Structured Data
Structured data is machine-readable annotation describing a page's contents in a standard format, usually the Schema.org vocabulary written as JSON-LD. It is the most reliable way to state facts about your business that search engines and AI systems will trust.
Why it matters for your rankings
Structured data removes ambiguity. Rather than hoping a machine infers your opening hours from a paragraph, you state them in a format designed to be parsed, with no interpretation required.
Its importance has grown as AI answer engines took a larger role. These systems need to assert facts confidently, and structured data is the cleanest source available. It also underpins every rich result in Google, from star ratings to event listings. The discipline it enforces is worth as much as the markup: deciding exactly what your page claims, in explicit terms, usually improves the visible content too. Markup that contradicts the page is worse than none at all.
How to check it on your site
Inventory what exists
Run each template through the Rich Results Test and record which types are present and which errors appear.
Add the high-value types first
Organization, LocalBusiness, Product, Article and BreadcrumbList cover most of the practical benefit.
Keep it synchronised with the page
Automate the markup from the same data that renders the page so the two cannot drift apart.
Watch the Enhancements report
Search Console flags structured data errors site-wide and warns when eligibility is withdrawn.