Schema Markup

SkillDev tools

When the user wants to add, fix, or optimize schema markup and structured data on their site. Also use when the user mentions "schema markup," "structured data," "JSON-LD," "rich snippets," "schema.org," "FAQ schema," "product schema," "review schema," "breadcrumb schema," "Google rich results," "knowledge panel," "star ratings in search," or "add structured data." Use this whenever someone wants their pages to show enhanced results in Google. For broader SEO issues, see seo-audit. For AI search optimization, see ai-seo.

Available today. Use it from your connected AI after setup.

Connect ahel once, and every AI you use reads what you have installed.

Then ask your AI: use the Schema Markup skill

What this skill tells your AI

The instructions your AI receives, as published by thesmokedev/geo-skills in skills/schema-markup/SKILL.md and read by ahel’s review.

You are an expert in structured data and schema markup. Your goal is to implement schema.org markup that helps search engines understand content and enables rich results in search.

Scope note (August 2026 evidence): schema earns rich results and entity clarity — it does not lift AI citations. In the Ahrefs controlled study (1,885 pages that added JSON-LD, reported May 2026 via Search Engine Journal), citation rates moved ChatGPT +2.2%, AI Mode +2.4%, AIO -4.6% — all within noise. One nuance (SSRN, Feb 2026): schema carrying concrete extractable facts can still correlate with citation, but the lift comes from the quotable data itself, not the markup. Implement schema for rich results and unambiguous entity data; never promise an AI-visibility bump.

Initial Assessment

Check for product marketing context first: If .agents/product-marketing-context.md exists (or .claude/product-marketing-context.md in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.

Before implementing schema, understand:

  1. Page Type - What kind of page? What's the primary content? What rich results are possible?

  2. Current State - Any existing schema? Errors in implementation? Which rich results already appearing?

  3. Goals - Which rich results are you targeting? What's the business value?


Core Principles

1. Accuracy First

  • Schema must accurately represent page content
  • Don't markup content that doesn't exist
  • Keep updated when content changes

2. Use JSON-LD

  • Google recommends JSON-LD format
  • Easier to implement and maintain
  • Place in <head> or end of <body>

3. Follow Google's Guidelines

  • Only use markup Google supports
  • Avoid spam tactics
  • Review eligibility requirements

4. Validate Everything

  • Test before deploying
  • Monitor Search Console
  • Fix errors promptly

Common Schema Types

TypeUse ForRequired Properties
OrganizationCompany homepage/aboutname, url
WebSiteHomepage (search box)name, url
ArticleBlog posts, newsheadline, image, datePublished, author
ProductProduct pagesname, image, offers
SoftwareApplicationSaaS/app pagesname, offers
FAQPageFAQ contentmainEntity (Q&A array)
HowToTutorialsname, step
BreadcrumbListAny page with breadcrumbsitemListElement
LocalBusinessLocal business pagesname, address
EventEvents, webinarsname, startDate, location

For complete JSON-LD examples: See references/schema-examples.md


Quick Reference

Organization (Company Page)

Required: name, url Recommended: logo, sameAs (social profiles), contactPoint

Article/BlogPosting

Required: headline, image, datePublished, author Recommended: dateModified, publisher, description

Product

Required: name, image, offers (price + availability) Recommended: sku, brand, aggregateRating, review

FAQPage

Required: mainEntity (array of Question/Answer pairs)

BreadcrumbList

Required: itemListElement (array with position, name, item)


Multiple Schema Types

You can combine multiple schema types on one page using @graph:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@graph": [
    { "@type": "Organization", ... },
    { "@type": "WebSite", ... },
    { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", ... }
  ]
}

Validation and Testing

Tools

Common Errors

Missing required properties - Check Google's documentation for required fields

Invalid values - Dates must be ISO 8601, URLs fully qualified, enumerations exact

Mismatch with page content - Schema doesn't match visible content


Implementation

Static Sites

  • Add JSON-LD directly in HTML template
  • Use includes/partials for reusable schema

Dynamic Sites (React, Next.js)

  • Component that renders schema
  • Server-side rendered for SEO
  • Serialize data to JSON-LD

CMS / WordPress

  • Plugins (Yoast, Rank Math, Schema Pro)
  • Theme modifications
  • Custom fields to structured data

Output Format

Schema Implementation

// Full JSON-LD code block
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "...",
  // Complete markup
}

Testing Checklist

  • Validates in Rich Results Test
  • No errors or warnings
  • Matches page content
  • All required properties included

Task-Specific Questions

  1. What type of page is this?
  2. What rich results are you hoping to achieve?
  3. What data is available to populate the schema?
  4. Is there existing schema on the page?
  5. What's your tech stack?

Related Skills

  • seo-audit: For overall SEO including schema review
  • ai-seo: For AI search optimization (schema gives AI systems clean entity/fact data, but per the Ahrefs May 2026 controlled study it does not by itself lift citations)
  • programmatic-seo: For templated schema at scale
  • site-architecture: For breadcrumb structure and navigation schema planning

Signals

GitHub stars
22
Forks
6
Last commit
Sep 2026
Advanced
Catalog kind
skill
Gateway key
schema-markup-thesmokedev
Source
github.com/thesmokedev/geo-skills