What is WebPage structured data, and how do you use it?
guide // , 5 min read, by Darthwares
WebPage structured data is a way to explicitly describe the content and properties of a web page using a shared vocabulary. While every web page is implicitly considered a WebPage, explicit declaration helps applications that use these vocabularies to better process its details. This clearer understanding can potentially lead to richer appearances in search results, as documented by Google.
On this page // 6 sections
The short version
- WebPage structured data uses the Schema.org vocabulary to describe a web page's properties.
- Explicitly declaring WebPage structured data helps search engines understand page content more clearly.
- Common properties include breadcrumb, dateModified, and speakable.
- Google uses structured data to enable rich results in search.
- Tools like Google's Rich Results Test can validate WebPage structured data implementations.
What is WebPage structured data?
WebPage structured data uses the Schema.org vocabulary, a collaborative, community activity focused on creating and promoting schemas for structured data on the internet. This shared vocabulary makes it easier for webmasters and developers to choose a schema and gain maximum benefit from their efforts. The Schema.org vocabulary covers entities, relationships, and actions, and can be extended.
Every web page is implicitly assumed to be of type WebPage. This means that properties about that web page, such as breadcrumb, can be used. However, Schema.org recommends explicit declaration if these properties are specified. If properties are found outside of an itemscope, they are assumed to be about the page itself.
As of 2024, over 45 million web domains mark up their pages with more than 450 billion Schema.org objects. Many applications from Google, Microsoft, Pinterest, and Yandex already use these vocabularies to power rich, extensible experiences. The Schema.org vocabulary can be used with various encodings, including RDFa, Microdata, and JSON-LD.
Why should you use WebPage structured data?
Using WebPage structured data helps Google understand the content on your page. Google uses structured data to comprehend page content and display it in a richer appearance in search results, which is known as a rich result.
To make your site eligible for these rich results, you need to follow the guides on how to implement structured data. Once Google understands your page data more clearly, it can be presented more attractively and in new ways within Google Search.
What are common WebPage properties?
Common properties for WebPage structured data help describe specific aspects of a page. One such property is `breadcrumb`, which refers to a set of links that help a user understand and navigate a website's hierarchy. Google documents that Breadcrumb Navigation indicates the page's position in the site hierarchy.
Another property is `dateModified`, which indicates the date on which the creative work, such as a web page, was most recently modified. This can also refer to when an item's entry was modified within a DataFeed.
The `speakable` property indicates sections of a web page that are particularly appropriate for text-to-speech conversion. Google states that `Speakable` allows search engines and other applications to identify news content to read aloud on Google Assistant-enabled devices using text-to-speech (TTS).
How do you implement WebPage structured data?
You implement WebPage structured data by adding Schema.org vocabulary to your web page. This vocabulary can be used with various encodings, including JSON-LD, Microdata, and RDFa. JSON-LD and Microdata are two common ways to mark up your data using this vocabulary.
Google provides a Structured Data Markup Helper to assist with this process. This tool helps you mark up elements on your web page so that Google can understand the data. You can use it to mark up elements in either an HTML web page or an HTML email. When using the helper, ensure you provide all information required for your specific data type.
How do you test WebPage structured data?
After implementing WebPage structured data, you can test it using tools like Google's Rich Results Test. This tool allows you to preview most features that might appear as rich results in Google Search.
To test your code, you can copy and paste the generated structured data into the Rich Results Test. This testing tool will inform you about any missing fields that are necessary for Google to understand the page. For some data types, it can also provide a preview of how your page might appear in Google Search Results.
Common questions
What is Schema.org?
Schema.org is a collaborative, community activity that creates, maintains, and promotes schemas for structured data on the internet. Its shared vocabulary makes it easier for webmasters and developers to decide on a schema and get the maximum benefit for their efforts.
What encodings can be used for WebPage structured data?
The Schema.org vocabulary, used for WebPage structured data, can be implemented with many different encodings. These include RDFa, Microdata, and JSON-LD. JSON-LD and Microdata are two common ways to mark up your data using this vocabulary.
How does Google use WebPage structured data?
Google uses structured data to understand the content on a page. This understanding allows Google to show that content in a richer appearance in search results, known as a rich result. When Google understands your page data more clearly, it can be presented more attractively and in new ways in Google Search.
What is the purpose of the speakable property?
The `speakable` property indicates sections of a web page that are particularly appropriate for text-to-speech conversion. Google uses `Speakable` to allow search engines and other applications to identify news content to read aloud on Google Assistant-enabled devices using text-to-speech (TTS).
How can I check if my WebPage structured data is correct?
You can check your WebPage structured data using Google's Rich Results Test. This tool will tell you about any missing fields that you must provide for Google to understand the page. For some data types, it can also provide a preview of how your page might look in Google Search Results.
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.