Structured data matters because it removes ambiguity. When you label a price, a review, an author, or an event explicitly, search engines can build rich results and AI answer engines can lift facts with confidence. It is usually added as JSON-LD, a lightweight script embedded in the page, and it works closely with schema markup and crawlability to make your content easy to interpret.
Getting structured data right is one of the most reliable ways to become quotable in AI answers. Learn more in the AEO guide. Back to the SEO & AEO glossary.
FAQ
Is structured data the same as schema markup?
They are closely related but not identical. Structured data is the general concept of machine-readable annotations, while schema markup refers specifically to the schema.org vocabulary you apply. In practice, most structured data on the web uses schema.org terms written in JSON-LD.
Does structured data guarantee rich results?
No. Valid structured data makes your page eligible for rich results and AI citations, but engines decide what to display based on quality, relevance, and their own rules. Correct markup improves your odds; it never forces a specific search appearance.
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