What is Course structured data, and how do you add it?
guide // , 4 min read, by Darthwares
Course structured data is a standardized format for providing information about educational courses on a web page. It classifies page content to help search engines understand the details of your offerings. By adding course list structured data, you can provide more information about your courses, which can help prospective students find them through Google Search. This data describes a series or unit of curriculum designed to build knowledge, competence, or ability in learners.
On this page // 6 sections
The short version
- Course structured data uses a standardized format to describe educational courses, helping search engines understand details and enable rich results in Google Search.
- A course is defined as a curriculum unit with an educational outcome, led by instructors and students.
- Google requires at least three courses, each with a 'name' and 'provider', for course list rich results.
- Schema.org offers many additional properties for course details and instances; validate your code with the Rich Results Test.
What is Course structured data?
Structured data is a standardized format used to provide information about a web page and classify its content. It helps search engines understand the specific details presented on your site.
Course structured data, specifically, describes an educational course. This type of data represents a sequence of one or more educational events or creative works that aim to build knowledge, competence, or ability in learners. It can also describe a course that may be offered as distinct instances at different times, locations, or through various media or modes of study.
By implementing course list structured data, you can provide more detailed information about your educational offerings. This additional context can help prospective students find your courses more easily through Google Search.
What content qualifies as a course?
Google documents that Course markup should only be used for educational content that fits a specific definition. A course must be a series or unit of curriculum containing lectures, lessons, or modules in a particular subject or topic.
Furthermore, Google states that a course must have an explicit educational outcome, such as knowledge or skill in a specific subject. It also needs to be led by one or more instructors and have a roster of students.
Schema.org defines an educational course as a sequence of educational events or creative works designed to build knowledge, competence, or ability. This course may be offered as distinct instances, which are specific offerings that differ by time, location, media, or mode of study.
What are the required properties for Course structured data?
To be eligible to appear in a course list in Google Search, you must follow specific guidelines. These guidelines ensure that the structured data provides essential information about your courses.
Google requires that you mark up at least three courses on your website. This minimum number helps ensure a comprehensive listing of your educational offerings.
For each course, Google specifies that it must have valid `name` and `provider` properties. These two properties are fundamental for identifying the course and the organization offering it.
What are the recommended properties for Course structured data?
Beyond the basic requirements, Schema.org provides a comprehensive set of properties to describe educational courses in greater detail. These properties allow you to convey rich information about the course content and structure.
For the `Course` type itself, you can specify properties such as `availableLanguage` to indicate the language used, `courseCode` for the provider's internal identifier (e.g., CS101), `coursePrerequisites` for any requirements to take the course, `educationalCredentialAwarded` for qualifications earned upon completion, and `numberOfCredits` for the credits awarded.
A `Course` can also have one or more `hasCourseInstance` properties, which link to `CourseInstance` types. A `CourseInstance` describes a specific offering of a course, distinct from others by its time, location, or delivery method. Properties for a `CourseInstance` include `courseMode` (e.g., 'online', 'onsite', 'blended'), `courseSchedule` to represent its length and pace, `courseWorkload` for expected student effort, `instructor` for the person teaching, `startDate` and `endDate` for the duration, and `location` for where the course takes place.
How do you implement and validate Course structured data?
Course structured data is typically embedded within the HTML of your web page, often using JSON-LD format. This code block contains all the properties and values that describe your courses.
After adding the structured data to your pages, it is important to validate your code. Google recommends using the Rich Results Test to check for any critical errors. Fixing these errors ensures that your structured data is correctly implemented and eligible for rich results in Google Search.
Common questions
What is the primary benefit of using Course structured data?
Course structured data provides more information about your courses in a standardized format, helping search engines classify your page content. This can enable your courses to appear in course list rich results in Google Search, making it easier for prospective students to find them.
What defines an educational course for structured data purposes?
For structured data, an educational course is a series or unit of curriculum that includes lectures, lessons, or modules in a specific subject or topic. It must have an explicit educational outcome of knowledge or skill and be led by one or more instructors with a roster of students.
Are there minimum requirements for Course structured data to appear in Google Search?
Yes, Google documents specific guidelines. You must mark up at least three courses, and each course must include valid `name` and `provider` properties to be eligible for course list rich results.
What is a CourseInstance in structured data?
A `CourseInstance` describes a specific offering of a course. It is distinct from other offerings because it might be available at a different time or location, or through different media or modes of study. Properties like `startDate`, `endDate`, `location`, and `courseMode` can be used to detail these specific instances.
Primary sources and further reading
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