Structured data helps search engines interpret products, prices, availability, offers and reviews on an e-commerce page. It can enable certain rich results, but does not automatically improve rankings or sales. This article covers five possible applications.
Product-related schema
These are the most basic snippets and, as the name suggests, they are intended to display basic information about a specific product or service. Examples can include colour, size, dimensions and price. Keep in mind that these and other snippets work best when relevant images are included within the description itself.
Ratings and reviews
Studies have suggested that up to 90 percent of buyers will read at least one review before purchasing a product. It therefore makes sense that e-commerce snippets will often contain testimonials from other users. Not only will these snippets help to boost consumer confidence, but they provide your site with a greater sense of transparency. Let’s also keep in mind that reviews can help to boost your current SEO rankings.
Price comparison snippets
One of the primary factors associated with a purchase involves the price of a product in relation to its closest competitors. This is familiar to the majority of shoppers and such snippets will normally be presented in a carousel format at the top of a search engine results page (SERP). It is therefore simple for users to quickly view the top products within a specific category. Furthermore, reviews are often present in tandem with the price. This allows individuals to balance the number of satisfied clients with the cost of the item or service in question.
The availability of a product
It is important for customers to know whether or not a product is in stock. If they happen to navigate to a page only to learn that it has been sold out, the chances are high that they will not return in the future. So, it is always better to present this information in the form of an e-commerce snippet. This segment of code is normally found immediately alongside the product description with a phrase such as “in stock”. Embedding these snippets within an SERP listing will help to prevent “soft bounces” (instances when a user visits your website but ultimately fails to make a purchase). This is an excellent way to boost long-term sales and to ensure that clients return to your site for future transactions.
E-commerce snippets featuring videos
Embedded media can also be an excellent way to showcase what it is that you have to offer. Often utilised to describe a product in detail or to provide “how-to” information, these snippets are great in terms of SEO. Perhaps more importantly, they are able to actively engage with your audience. It should likewise be mentioned that a call to action can be placed within the presentation alongside other information such as a link to a standalone YouTube channel. While not all marketers will use video e-commerce snippets, they are excellent options to consider in order to ensure superior levels of online engagement.
It is important to mention that embedding these snippets within existing HTML coding or a hosting service such as WordPress can be slightly tricky if you have little experience with website design. This is why it may be a good idea to employ third-party tools such as the Structured Data Market Helper by Google or by procuring the services of a professional. Either way, there is no doubt that your efforts will pay off in the long run in terms of brand recognition and client engagement.
Validate against current documentation
Structured data must match visible product information and the search engine’s current rules. Mark up only prices, availability and reviews that users can actually see, then test after every change. Valid code can make a rich result eligible, but it does not guarantee display or higher rankings.
