Glossary

What is schema markup?

Also known as structured data, schema.org markup, schema

Definition

Schema markup is structured data added to a web page, using the schema.org vocabulary. It tells search engines and AI systems exactly what the page is about, such as a business, product, article, event or FAQ.

Key points

Schema markup labels the facts on a page so machines can read them without guessing.
It uses the schema.org vocabulary and is usually written as JSON-LD.
It helps state facts clearly but does not guarantee rich results or AI mentions.

What does it mean in practice?

A family-run hotel's page says rooms start from £95 and guests rate it highly. A person understands that. Schema markup spells it out for machines by labelling the business as a Hotel, with a name, address, price range and rating.

The vocabulary comes from schema.org, a shared project backed by the major search engines since 2011. It can be written in JSON-LD, Microdata or RDFa. Google recommends JSON-LD where your setup allows it.

Why does it matter for AI search?

Schema markup removes guesswork. It makes facts like address, opening hours, authors and prices clear and consistent, and it ties a page to the right entity. It can also make a page eligible for rich results in Google.

It does not guarantee anything on its own. Google says no special markup is needed to appear in AI Overviews, and markup must match what is on the page. Treat it as a way to state facts clearly, not a ranking trick.

The schema generator in Axiom GEO builds copy-paste JSON-LD for types a page does not already have, such as Organization, Article, FAQPage, LocalBusiness and Service. Our guide to schema markup for AI search covers which types matter most.

These terms connect to schema markup.

JSON-LD, the format most sites use to add it.
Entity, the thing the markup describes.
Knowledge graph, what connected markup builds.
Featured snippet, another search feature built on clear content.

Common questions

Does schema markup help with AI search?

It can help by making facts clear and tying a page to the right entity. It is not a switch that gets you into AI answers. Google says no special markup is needed to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode. Treat it as clear labelling of facts that are already on the page.

Which schema types matter most?

It depends on the site. Most businesses benefit from Organization or LocalBusiness on key pages, Article with a Person author on guides, and BreadcrumbList for structure. FAQPage suits pages with real question and answer content. Only add types that match what is visible on the page.

Reviewed 26 September 2026

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