What is Schema.org structured data?

Schema.org structured data is standardized markup added to HTML code that helps search engines and AIs understand page content: content type, author, date, product, FAQ, etc.

Why is structured data important for GEO?

Structured data allows generative AIs to extract and understand information reliably. Pages with Schema.org markup are 2.5 times more likely to appear in AI-generated responses.

What format should be used for structured data?

The recommended format is JSON-LD, placed in the page's head tag. It is the format recommended by Google and best supported by modern AI systems.

Structured Data and Schema.org: The Essential Guide for GEO

Why Structured Data Is Crucial for GEO

Structured data is the language machines use to understand your content. While humans read an article and infer the topic, author, and date, search engines and generative AIs need explicit indicators.

With the rise of GEO, structured data is shifting from a “SEO bonus” to an essential component. AI systems like Google SGE, Perplexity, and Bing Copilot directly leverage this metadata to:

Identify the source and author of information
Assess the reliability of content
Extract facts accurately
Build responses by citing the appropriate sources

Schema.org: The Universal Standard

Schema.org is a collaborative vocabulary created by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Yandex. It provides a set of standardized types and properties for describing web content.

The recommended format for implementation is JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data), embedded directly in the <head> of your HTML pages.

Essential Schemas for a GEO-Optimized Blog

Article / BlogPosting

This is the fundamental schema for any blog article:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "Article title",
  "description": "Concise article description",
  "datePublished": "2025-01-20T00:00:00Z",
  "dateModified": "2025-01-20T00:00:00Z",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "datashake",
    "url": "https://www.datashake.fr"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "datashake"
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage": {
    "@type": "WebPage",
    "@id": "https://ai.datashake.fr/blog/my-article/"
  }
}

Person / Organization (Author)

Author identification is crucial for E-E-A-T criteria:

{
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "datashake",
  "url": "https://www.datashake.fr",
  "description": "Agency specialized in data and AI",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.linkedin.com/company/datashake"
  ]
}

BreadcrumbList

Breadcrumbs help AI understand the hierarchical structure of your site:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
  "itemListElement": [
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 1,
      "name": "Home",
      "item": "https://ai.datashake.fr/"
    },
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 2,
      "name": "Blog",
      "item": "https://ai.datashake.fr/blog/"
    }
  ]
}

FAQPage

Structured FAQs are particularly valued by generative AI because they provide question-answer pairs that can be directly used:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "Question asked?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Detailed answer."
      }
    }
  ]
}

Implementation Best Practices

Always Use JSON-LD

Google officially recommends the JSON-LD format for structured data. It is easier to maintain than microdata and does not mix semantic markup with HTML.

Validate Systematically

Use the following tools to verify your implementations:

Google Rich Results Test: checks eligibility for rich results
Schema Markup Validator: validates Schema.org syntax
Google Search Console: monitors structured data errors in production

Do Not Over-Tag

Only add structured data that corresponds to content actually present on the page. Structured data spam can result in penalties.

Maintain Consistency

The information in your structured data must exactly match the visible content of the page. A discrepancy between the JSON-LD headline and the visible <h1> is a negative signal.

Impact on AI Visibility

Sites that correctly implement structured data see better representation in AI responses. Generative AI engines use this data to:

Correctly attribute citations to their source
Prioritize well-structured content in their responses
Display enriched metadata (author, date, category) in results

Frequently Asked Questions

Does structured data guarantee being cited by AI?

No. Structured data makes it easier for AI to understand your content, but citation also depends on the quality, relevance, and authority of the content itself.

Are technical skills required to implement Schema.org?

The basics are accessible with minimal HTML knowledge. For a blog, most CMS platforms and static site generators offer integrations or plugins that automate the addition of structured data.

What is the impact on site performance?

The impact is negligible. JSON-LD is a small script block in the <head> that affects neither rendering nor page load time.