What Is Schema Markup?
Schema markup is a standardised vocabulary (defined at schema.org) that you add to your website's code. It doesn't change how your pages look to visitors — it adds an invisible layer of structured information that machines can read.
The most common format is JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data), which sits in a <script> tag in your page's HTML. Google, Bing and AI systems all support JSON-LD.
Before & After
Without schema: AI systems see unstructured text. They infer your business name, services and location from context clues — and often get it wrong.
With schema: AI systems get explicit, reliable facts. They know your business name, what you do, your prices, hours and expertise.
Impact: Websites with proper schema score 30–50 points higher on AI Readiness audits.
Schema Types Every Business Needs
Organization / LocalBusiness — Who You Are & Where You Are
The most fundamental schema type. Tells AI systems your business name, address, phone, website, logo and operating hours. Use LocalBusiness for physical locations.
Enables: "What is [your business]?" and "Where is [your business] located?"
Service — What You Offer & At What Price
Describes what your business offers — service names, descriptions, pricing and delivery areas. Critical for service-based businesses.
Enables: "What services does [your business] offer?" and "How much does [service] cost?"
Product — Physical & Digital Products
Name, description, price, availability and reviews for products. Enables rich product snippets in search results and accurate AI product recommendations.
Enables: Rich product cards and accurate pricing in AI answers.
FAQPage — Questions & Answers
Marks up frequently asked questions and their answers. One of the most impactful schema types for GEO because AI systems love Q&A content.
Enables: Answers appear in Google featured snippets and AI responses.
Article / BlogPosting — Editorial Content
Identifies content as articles or blog posts with headline, author, date and description. Essential for content marketing and AI attribution.
Enables: AI systems attribute information and reference your articles as sources.
BreadcrumbList — Site Navigation Context
Describes the navigation path to a page (e.g. Home → Services → Schema). Helps search engines and AI systems understand your site structure and hierarchy.
Enables: Enhanced search snippets and better site structure understanding.
Common Schema Mistakes
No Schema At All
The most common issue. Many websites have zero structured data — completely invisible to AI systems.
Only Organization
Adding company details but forgetting to mark up services, products and FAQ content.
Invalid JSON-LD
Syntax errors in the markup that prevent search engines from reading it entirely.
Mismatched Data
Schema data doesn't match visible page content — can result in penalties from search engines.
How to Check Your Schema
Free Tools
- Interon's free audit — our AI Readiness Audit detects all schema types and identifies what's missing
- Google's Rich Results Test — tests individual pages for valid schema markup
- Schema.org Validator — validates your JSON-LD against the schema.org specification
Manual Check
View your page source (right-click → View Page Source) and search for application/ld+json to see your raw schema data.
If you find nothing, your website has no structured data — and AI systems are guessing about your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is schema markup?
Schema markup is a standardised vocabulary (defined at schema.org) that you add to your website's code in JSON-LD format. It provides an invisible layer of structured information that search engines and AI systems read to understand your business, services, products, and content.
What schema types does my business need?
Most businesses need Organization or LocalBusiness schema (who you are), Service or Product schema (what you offer), FAQPage schema (common questions), BreadcrumbList (site navigation), and Article/BlogPosting for content pages. The specific types depend on your industry.
How do I check if my website has schema markup?
Use Interon's free AI Readiness audit at interon-ai.com/audit — it detects all schema types and identifies what's missing. You can also view your page source and search for 'application/ld+json' to see raw schema data.
What does schema implementation cost?
Interon offers Schema Implementation from R2,500, delivered in 3–5 business days. This includes adding the appropriate schema types to your key pages. Full AI Readiness Optimisation (including schema, SEO, and GEO improvements) starts from R7,500.