My introduction to organization structured data
Senior SEO-specialist
In the digital age, structured data is crucial for organizations. This is especially important because of the ever-increasing reliance on online visibility and search engine optimization (SEO). In this article, I want to look at the role of structured data for organizations. Here I look specifically at how it contributes to a more effective online presence and interaction with customers and others.
The importance of structured data for organizations
Structured data ensures that organizations present information on their Web sites in a standardized way. This improves findability and interpretation by search engines. This results in better search results, increased visibility and an improved user experience. Ultimately, this leads to greater engagement and potentially more conversions.
What is organization structured data?
Organization structured data describes important information about an organization, including its name, type, location, contact information, and other relevant details. It provides organizations with a standardized approach to presenting themselves accurately in the digital space.
The benefits for SEO
Organization structured data is essential for optimal SEO. This makes it easier for search engines to understand and index both the website and the information provided. This optimization increases your chances of ranking higher in search results. It leads to detailed search results with specific information about the organization. This not only increases online visibility, but also credibility.
Key features of organization structured data
When implementing Organization structured data, certain fundamental features are key. Consider the organization’s name, location (with physical address and geographic coordinates), contact information (such as phone number and email address) and type of organization. In addition, social media profile URLs, logos and founding dates are important.
The role of Schema.org
Schema.org provides a comprehensive set of properties specific to “Organization” types. This includes such attributes as ‘legalName’, ‘founder’, ‘foundingDate’, ’employee’, and ‘member’. This structured data allows search engines to gain a deeper understanding of an organization’s context and background.
Getting started step by step
Before you start implementing, make sure you have access to the website’s backend or CMS. Gather all necessary information about your organization, such as its name, contact information, location and other relevant details. Then choose the type of formatting you want to use, for example JSON-LD or Microdata.
Detailed implementation steps
- Choose formatting: decide whether to use JSON-LD, Microdata or RDFa, with JSON-LD often recommended for its simplicity.
- Collect the data: gather all the necessary information about your organization.
- Write the code: use the collected data to write the structured data in the chosen format.
- Implement the code: add the structured data to your website’s HTML, usually within the <head> tag for JSON-LD.
- Testing and validation: use tools such as the Google Structured Data Testing Tool to verify that the structured data has been implemented correctly.
- Publish and monitor: after testing and verification, publish the changes and monitor performance in terms of SEO and web traffic.
Examples of implementation organization structured data
- JSON-LD Example:jsonCopy code
{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "name": "Voorbeeld Bedrijf", "url": "http://www.voorbeeldbedrijf.com", "logo": "http://www.voorbeeldbedrijf.com/logo.png", "contactPoint": { "@type": "ContactPoint", "telephone": "+1-401-555-1212", "contactType": "Klantenservice" } } - Microdata Example:htmlCopy code
<div itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Organization"> <span itemprop="name">Voorbeeld Bedrijf</span> <link itemprop="url" href="http://www.voorbeeldbedrijf.com"/> <img itemprop="logo" src="https://www.voorbeeldbedrijf.com/logo.png"/> <div itemprop="contactPoint" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ContactPoint"> <span itemprop="telephone">+1-401-555-1212</span> <span itemprop="contactType">Klantenservice</span> </div> </div>
Verify and test the structured data
Use tools such as the Google Structured Data Testing Tool or Google’s Rich Results Test to check your structured data. These tools provide immediate feedback on the accuracy of your structured data and ensure that search engines will interpret it correctly.
Troubleshooting and common errors
When implementing structured data, errors can occur. These include incomplete or incorrect markings, using the wrong or outdated schematics, and forgetting about data testing. Ensure that all necessary fields are filled in correctly and that the data matches the latest Schema.org specifications. By testing and checking regularly, you can detect and fix problems early.
Summary
This article shows how organization structured data can help improve SEO and online visibility. This article is intended to provide organizations with a clear overview for improving their online presence using organization structured data. The practical examples and easy steps for implementation and monitoring help. For a complete overview of Organization structured data capabilities, I would like to refer you to this link.
