Frequently Used Schema Markups – Article, Product, Course, and Video

Guide to Using Common Schema Markups for Improved SEO

So far, we've covered the basic schemas, but many other schema types exist. Here, we'll explain frequently used schema markups, including Article, Product, Course, and Video schema.

Article Schema

With Article schema added to news or blog articles, the publisher's articles can be presented directly on search results pages in enriched formats like knowledge panels or article previews. For example, in a prominently displayed box, Google may show the publication date, headline, and leading summary from an article schema implementation. Below is the example code.

Example of Article Structured Data
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "mainEntityOfPage": {
    "@type": "WebPage",
    "@id": "https://www.example.com/article"
  },
  "headline": "Example Article Headline",
  "image": "https://www.example.com/images/article.jpg",
  "datePublished": "2024-03-01T08:00:00-07:00",
  "dateModified": "2024-03-01T09:30:00-07:00",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "John Doe"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Example Publisher",
    "logo": {
      "@type": "ImageObject",
      "url": "https://www.example.com/logo.png"
    }
  },
  "description": "This is a brief description of the example article content."
}

If the page with the schema is featured on SERPs, you may see rich results like shown below.

Example of the Rich Result of the Article Schema Markup
Example of The Rich Result of Article Schema Markup

For more details, refer to this Google Search Central documentation - Article (Article, NewsArticle, BlogPosting) structured data.

Product Schema

Adding Product schema to e-commerce pages can display product information in enhanced formats like knowledge panels or rich previews directly on SERPs. For example, Google may pull data from Product schema to render the product name, photo, and price directly in search results.

Example of Product Structured Data
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Product",
  "name": "Example Product",
  "image": [
    "https://www.example.com/images/product1.jpg",
    "https://www.example.com/images/product2.jpg"
  ],
  "description": "This is a brief description of the example product.",
  "brand": {
    "@type": "Brand",
    "name": "Example Brand"
  },
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "priceCurrency": "USD",
    "price": "100.00",
    "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock"
  }
}

If the page with the schema is featured on SERPs, you may see rich results like shown below.

Example of the Rich Result of the Product Schema Markup
Example of The Rich Result of Product Schema Markup

For more details, refer to this Google Search Central documentation - Product (Product, Review, Offer) structured data.

Course Info Schema

By adding Course schema to course pages on educational websites, the course information can be presented in enriched formats, such as knowledge panels or info cards, directly in search result pages.

Example of Course and CourseInstance Structured Data
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Course",
  "name": "Introduction to Python Programming",
  "description": "This course provides an introduction to Python programming language, covering basic syntax, data structures, and control flow.",
  "provider": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Example Academy"
  },
  "courseCode": "CS101",
  "hasCourseInstance": {
    "@type": "CourseInstance",
    "name": "Spring 2024",
    "startDate": "2024-03-01",
    "endDate": "2024-06-01"
  },
  "numberOfCredits": {
    "@type": "QuantitativeValue",
    "value": "3"
  },
  "educationalCredentialAwarded": "Certificate of Completion",
  "coursePrerequisites": {
    "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
    "name": "None"
  },
  "courseMode": "online",
  "courseWorkload": "3-5 hours per week",
  "courseLanguage": "English",
  "courseSubject": "Computer Science"
}

If the page with the schema is featured on SERPs, you may see rich results like shown below.

Example of the Rich Result of the Course Info Schema Markup
Example of The Rich Result of Course Info Schema Markup

For more details, refer to this Google Search Central documentation - Course info (Course and CourseInstance) structured data.

Video Schema

With Video schema added to website video pages, videos can be presented in enhanced formats, such as embedded players or info snippets, directly in search results.

Example of Video Structured Data
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "VideoObject",
  "name": "How to Make a Paper Airplane",
  "description": "Step-by-step instructions on how to fold a paper airplane.",
  "thumbnailUrl": "https://example.com/thumbnail.jpg",
  "uploadDate": "2024-03-01T08:00:00Z",
  "duration": "PT2M30S",
  "contentUrl": "https://example.com/video.mp4",
  "embedUrl": "https://example.com/embedded-video",
  "interactionCount": "2345"
}

If the page with the schema is featured on SERPs, you may see rich results like shown below.

Example of the Rich Result of the Video Schema Markup
Example of The Rich Result of Video Schema Markup

For more details, refer to this Google Search Central documentation - Video (VideoObject, Clip, BroadcastEvent) structured data.

Conclusion of Chapter 12

Schema markup enhances the visibility and comprehension of your content for search engines. By incorporating structured data, you facilitate a deeper understanding of your content by search engines, which can significantly improve its presentation in search results.

Key Insights:

  1. Understanding Schema Markup, Structured Data, and Rich Results
    • Schema Markup: Provides a means to define web content explicitly, enabling search engines to grasp the context and semantic meaning beyond what HTML alone can offer.
    • Structured Data: Refers to the specifics formatted using schema markup, aiding search engines in accurately categorizing and indexing content.
    • Rich Results: These enhanced search results use structured data to present more dynamic and informative content directly on the search engine results pages (SERPs).
  2. Types of Schema Markup and Their Benefits
    • Website Schema: Enhances your site's metadata for better recognition by search engines.
    • Organization Schema: Provides essential organizational details that may appear in knowledge panels.
    • Breadcrumb Schema: Improves site navigation visibility in search results, enhancing user experience.
    • Article Schema: Enhances the display of articles in searches by detailing authorship and publication dates.
    • Product Schema: Essential for e-commerce sites to detail product information for rich results that include price and availability.
  3. Useful Tools for Implementing Schema Markup
    • Google's Structured Data Markup Helper: Helps generate structured data markup for your web pages.
    • Schema Markup Validator (formerly Google's Structured Data Testing Tool): Validates the structured data to ensure it is correctly implemented and error-free.
    • Merkle's Schema Markup Generator: Creates custom schema markup codes, particularly useful for those needing to generate numerous markups quickly.
    • Rich Results Test by Google: Tests web pages to see which rich results can be generated by the structured data they contain, helping to visualize the potential search display.

Implementing a schema markup may seem daunting at first. You should start with basic ones like website, organization, and breadcrumbs schemas. Over time, expanding schemas to other content areas can further boost discoverability and user experience.


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