Although JavaScript Object Notation Linked Data (JSON-LD) may be new to you, it is already affecting your business. Google has mentioned JSON-LD as its favoured means of adding structured data to webpages, as it makes them considerably easier to comprise more accurate search engine results. This has created an increasing need for JSON-LD to be incorporated into sites to improve web traffic and provide users with more relevant search results.
What is JSON-LD?
JSON-LD stands for JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data. It is a format for structuring data to leverage the Schema.org vocabulary, a unified structured data vocabulary that is used by Google, Bing and Yahoo. It is considered simple to implement but can have great outcomes for your SEO and web traffic.
What does JSON-LD do and where does it go on my website?
JSON-LD annotates elements on a page which structures the data, allowing search engines to establish the nature of your website’s content more easily. This creates a more organized web, promoting relevancy in search results.
JSON-LD is incorporated into the HTML of your website, usually in the section as recommended by Google, which can be added by your website developer or designer.
Rich snippets
Enriching the content on your website allows Google to learn more about it and show a variety of search results in different structures. These results are called rich snippets and can display information from your website, such as from an FAQ, in a much more accessible fashion. This is a type of structure that presents questions and answers in the rich snippet and, if optimised correctly, can be detected by a Google Search to create a collapsible menu list in the Search results page that reveals the answer when clicked on. This can make your web content much easier to find and digest, prompting readers to follow the link through to your site for more information.
Testing your structured data
So, you’ve implemented structured data, but how do you know if you’ll see any results? A simple solution is to check it with Google’s structured data testing tool. By entering your website URL, Google will confirm if you have entered all of the required attributes correctly, notifying you of any errors. Once every issue has been solved, Google will now be able to showcase your content in the best possible way.
Why is JSON-LD important for your business?
According to a study by Search Engine Journal, websites that implemented structured data found that their click-through rates improved by at least 10%. Structured data provides concise parcels of information to search engines, allowing them to quickly clarify the purpose of your site, providing users with the accurate information.
To put it simply, this means that by building your webpages with well-written and relevant structured data — or by hiring an experienced website designer or developer to do it for you — search engines will present your services to a much more relevant audience base, which could lead to higher traffic on your pages and give you a new, secret weapon for your website.
JSON-LD is helpful for adding structure and additional information to webpages to optimize search engine results. If you’re looking to enable your website content to quickly link to data throughout Google’s knowledge graph and beyond, talk to one of our experienced team today.
Based in Kent, Eonic offers digital strategy, web design and development, marketing and hosting support to businesses across Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Greater London.