Google accurately identify and categorize your product.
How can I check if my product pages are indexed by Google?
You can use the Page indexing report in Google Search Console to see how many URLs on your site have been indexed. For a specific page, the URL Inspection tool provides its index status and details.
Primary sources and further reading
This article was researched and written by an AI model and published automatically. It was written from sentences that were checked to appear on the pages below, but a person has not reviewed the text. If something is wrong, tell us at chibivikramathithan@darthwares.com and we will correct it.