Google has officially declared the compatibility of merging two distinct types of Schema.org structured data, and leading structured data validators will validate this combined data.
This update opens up new possibilities, allowing users to combine JSON-LD and Microdata structured data without limiting their choices. While it is mentioned that RDFa may validate as well, its inclusion is only partially explicit at this point.
Combining Syntax Graphs
Aleyda Solis announced the merging of Syntax Graphs during Google Search Central Live in Zurich. Interestingly, Google quietly initiated this feature last week, and the official announcement was only made today.
What This Means In Plain English
In simpler terms, this change will only affect certain situations where it’s appropriate. If your current Schema.org structured data works fine for your needs, you can stick with it.
But there are also scenarios where it’s a good idea to use both Schema.org JSON-LD and Microdata formats.
Distinguishing JSON-LD from Microdata Structured Data
JSON-LD is a script that can be placed in the HTML head section (alongside other metadata such as title and description) or within the body of a webpage. JSON-LD structured data is preferred due to its ease of maintenance, readability, and troubleshooting, and it’s kept separate from the HTML. On the other hand, Microdata is a form of markup that integrates with HTML as attributes of elements.
For instance, you can apply Microdata to a heading element like this:
htmlCopy code
<h2 itemprop=”name”>Name of a Movie</h2>
An everyday use case is to convey to Google the main content of a webpage without inflating the JSON-LD structured data (and HTML size) by replicating the main content within the JSON-LD. Microdata lets you inform Google about the main content, especially when using article-structured data, without duplicating all the content within the JSON-LD structured data.
This implies that your code no longer needs to be excessively large. You now have the option to utilize both Microdata and JSON-LD.
This flexibility is beneficial in scenarios involving Live Blogging structured data.
Importantly, this change is optional. You are not required to modify your existing JSON-LD structured data; it’s entirely at your discretion.
Recent Change Observed Last Week
Google’s discreet introduction of this update was promptly noticed and brought to the forefront by Jarno Van Driel, a Structured Data Consultant (LinkedIn profile), who shared the information on LinkedIn.
Jarno initiated a discussion on this subject by posting the following on LinkedIn:
“It appears that Google has rolled out a rather significant update for both the Rich Result Test and Schema.org’s validator, a change that fulfills a long-standing personal aspiration: Allowing entities described in multiple syntaxes (JSON-LD, Microdata, RDFa) to combine and interlink seamlessly!”
SEO Implications
The significance of SEO is that publishers can now leverage the advantages of streamlined Microdata without being bound to using Microdata exclusively.
However, the most notable impact pertains to publishers who duplicate entire articles within the articleBody property of Schema.org structured data types like BlogPosting, Article, and similar ones. Yet, there may be additional scenarios where this approach is also justified.
If you’re still finding it challenging or unclear, explore our monthly SEO packages and allow our industry experts to assist you.
