What is JSON-LD structured data — and why does AI care about it?
JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) is Google's recommended format for embedding structured data in web pages using the Schema.org vocabulary. Search engines use it to generate rich results (FAQ dropdowns, product prices, review stars). AI answer systems use it to understand entity relationships — who made what, when it was published, what it costs — making your content easier to cite accurately in AI-generated responses.
What structured data does
- • Enables rich results in Google: FAQ dropdowns, product panels, article bylines.
- • Gives AI crawlers machine-readable entity context — name, type, relationships.
- • Improves accuracy when AI systems cite or summarise your content.
What structured data does not do
- • It does not guarantee rich results — Google decides whether to show them.
- • It does not replace quality content or good page copy.
- • Wrong or misleading markup can result in manual actions from Google.