--- title: "Structured Data" description: "Structured data is a standardized format (typically JSON-LD using Schema.org vocabulary) for providing explicit information about a page's content to search engines." category: "Technical SEO" date: "2026-03-05" url: "https://getbeast.io/glossary/structured-data/" type: "glossary" --- # Structured Data **Category:** Technical SEO | **Updated:** 2026-03-05 Structured data is a standardized format (typically JSON-LD using Schema.org vocabulary) for providing explicit information about a page's content to search engines. --- ## What Is Structured Data? Structured data is machine-readable code added to web pages that explicitly describes the content to search engines. The most common format is JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) using the Schema.org vocabulary. It enables search engines to understand that a page contains a recipe, product, FAQ, event, or other specific content type. ## Why Structured Data Matters for SEO Structured data enables **rich results** in Google Search — enhanced listings with star ratings, prices, FAQ accordions, how-to steps, and more. Rich results have significantly higher click-through rates than standard blue links. Structured data also helps AI models understand and cite your content accurately. ## How to Implement Structured Data Add JSON-LD scripts to your page's `<head>` or `<body>`. Use the appropriate Schema.org type for your content. Validate with Google's Rich Results Test. Monitor structured data performance in Search Console. Use [CrawlBeast](/crawler/) to audit structured data across your entire site. --- ## Related Terms - [Schema Markup](/glossary/schema-markup/) - [Rich Snippets](/glossary/rich-snippets/) - [Featured Snippet](/glossary/featured-snippet/) - [Knowledge Panel](/glossary/knowledge-panel/) - [LLM Citation](/glossary/llm-citation/) ## Further Reading - [Structured Data for SEO](/blog/structured-data/) --- *Part of the [GetBeast SEO Glossary](/glossary/). Visit [GetBeast.io](https://getbeast.io) for professional SEO and log analysis tools.*