Definition
Schema markup is code that labels what a page is about, using the shared schema.org vocabulary, so a machine can read its facts rather than infer them. It makes a page eligible for rich results. Google states plainly that correct markup does not guarantee those results, and that it does not affect how a page ranks.
Example. A recipe page can say, in code, that 20 minutes is the cook time and 4.6 is the rating. Without markup a machine has to guess which number on the page is which.
You can generate valid markup with the free Schema Generator and test what you already have with the Schema Validator.
Who decides what schema markup does?
Three different parties decide, and keeping them apart explains most of the confusion.
| Layer | Who owns it | What it decides |
|---|---|---|
| The vocabulary | schema.org, founded by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Yandex | Which types and properties exist. Version 30.1, September 2026 |
| The format | You | How it is written. JSON-LD is the format Google recommends |
| The result | Each search engine | Whether anything is shown for it, and what that looks like |
So a page can carry perfect markup and show nothing. The vocabulary does not promise a feature, and no amount of markup makes a search engine render one.
Does schema markup help you rank?
Schema markup does not help you rank. It makes you eligible for features, such as review stars or FAQ displays, and Google says in its own policy documentation that structured data does not affect how the page ranks in web search. The indirect benefit is real but secondary: a listing with more detail can earn more clicks from the same position.
What gets pages in trouble?
- Marking up content that is not on the page. Markup has to match what a visitor sees. Inventing ratings or prices in code is a spam policy violation, not a clever trick.
- Assuming validation means it worked. Valid markup is step one. Eligibility is Google's call, and the enhancement reports in Search Console are where you find out.
- Citing the retired testing tool. Google's old Structured Data Testing Tool is gone. Validate against schema.org, then check eligibility with the Rich Results Test.
Sources
- Schema.org FAQ, including who runs it and the current version
- Google Search Central: structured data general guidelines and policies
Last checked against these sources on 23 September 2026.