What is structured data?
Structured data is a standardised way to describe the content on your website so that search engines can understand it more clearly. You add structured data to your pages using code, which makes it easier for Google and other platforms to interpret and display your content in richer ways.
In practice, structured data usually means adding schema markup in formats like JSON-LD to your HTML. This markup labels elements on the page, such as products, prices, reviews, events or organisation details, with clear, machine readable properties. For growth focused teams in Belgium and across Europe, structured data is a key lever for better visibility and higher quality traffic.
How structured data works
Structured data provides context that normal HTML alone does not give. For example, it tells search engines that a number is a product price, not just random text, or that a piece of text is a review rating. Search engines then use this context to create rich results, also called rich snippets, directly in the search results.
Most modern SEO implementations use JSON-LD inside a <script type="application/ld+json"> block. This keeps structured data separate from your page layout and makes it easier for developers and marketers to maintain. For bigger e commerce and B2B sites, this separation is crucial to scale structured data consistently across hundreds or thousands of URLs.
Why structured data matters for SEO
Structured data does not act as a direct ranking factor, but it strongly influences how your pages appear in search. Better presentation in the search results usually leads to higher click through rates and more qualified sessions. In competitive markets, that extra visibility often makes the difference between stagnation and growth.
- Enables rich results such as star ratings, product information and FAQs in Google Search.
- Clarifies entities like your brand, products and services, which supports topical authority.
- Improves how your content appears in AI assisted search and knowledge panels over time.
- Helps search engines match your pages to high intent queries more reliably.
- Makes analytics cleaner by standardising key attributes like product IDs and offers.
Together, these effects make structured data a strategic asset, not just a technical nice to have, especially for brands aiming for predictable organic growth.
Structured data for B2B and e commerce teams
For e commerce businesses, structured data lets you highlight prices, availability and reviews directly in the search results. This reduces comparison friction and brings in visitors who are closer to purchase. For B2B companies, structured data helps surface your organisation details, articles, how to content and events to the right buyers.
Structured data works best when combined with strong technical SEO, relevant content and a clear site structure. Teams that already invest in SEO services can often unlock quick wins by auditing and expanding schema coverage. If you rely on platforms like Shopify or WordPress, dedicated plugins or custom templates can help keep your schema consistent at scale.
Getting started with structured data
To start using structured data, focus first on core types such as Product, Organization, Article and FAQPage. Validate your markup with Google's Rich Results Test and monitor performance in Search Console. As your site grows, treat structured data as part of your ongoing SEO roadmap, not a one off project. If you want a more thorough technical review, 6th Man offers deep dive SEO audits like Sprint 0 that include structured data analysis and concrete implementation steps.
