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Mar 14, 2023
4 minute read

Using Structured Data To Enhance SEO & Improve SERP Visibility

Almost 25% of internet users select the top result in Google’s search list, and 75% of all users never go beyond the first search results page. Small and medium business owners strive to reach a high ranking to improve lead generation and conversion rates. However, with too much competition in the digital arena, climbing the search ladder can be difficult.

If you want your business to thrive in the online space, you have to incorporate tools like structured data into your WordPress site. Read on to learn more about structured data and how it can enhance SEO and improve SERP visibility.


What Is Structured Data and How Does It Work?

Structured data refers to digital information that has been systematically stored and arranged in a particular database or webpage. This data is a code-based markup language that communicates with search engines to facilitate improved content analysis and ranking. 

Similar to human communication, these markup languages use vocabulary and syntax to accurately relay your page’s content to search engines. Schema is the universal vocabulary standard adopted by top search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. This vocabulary is widely adapted for its flexibility, accessibility, and continuous maintenance.

However, there is no syntax standard, so you have to choose based on your own objectives and website layout. There are multiple options such as JSON-LD, RDFa, and Microdata. If you need professional advice on what vocabulary and syntax to use, hire a Michigan WordPress consulting agency like Hierographx.


How Structured Data Enhances SEO and Improves SERP Visibility

SEO Enhancement

Search engine optimization (SEO) improves your site’s visibility through keyword, backlink, and user interface campaigns. However, your website will remain obscure in the online space if search engines cannot decipher its content.

While a person sees the images, colors, and texts on your website, a search engine sees layers of code and can only make analyses based on this medium. Since structured data is code-based data, it can help search engines understand the information you post on your site. 

Structured data also assists search engines in filtering your content’s topics and subtopics and placing them on a proper search list. 

Google can currently identify and filter over 30 schema-based themes and topic labels, which include articles, courses, FAQs, fact checks, job postings, Q&As, recipes, and videos. To know more about these labels and what Michigan WordPress theme to use for your content, partner with a digital agency like Hierographx.

Ultimately, structured data allows search engines to understand your content and index your website. These will help boost user traffic, click-through rates, and overall site searchability. 


How It Benefits SERP Visibility

Structured data offers several benefits to help with search engine results page (SERP) visibility, especially if the markup language blends well with the search engine’s algorithms. 


Featured Snippets

Structured data gives you a chance to be featured in the answer box or Google’s featured snippets. This is the large box you see at the topmost portion of the search results. It usually contains a picture and a preview of the main subject of your content or a bullet list of the items it discusses. 

This snippet aims to immediately catch user attention and answer their questions quickly. Over 80% of internet users will engage with a source that provides fast answers to their search and sales queries. You can capitalize on their short attention span by using structured data and getting featured on the answer box.


Knowledge Graph Cards

Another aspect of the SERPs that is influenced by structured data involves knowledge graph cards. These data cards usually appear in the top right area of the search results. It contains an informative and summative answer to your query. This puts the source of the information right in the SERP spotlight.

While there’s a slight chance that the preview will deter further user interaction, there’s a higher likelihood that the initial credibility built by it will generate more website engagement. Around 46% of users are more inclined to engage with a site that has established credibility.


Carousels

A page or content with clear structured data is often featured in carousels. A carousel is a list of captioned images that appear before the first item in the search list. Items featured include subjects related to the online query. For instance, if a user searches for “car,” different car images from website articles with structured data will appear.

It’s advantageous to have the images you used in your content previewed in search engine results. Photos influence 62% of consumers in making their purchase decisions. This makes image visibility equally important in SERP.


Videos

Videos are similar to carousels, and the content selected for this section of the search results also comes from sites with structured data. However, instead of pictures, they preview clips ranging from sports events to video game live streams. 

It’s important that your videos have high SERP visibility as over 80% of worldwide internet traffic comes from this medium. A reputable Michigan WordPress consulting company can help you make videos that structured data can clearly describe and search engines can recognize.


Final Thoughts

Structured data is needed if you want your website to be search-engine friendly and have a strong foothold in the online space. From enhancing SEO to improving SERP visibility in multiple aspects, structured data offers many advantages for small and medium businesses.

If you’re looking for a WordPress developer in Michigan that can help you incorporate structured data into your site, Hierographx is the top choice. We are a full-service digital agency that can satisfy all your online website development and marketing needs.

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