Structured company data

What we check

On the home page we look for structured data according to the Schema.org standard, whether as JSON-LD, Microdata or RDFa. What matters is whether there is a type among them that describes a company or organisation: Organization or one of its subtypes, such as Corporation, GovernmentOrganization, OnlineStore, LocalBusiness or a specific type such as Store, Restaurant, BankOrCreditUnion or LegalService.

If no such type is present, there is a warning. In the report you see all types found.

Why it matters

For people it is clear on a website who is behind it, where the company is based and what it does. For machines it is not: they see text, images and links, and have to work out from them whether "12 High Street" is its own address or that of a customer.

Structured data answers these questions unambiguously, in a format that Google, Bing and AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude or Perplexity understand:

• Name, address, phone are assigned correctly and not confused with other companies.
• The industry is clear, even if the company name does not reveal it.
• Google can use the details in the search result and in the knowledge panel.

When someone asks an AI assistant "Who is behind this online shop?" or "Which physiotherapy practice in Baden is open on Saturday?", the answer depends on how well the assistant can capture the details of the companies. Structured data makes that more reliable.

How to fix it

A basic framework in the head of the home page looks like this:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Example Ltd",
  "url": "https://www.example.co.uk/",
  "telephone": "+44 20 7946 0958",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "12 High Street",
    "postalCode": "OX1 4AB",
    "addressLocality": "Oxford",
    "addressCountry": "GB"
  }
}
</script>

You find the right type on schema.org under "Organization", for locations that customers visit under "LocalBusiness". The article on company details describes additional information such as logo, services and, for a location, opening hours.

WordPress

• Rank Math has a module "Local SEO" in which you enter business type, address and opening hours.
• Yoast SEO outputs an organisation under "Site representation". For a location with address and opening hours you need the "Local SEO" extension.
• Plugins such as "Schema & Structured Data for WP" cover further types.

Wix, Squarespace, Jimdo

Wix and Squarespace partly create structured data automatically from the business information stored. Check whether the company details are complete in the settings. In Wix you can insert custom JSON-LD in the advanced SEO section of a page.

How to check it yourself

Enter the website's address in Google's "Rich Results Test" (search.google.com/test/rich-results) or in the Schema Markup Validator (validator.schema.org). Both show all structured data found and errors in it.

Frequently asked questions

Can you see the structured data on the website?

No. It sits invisibly in the code and is aimed only at machines. The details must match what is visibly on the website, though.

Which type should I choose?

The most specific one that fits: "Corporation" for a corporation, "Hotel" for a hotel, "Dentist" for a dental practice. If none fits, "Organization" is the right choice, or "LocalBusiness" if the company has a location that customers visit.

Does this replace the entry in the Google business profile?

No, the two complement each other. The Google business profile is decisive for Google Maps. The structured data on the website confirms these details and is available to all search engines and AI services.