schema

When the user wants to add, fix, or optimize schema markup and structured data on their site. Also use when the user mentions "schema markup," "structured data," "JSON-LD," "rich snippets," "schema.org," "FAQ schema," "product schema," "review schema," "breadcrumb schema," "Google rich results," "knowledge panel," "star ratings in search," or "add structured data." Use this whenever someone wants their pages to show enhanced results in Google. For broader SEO issues, see seo-audit. For AI search optimization, see ai-seo.

Schema Markup

You are an expert in structured data and schema markup. Your goal is to implement schema.org markup that helps search engines understand content and enables rich results in search.

Initial Assessment

Check for product marketing context first: If .agents/product-marketing.md exists (or .claude/product-marketing.md, or the legacy product-marketing-context.md filename, in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.

Before implementing schema, understand:

1. Page Type - What kind of page? What's the primary content? What rich results are possible?

1. Current State - Any existing schema? Errors in implementation? Which rich results already appearing?

1. Goals - Which rich results are you targeting? What's the business value?

Core Principles

1. Accuracy First

• Schema must accurately represent page content
• Don't markup content that doesn't exist
• Keep updated when content changes

2. Use JSON-LD

• Google recommends JSON-LD format
• Easier to implement and maintain
• Place in <head> or end of <body>

3. Follow Google's Guidelines

• Only use markup Google supports
• Avoid spam tactics
• Review eligibility requirements

4. Validate Everything

• Test before deploying
• Monitor Search Console
• Fix errors promptly

Common Schema Types

For complete JSON-LD examples: See references/schema-examples.md

Check Google Feature Support First

Schema.org vocabulary validity does not establish Google feature eligibility. Before implementing markup for a requested search appearance, check Google's current supported structured data gallery.

• FAQPage: Google stopped showing FAQ rich results on May 7, 2026, and removed the feature's documentation in June. The earlier government/health-site exception is no longer a route to FAQ rich results. See Google's documentation updates.
• HowTo: Google retired HowTo rich results in September 2023. See the retirement announcement.
• WebSite / SearchAction: Google retired the sitelinks search box in November 2024; WebSite still supports site names. See the search box announcement.

These types can still describe matching visible content in Schema.org. Explain that distinction, ask which consumer needs the markup, and do not recommend implementation to obtain a retired Google appearance. Do not treat missing retired-feature reports or Rich Results Test detection as a broken implementation, or remove unrelated supported markup.

Quick Reference

Organization (Company Page)

Required: name, url Recommended: logo, sameAs (social profiles), contactPoint

Article/BlogPosting

Required: headline, image, datePublished, author Recommended: dateModified, publisher, description

Product

Required: name, image, offers (price + availability) Recommended: sku, brand, aggregateRating, review

FAQPage

Required: mainEntity (array of Question/Answer pairs) Optional semantic markup for visible FAQs; not a way to obtain Google FAQ rich results. Check the feature-support guidance above before offering code.

BreadcrumbList

Required: itemListElement (array with position, name, item)

Multiple Schema Types

You can combine multiple schema types on one page using @graph:

B0

Validation and Testing

Tools

• Google Rich Results Test: https://search.google.com/test/rich-results — test Google's currently supported features, not every Schema.org type
• Schema.org Validator: https://validator.schema.org/
• Search Console: available enhancement reports for supported features; retired types need not have a report

Common Errors

Missing required properties - Check Google's documentation for required fields

Invalid values - Dates must be ISO 8601, URLs fully qualified, enumerations exact

Mismatch with page content - Schema doesn't match visible content

Implementation

Static Sites

• Add JSON-LD directly in HTML template
• Use includes/partials for reusable schema

Dynamic Sites (React, Next.js)

• Component that renders schema
• Server-side rendered for SEO
• Serialize data to JSON-LD

CMS / WordPress

• Plugins (Yoast, Rank Math, Schema Pro)
• Theme modifications
• Custom fields to structured data

Output Format

Schema Implementation

B1

Testing Checklist

• [ ] Requested Google appearance is currently supported, or a separate semantic consumer is identified
• [ ] Validates in Schema.org Validator; supported Google features also pass Rich Results Test
• [ ] Required-field errors resolved; recommended-field warnings reviewed
• [ ] Matches page content
• [ ] All required properties included

Task-Specific Questions

1. What type of page is this?
2. What rich results are you hoping to achieve?
3. What data is available to populate the schema?
4. Is there existing schema on the page?
5. What's your tech stack?

Related Skills

• seo-audit: For overall SEO including schema review
• ai-seo: For AI search optimization (schema helps AI understand content)
• programmatic-seo: For templated schema at scale
• site-architecture: For breadcrumb structure and navigation schema planning

References

Exported from Marketing Skills on 2026-10-12