If you’re running an eCommerce site, schema markup is crucial for helping search engines understand your website’s content and displaying rich snippets in search results.
Below, we’ll explain each schema type with examples and dive into important eCommerce schema elements like @type, @context, name, and productGroupID.
What is Structured Data?
Structured data is an organized format that helps search engines like Google understand your website’s content. It turns unstructured content into data that can be used to enhance search listings with more meaningful information.
What is Schema?
Schema is a specific vocabulary of structured data used by search engines. It tells search engines how to categorize and display your website information, making your content more attractive to potential buyers.
Structured Data vs. Schema
Structured data is the broader concept of organizing your website’s information, while schema is the actual vocabulary that you use to apply structured data. Schema defines the data type, making it understandable for search engines.
How Structured Data Works
Structured data works by adding small snippets of code to your website’s HTML, providing extra context to search engines about the type of content you’re displaying. This allows search engines to show rich results with more detailed information.
Schema Types for eCommerce (With Examples)
1. BreadcrumbList
The BreadcrumbList schema helps search engines understand the structure of your website’s navigation. It provides a trail showing the user’s current location on your site.
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"name": "Home",
"item": "https://www.yourstore.com/"
},{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 2,
"name": "Men's Clothing",
"item": "https://www.yourstore.com/mens-clothing"
},{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 3,
"name": "Shoes",
"item": "https://www.yourstore.com/mens-clothing/shoes"
}]
}
- @type: This defines the type of schema you are using, in this case, “BreadcrumbList”. It tells search engines what kind of data is being marked up.
- @context: This is a reference to the schema.org vocabulary, ensuring search engines interpret the data correctly.
- name: This indicates the name of each breadcrumb level, such as “Home” or “Men’s Clothing”.
- position: Specifies the order of the breadcrumbs in the navigation trail.
2. LocalBusiness
The LocalBusiness schema is crucial for eCommerce stores with physical locations. It tells Google where your business is located, including your address, phone number, and business hours. It’s essential for local SEO, helping your store show up in local search results.
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"name": "Your Store Name",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "123 Main Street",
"addressLocality": "Your City",
"addressRegion": "Your State",
"postalCode": "12345"
},
"telephone": "+1-800-555-1234",
"openingHours": "Mo,Tu,We,Th,Fr 09:00-18:00"
}
- @type: This tells search engines the entity type, which in this case is “LocalBusiness”.
- @context: Ensures that schema.org is used as the reference vocabulary.
- name: Specifies the name of the business, allowing search engines to display it correctly.
- address: Defines the physical address of your business, helping with local SEO.
3. Organization
Organization schema helps you describe essential details about your business, like your brand name, logo, and contact details. If your eCommerce website represents an organization or brand, using this schema can help Google display your business information in rich results and knowledge graphs.
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Your Store",
"url": "https://www.yourstore.com",
"logo": "https://www.yourstore.com/logo.png",
"contactPoint": {
"@type": "ContactPoint",
"telephone": "+1-800-555-1234",
"contactType": "Customer Service"
}
}
- @type: This refers to “Organization”, identifying the business entity.
- url: Provides the official website link of your store.
- logo: Defines the image file URL that represents your organization’s logo.
- contactPoint: Information for customer service, including the phone number and contact type.
4. Product and ProductGroup
Product schema is essential for eCommerce. It allows search engines to display crucial product information, such as price, stock status, and reviews, directly in search results. Using this schema ensures that your products stand out and provide customers with the information they need to make purchasing decisions.
Product Example
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Product",
"name": "Running Shoes",
"image": "https://www.yourstore.com/images/running-shoes.jpg",
"description": "Lightweight running shoes for everyday use",
"sku": "12345",
"offers": {
"@type": "Offer",
"priceCurrency": "USD",
"price": "59.99",
"availability": "https://schema.org/InStock"
},
"aggregateRating": {
"@type": "AggregateRating",
"ratingValue": "4.5",
"reviewCount": "50"
}
}
ProductGroup Example
If you sell multiple variations of a product (like different sizes or colors), you can use ProductGroup schema to organize them efficiently.
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "ProductGroup",
"name": "Running Shoes",
"productGroupID": "12345",
"hasVariant": [
{
"@type": "Product",
"name": "Running Shoes - Blue, Size 9",
"sku": "12345-9B",
"offers": {
"@type": "Offer",
"price": "59.99",
"availability": "https://schema.org/InStock"
}
},
{
"@type": "Product",
"name": "Running Shoes - Red, Size 10",
"sku": "12345-10R",
"offers": {
"@type": "Offer",
"price": "59.99",
"availability": "https://schema.org/InStock"
}
}
]
}
- productGroupID: A unique identifier that groups similar products, like variations in size or color.
- hasVariant: Contains the details of individual variants of the product.
5. Review
Review schema enhances your search result listings by displaying customer reviews and ratings. This can improve click-through rates as potential customers are more likely to click on products with positive reviews.
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Review",
"author": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "John Doe"
},
"reviewRating": {
"@type": "Rating",
"ratingValue": "5",
"bestRating": "5"
},
"reviewBody": "Great product! Highly recommend."
}
- reviewRating: Allows you to show star ratings for a product in search results.
- reviewBody: A snippet of the actual customer review.
6. Sitelinks Search Box
The Sitelinks Search Box schema adds a search box directly in Google search results, allowing users to search your website without visiting it first. This feature is particularly useful for eCommerce sites with large catalogs, helping users find exactly what they’re looking for.
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "WebSite",
"url": "https://www.yourstore.com",
"potentialAction": {
"@type": "SearchAction",
"target": "https://www.yourstore.com/?s={search_term_string}",
"query-input": "required name=search_term_string"
}
}
7. VideoObject
VideoObject schema is used for marking up videos on your website. If you have product demo videos or tutorials, this schema helps enhance their visibility in Google search results, complete with video thumbnails.
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "VideoObject",
"name": "Product Demo",
"description": "Watch our latest product demo.",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://www.yourstore.com/product-demo-thumbnail.jpg",
"uploadDate": "2023-01-01",
"contentUrl": "https://www.yourstore.com/product-demo.mp4"
}
- VideoObject: This marks up video content for enhanced results.
- thumbnailUrl: Provides a thumbnail for the video when displayed in search results.
Benefits of Using Schema for Your eCommerce Store
Implementing schema markup on your eCommerce site provides several benefits:
- Improved Search Visibility: Schema makes your products stand out with rich snippets, increasing your chances of getting clicked.
- Higher Click-Through Rates: When search results show product details like price and reviews, they’re more likely to attract attention.
- Better User Experience: Providing detailed information upfront leads to more informed and satisfied shoppers.
- Increased Sales: When customers see positive reviews and product details right in the search results, they’re more likely to purchase.
How to Create Schema Markup for Your Site
Adding schema markup to your site is easier than it seems. Here’s how you can do it:
- Identify Schema Types: Review your product, review, and video pages to see which schema types apply.
- Use Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper: This free tool can guide you through generating schema markup.
- Validate Your Schema: Use tools like Google’s Rich Results Test to ensure your schema is working correctly.
- Implement Schema: Add the JSON-LD code to your website’s HTML or use plugins if you’re using a CMS.
- Monitor Performance: Keep an eye on how your schema-enhanced pages perform using Google Search Console.
Hire VJSEOMarketing for Professional Help
Not sure how to implement schema? VJSEOMarketing can help you get it right. We specialize in eCommerce SEO training and SEO services, from optimizing your site’s schema to improving your search engine visibility. Let us take care of the technical details so you can focus on growing your business.
Schema markup might sound technical, but it’s one of the best ways to enhance your eCommerce website’s visibility and user experience. By implementing structured data, you’ll not only improve your ecommerce website SEO but also make your product listings more attractive to potential customers.