Schema Markup for SEO: What Still Works in 2026

Schema markup is code, based on the shared vocabulary at schema.org, that describes the content of a page in a machine-readable way: this page is a product with this price, this is an organisation with this address, this is an article written by this person. Search engines use it to understand pages and, for supported types, to show enhanced results such as product prices, review stars or breadcrumbs. Structured data is not a direct ranking factor, but it can improve how your result looks and how accurately your content is understood.

What Has Google Changed Since 2023?

Many older guides are now out of date. The key changes, all documented on Google’s Search Central updates page, are:

• HowTo rich results were deprecated in 2023 and no longer appear.
• FAQ rich results were limited in 2023 to well-known government and health websites, and Google then retired them entirely: they stopped appearing in Google Search from 7 May 2026.
• In June 2025 Google announced it would phase out several less-used types, and has since removed documentation for Course Info, Estimated Salary, Learning Video, Special Announcement and Vehicle Listing (Book Actions was kept).

Adding FAQPage or HowTo markup is not harmful, and other search engines or AI systems may still read it, but you should no longer expect a visual rich result from it in Google.

Which Schema Types Are Still Worth Implementing?

• Organization / LocalBusiness – name, logo, address, contact details and social profiles. Essential for brand and local SEO.
• Product, Offer and Review – prices, availability and ratings for e-commerce.
• BreadcrumbList – shows your site hierarchy in results.
• Article – headline, author, publication and update dates; supports E-E-A-T signals for content.
• Event, Recipe, JobPosting, VideoObject – where the content genuinely matches.

The rule that has not changed: markup must describe content that is visible on the page. Marking up reviews, prices or FAQs that users cannot see breaks Google’s structured data guidelines and can lead to a manual action.

How Do You Add Schema Markup With JSON-LD?

Google recommends JSON-LD where your setup allows it: a block of script in the page’s HTML that sits apart from the visible content, which makes it easier to maintain. A minimal organisation example looks like this:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Example Ltd",
  "url": "https://www.example.com/",
  "logo": "https://www.example.com/logo.png",
  "sameAs": ["https://www.linkedin.com/company/example/"]
}
</script>

On WordPress, an SEO plugin or the theme usually generates the basics. Custom types are best added through templates, so they stay consistent across hundreds of pages. Use stable @id values to connect entities – for example, linking an Article’s author to a Person and its publisher to your Organization – so search engines see one coherent graph rather than disconnected fragments.

How Do You Test Structured Data?

1. Use Google’s Rich Results Test (search.google.com/test/rich-results) to see which Google rich results a page qualifies for.
2. Use the Schema Markup Validator (validator.schema.org) to check general schema.org syntax, including types Google does not show as rich results.
3. Monitor the Enhancements reports in Google Search Console for errors across the whole site after launch.

Does Schema Help With AI Search?

Clear entity information – who you are, where you are, who wrote the content – helps machines connect your pages to your brand, and that consistency supports visibility in AI answers. It is not a shortcut: AI systems still rely mainly on the visible content. Structured data works best alongside clear writing, accurate facts and a strong GEO strategy.

Common Schema Mistakes We Find in Audits

• Several plugins outputting conflicting Organization or WebSite markup.
• Markup for content that is not visible, or prices and ratings that no longer match the page.
• Outdated types still being maintained in the expectation of rich results that no longer exist.
• Missing author and date information on articles in “Your Money or Your Life” niches.

We check all of this as part of a technical SEO audit. For the wider picture, see our SEO checklist and the guide to meta tags for SEO.

Key Takeaways

• Schema is not a ranking factor, but it improves understanding and can unlock rich results.
• HowTo and FAQ rich results have been retired in Google; don’t build strategy around them.
• Prioritise Organization, LocalBusiness, Product, Breadcrumb and Article markup.
• Use JSON-LD, mark up only visible content, and test before and after launch.

Written & reviewed byCyrus BaddeSEO & GEO Expert · Editorial Lead

Over 20 years of experience in SEO & GEO — from enterprise to scale-up. Responsible for the editorial quality and accuracy of the content on SEO-Malta.

20+ years SEO & GEOBest Content Strategy 2023

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