The toolkit for SEO optimisation is huge, but schema markup is a fundamental process. In order to increase not only a site’s visibility, developers use microdata and encoded language to speak to the engine.

If that data and language is easy for a search engine’s schema to analyse, it measures the site highly in clarity and quality.

What’s a Schema?

Generally speaking, a schema is a framework that aids in the interpretation of data and information. Thus it follows that, for search engine optimisation, a schema is a way of helping the engine understand your webpage contents.

schema.org

By integrating metadata into your content (microdata), you are influencing schema markup. By allowing an engine to better categorise your site’s data, you increase the relevance and quality of your site. However, it also creates a more refined, effective browser, hence a need for some kind of tool to analyse a schema markups.

What is the Google Schema for Structured Data?

Consequently, there came Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool, announced in January 2015. In 2017, there was a notable update to allow webmasters to review a greater variety of data on the page, with revised support for RDFa and JSON-LD formats.

Structured Data Testing Tool

The tool is simply a means to analyse a site’s effectiveness in communicating with a search engine. The site is measured against the schema’s standards and expectations. Web designers can then make improvements so the site is SEO optimized.

What is the Google Schema for Rich Results?

Around the same time, Google was doing extensive work on what they now call ‘rich results’, such as snippets, images and the interactive features of a webpage. However, it was not until July 2020 that they announced the Rich Results Testing Tool had officially moved from beta.

Google had stated that the rich results tool was to replace the structured data tool, after 7 years. In that time, the industry had grown exceptionally fond of the older model. So much so that Google’s plan caused uproar in the industry, as many were using the tool as a crucial SEO service.

What happened to the Structured Data Testing Tool?

To appease the users, Google decided to migrate the Structured Data Testing Tool to a separate domain: schema.org. In May, the Schema Markup Validator (SMV) tool was made available. Other than having no apparent affiliation with Google, it is practically the same kit.

What’s the Difference between Google and Schema.org?

Webmasters are now able to utilise both Google’s Rich Results Testing Tool and the SMV, to maximise the extent of data they can analyse. Google’s tool works with solely Google-supported frameworks, whereas the SMV can be used for a broader variety of languages and microdata.

include Schema

Schema.org is like a translation tool for the common language that search engines and webpage speak with one another. As the website states, it’s “a collection of shared vocabularies webmasters can use to mark up their pages.” Conversely, Google’s rich results tester is specialised only for those explicit ‘rich’ features.

Google has instructed that schema.org be used as a means to “check syntax and compliance of markup” with the standards. In essence, both of these tools are methods of ensuring website content expresses the message that the webmasters desire. It does this by analysing your use of microdata, JSON-LD and RDFa and making sure it’s applied in readable ways. This leads to greater search engine optimisation. The fundamental difference between the two testers is the kind of content they’re interested in.

Webmasters can use the Rich Results Testing Tool and the Schema Markup Validator (SMV)

By using both tools, you get the best of both worlds, ending up with a website that is clearer and more identifiable for the search engines. Consequently, it performs better in SERPs

Google’s existing infrastructure is what made the new SMV tool possible, so it can be thought of as an unofficial extension of their service. While it’s obviously great news for many that a much-loved developer tool has been preserved, there are other Schema markup testers available, such as Schema.dev, Yandex and SchemaMarukup.net.

Why do we use these Tools?

When web designers use schema markup tools, they can enhance their sites and work towards a universal framework. This benefits the relationship between search engine and website, which increases stability, consistency and overall user experience.

If you have any difficult in using these tools, or would like guidance on how to refine your website to make it more favourable to search engines, contact Shtudio for effective SEO Services.