Structured Data
Machine-readable markup, usually Schema.org vocabulary in JSON-LD, that tells search engines and AI systems exactly what a page is about.
Definition
A web page is written for people; its meaning is implicit. Structured data makes that meaning explicit by adding a block of labelled facts in a vocabulary machines understand. Schema.org is the shared vocabulary, with types such as Organization, Product, Article, FAQPage, Event and DefinedTerm, each with defined properties. JSON-LD is the usual format: a small script in the page's HTML that search engines and other systems parse without affecting what readers see.
Search engines use it to power rich results (ratings, prices, FAQs, event dates in listings) and to connect pages to entities in their knowledge graphs. AI answer engines benefit in the same way: unambiguous names, relationships and facts are easier to extract and cite correctly. Structured data should describe what is visibly on the page; marking up content that is not there breaches search engine guidelines.
Example: this glossary page carries DefinedTerm markup naming the term, its definition and the glossary it belongs to, plus FAQPage markup for the questions below. A machine reading the page knows exactly what it defines without parsing the prose.
Why it matters for your business
- Rich results take more space and attention in search listings than a plain link.
- It is one of the few direct levers on how AI systems identify and describe your organisation and products.
- It is cheap when generated from templates and expensive when hand-maintained; build it into the CMS.
- Errors and outdated markup are visible to search engines and can cost eligibility for rich results.
How Teksmobile uses it
Our structured data service designs the entity model for a site and generates markup from templates, which is how this site produces Organization, Service, Article, FAQPage and DefinedTerm schema on every page. It is a standard item in our technical SEO audit and in generative engine optimization work.
Related terms
Part of the Teksmobile AI Glossary. Explore AI SEO and marketing.
Frequently asked questions
Does structured data improve rankings?
Not directly, by Google's own account. It makes pages eligible for rich results and helps machines understand entities, which can improve click-through and how you are represented in AI answers.
Which format should we use?
JSON-LD, placed in a script tag, is the format Google recommends and the easiest to generate from a template or CMS. Microdata and RDFa are older alternatives.
How do we check it is valid?
Use the Schema.org validator and the search engines' rich-results testing tools, and monitor the structured-data reports in Google Search Console after deployment.