Is schema markup still relevant, and is it the same as structured data?

16 October 2026 · By John Carlsson

Yes. Google says structured data helps it understand a page and can make it eligible for rich results, although FAQ rich results stopped on 7 May 2026 and no special markup is needed for AI Overviews or AI Mode. Schema and structured data are not identical: schema.org is the vocabulary, and structured data is the markup on your page that uses it.

Why is schema markup still worth adding?

Google says it uses structured data to understand the content of a page, for example the ingredients and cooking time of a recipe. It also says structured data can make a page eligible for rich results, which are more engaging search listings than a plain title link and snippet. Both of those reasons still stand.

Eligibility is the important word. Google states that structured data does not guarantee a rich result will appear. Each rich result type has required properties, and items missing them are not eligible. Markup must also describe content that is visible to readers. Google says not to mark up content that is not visible on the page, and that misleading markup can lead to a manual action that removes rich result eligibility.

What has changed for schema in 2026?

Some rich result types have been retired. Google added a deprecation notice to its FAQ rich result documentation in May 2026, saying the feature would stop appearing in Search from 7 May 2026, and in June it removed that documentation, noting that FAQ rich results are no longer shown in Google Search. FAQPage is still a valid schema.org type, but it no longer produces a special result in Google.

AI search has also raised the question of whether new markup is needed. Google's guide to generative AI features says structured data is not required for AI Overviews or AI Mode, and that there is no special schema.org markup you need to add. It also says you do not need to create new machine-readable files, AI text files or Markdown versions of pages. The same guide still recommends structured data as part of a normal SEO approach, because it supports eligibility for rich results.

The practical approach is simple. Add markup that matches what people can see on the page and that supports a rich result type you are eligible for, such as a recipe or a product, rather than adding markup in the hope of an AI benefit.

Is schema the same thing as structured data?

Not quite, although people often use the words interchangeably. Structured data is the general term for information added to a page in a standard format to describe and classify its content. Schema usually means schema.org, the shared vocabulary most of that data uses. Put simply, schema.org supplies the types and properties, and structured data is the markup on your page that uses them.

Google says most Search structured data uses schema.org vocabulary. It also makes a point that is easy to miss: its own Search Central documentation, not schema.org, is the authority on how Google Search behaves. Schema.org includes many types and properties that Google does not use, so a property being valid on schema.org does not mean Google will do anything with it.

Which format should you use for structured data?

Google supports three formats:

JSON-LD, which sits in a script block separate from the visible text.
Microdata, which uses attributes inside your HTML.
RDFa, which also extends HTML with attributes.

Google recommends JSON-LD because it is kept apart from the page text, is easier to maintain and can be added dynamically. All three work if the markup is valid and follows the feature documentation. A minimal JSON-LD block looks like this:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Recipe",
  "name": "Vegetable soup"
}
</script>

A real recipe needs more than this to be eligible, so check the required properties in Google's documentation for the feature you want.

How should you test your markup?

Google recommends the Rich Results Test while you build, then its rich result status reports and the URL Inspection tool in Search Console to monitor pages after they go live. Passing a test does not override the content policies, so check that the markup still reflects what is on the page. The AI Web Page SEO schema tools page can also help you build and check JSON-LD before you publish.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Can I still use FAQPage markup after 2026?

FAQPage remains a valid schema.org type, so the markup is not an error. Google stopped showing FAQ rich results in Search from 7 May 2026 and later removed the documentation for that feature, so the markup will not produce a special result in Google. Keep it only if it accurately describes visible questions and answers on the page.

Does Google use every property listed on schema.org?

No. Google says its Search Central documentation is the authority on how Google Search behaves, and that schema.org includes properties Google does not use. To qualify for a rich result, include the required properties in Google's documentation for that feature, add the recommended properties that apply, and make sure every item is complete and accurate.