Master class on structured data: how to get snippets and rich results

Want your resource to stand out in search results? Pay attention to structured data. It turns a link to a website into a bright information block with ratings, images, and prices, attracting attention and increasing clickability. In this article, we explain how to use it in website development so that search engines understand the content and display it in the most advantageous format.

What is structured data and why does a website need it

This is the name given to microdata that tells search engines what kind of content is on a page:

• article;
• product/service;
• recipe;
• event;
• review;
• FAQ.

Markup makes content “understandable” to algorithms and allows it to be displayed in search results not just as a link, but in an expanded format — with ratings, images, prices, or quick answers. This type of presentation on a search results page is known as rich snippets.

A broader term is rich results. This includes not only snippets, but also other interactive elements of search results — carousels of products or articles, question-and-answer blocks, event or company cards. This format takes up more space on the screen, increases the visibility of the resource, and gives a competitive advantage.

Why is this necessary for a website:

• extended snippets and rich results make the resource more visible on the search results page, increasing its clickability without unnecessary expenses;
• search engines more accurately determine the subject matter and relevance of the page, which improves SEO;
• reviews, ratings, and detailed data strengthen the brand's authority;
• extended snippets help the site get into special blocks that are displayed in search results — carousels, event selections, Knowledge Graph (the information block on the right in desktop search results).

This presentation makes the resource look solid and increases user trust.

Main types of markup for SEO

There are different types of structured markup that improve SEO. Using them correctly increases the chances of a site appearing in special search result blocks.

Organization, product, article, reviews

To help search engines understand what a page is about and display information correctly in search results, the following markups are used:

• Organization — displays information about the company on the search results page: name, logo, website, contacts, and links to social networks;
• Product — micro-markup for products is used to show a card with the price and rating in the search results;
• Article — helps search engines index articles correctly and display them in an expanded form. On the results page, the user sees the title, author, publication date, and photo;
• Review schema — usually used with a product or article to display stars and ratings.

By applying these markups, pages become more visible and snippets become more interesting for users.

FAQ and HowTo

You may also need micro-markup for questions and answers and instructions:

• FAQPage — used for pages with frequently asked questions. The markup helps display expandable “Question-Answer” blocks directly in the search results.
• HowTo — for step-by-step guides. In search results, the instructions can be displayed as a card with a checklist and illustrations.

By adding these markups, users will be able to see the answer directly in the search results without even visiting the site, which increases their interest and clickability.

How to implement structured data correctly

For structured data to work effectively, you need to choose the right tools and avoid mistakes in micro-markup. When implementing, it is worth using the JSON-LD format, as it is easier to implement and is supported by search engines, unlike the outdated Microdata and RDFa.

Tools and markup verification

You can use convenient visual or automated tools to create markup. For example:

• Schema Markup Generator — allows you to quickly generate JSON-LD for different types of markup (Product, Article, FAQPage, HowTo, etc.);
• Google Structured Data Markup Helper — helps you add structured data to a page;
• code editors with JSON-LD highlighting or plugins for CMS (WordPress, Shopify) — simplify the implementation and editing of markup directly in the site code.

Google Rich Results Test is convenient for quickly checking markup. It allows you to see what types of structured data Google recognizes on the page, filled and missing fields, and errors.

Search Console is another important tool for website optimization that can be used to check the correctness of structured data. It is also useful for finding and fixing bugs.

Errors and recommendations

Errors in micro-markup are one of the reasons why snippets do not work or are displayed incorrectly in search results. The most common ones are:

• the markup does not match the visible content (for example, reviews are listed but are not on the page);
• required fields are missing;
• outdated formats (data-vocabulary.org, old schema.org properties) that are no longer supported are used;
• syntax errors in JSON-LD;
• incorrect date or price formats, or empty fields;
• duplicate markup or conflicting fragments.

To ensure that the markup works correctly, make sure that it matches the visible content, check it in Google Rich Results Test, and monitor reports in Search Console. It is also worth using JSON-LD, updating the markup when changes are made to the page, and correcting all errors and warnings. To ensure that users immediately see useful and understandable rich results in the search results, don't forget to check how the pages look on desktop and mobile devices.

For more information on implementing structured data, contact the IT company Megasite. Our web studio in Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine will help your website stand out in search results and turn every click into a real customer.