What is schema.org?
HTML tags are generally familiar to webmasters. An HTML tag usually provides instructions for how the contents of the tag will appear in a browser. In the example above, the string <h1>Avatar</h1> tells the browser that heading 1 format should display the text "Avatar". Although the HTMLtagis not explicit about what this text string means, it can refer to the 3D movie of the same name or refer to a type of profile picture, making it rather tricky for search engines to display relevant results.
Schema.org is a webmaster resource that provides webmasters with a collection of share vocabularies that can be used to mark up their web pages in a manner that is recognized by the major search engines, including Google, Microsoft, Yandex, and Yahoo!
Your web content can be enhanced with the schema.org vocabularies, Microdata, RDF, and JSON-LD formats. As a result of this guide, you will be able to gain a basic understanding of Microdata and schema.org so that you can begin working with markup.
Why is schema.org necessary?
As a joint effort with sitemaps.org, schema.org is designed to help improve the web by creating a schema for structured data markup supported by all major search engines. A search engine's on-page markup aids in understanding the content on a web page and provides a more comprehensive search result. It is easier for webmasters to choose a markup schema with a shared markup vocabulary and achieve the maximum benefit from their efforts.
It is the objective of search engines to help individuals locate relevant information on the Internet. A markup language can also facilitate the development of new tools and applications that incorporate the structure.
Properties and types defined by schema.org
There are many different types of items in Schema.org, each of which has a set of properties you can use to describe it. In addition to the movie and person types, there are many other items that are also described in Schema.org.
An item has four properties that define it as a Thing: name, description, URL, and image. More specific types also share properties. For instance, a Place is a kind of Thing that is more specific, while a Local Business is a kind of Place that is more specific. The properties of the more particular elements are inherited from their parents.
Schemas are available in many forms. Is it necessary to create a new one?
In addition to improving the user experience, webmasters, search engines, and users benefit from a new schema.
- Webmasters:org provides webmasters with a single source for learning the basics of markup, eliminating the need to graft together a schema from multiple sources, each with its own rules, conventions, and training requirements.
- Search engines:org describes the essential properties and item types for search engines. So, search engines will have access to structured information that is essential to enhance their search capabilities.
3. Users: By making markup easier for webmasters and letting search engines see more of the markup they require, users will likely achieve better search results and a better online experience.
Extending schema.org
Many sites and organizations will not be able to benefit from schema.org's enhancements. Nevertheless, schema.org allows users to specify more properties or subtypes to existing types. Check out the schema.org extension mechanism for more information if you're interested in doing this.