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Schema markup for AI search

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Schema markup (structured data) is code, usually JSON-LD using the schema.org vocabulary, that labels what a page is about. Google uses it to understand pages and to enable rich results. It is not required for AI features: Google says “there’s also no special schema.org structured data that you need to add” to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, but any markup should match visible content.

What is structured data?

Google: “a standardized format for providing information about a page and classifying the page content.” Google uses it “to understand the content of the page” and to gather information “about the web and the world in general,” for example people, books or companies in the markup.[1]

Does schema markup help with AI Overviews and AI Mode?

Google lists “making sure your structured data matches the visible text on the page” as a best practice, but says no special structured data is needed for AI features.[2] Claims that a schema type guarantees AI citations are not supported by first-party documentation.

Which formats and vocabularies does Google support?

Google supports JSON-LD (recommended), Microdata and RDFa. Most Search structured data uses schema.org vocabulary, but Google says to rely on Search Central documentation for Google behavior.[1]

What schema matters most for brand and entity visibility?

Organization markup on the home page “can help Google better understand your organization’s administrative details and disambiguate your organization in search results,” and some properties can influence the logo shown in results and in your knowledge panel. It has no required properties.[3] Google can also make general use of the sameAs property.[1] See knowledge panel and entities and the Knowledge Graph.

How do you validate structured data?

What results does structured data produce?

Google’s documentation cites vendor case studies, for example Rotten Tomatoes measuring a 25% higher click-through rate on 100,000 pages with structured data, and Nestlé an 82% higher click-through rate for rich-result pages.[1] These are company-reported, classic-search results, not AI-answer studies.

Frequently asked questions

Is FAQ schema still useful?

It describes FAQ content accurately; whether Google shows FAQ rich results is governed by its current feature documentation. This wiki uses FAQPage markup on every page.

Can I add schema for content users can’t see?

No. Google says not to add structured data about information that is not visible to the user.

JSON-LD or Microdata?

Google recommends JSON-LD where your setup allows it.

References

Sources accessed October 14, 2026 unless another date is given. See all sources.

  1. “Introduction to structured data markup in Google Search”. Google Search Central. accessed October 14, 2026.
  2. “AI features and your website”. Google Search Central. accessed October 14, 2026.
  3. “Organization structured data”. Google Search Central. accessed October 14, 2026.
  4. “Rich Results Test”. Google. tool, accessed October 14, 2026.
  5. “Schema Markup Validator”. Schema.org. tool, accessed October 14, 2026.
  6. “General structured data guidelines”. Google Search Central. accessed October 14, 2026.
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