# What is Structured data (schema markup)?

> Structured data is hidden code on a web page that spells out facts like your business name, opening hours and services in a format search engines can read reliably.

- Source: https://nerdsharks.com/glossary/structured-data
- Publisher: Nerdsharks (Exeter, Devon, UK)
- Updated: 2026-09-26

Also called: schema, schema markup, JSON-LD, rich snippets, rich results.

People read a web page and understand that ‘Mon–Fri 8–5’ are opening hours. Computers are less sure. Structured data is a labelled version of that information, added to the page's code, that says ‘this is a LocalBusiness, this is its phone number, these are its hours’.

The labels come from a shared vocabulary called schema.org, which is why people call it schema markup. The most common format is JSON-LD, a small block of code that visitors never see.

Structured data can make your listing eligible for extras in search, such as FAQs or business details, though Google decides whether to show them. It also helps AI search tools pull accurate facts about your business.

## Why it matters for a small business

It reduces the chance of Google or an AI assistant getting your hours, services or location wrong. It is invisible to customers, costs nothing to run once added, and is exactly the kind of thing a cheap template usually leaves out.

**Example:** A café's website includes structured data stating it is a café, its address, its opening hours and that it serves breakfast. Search tools can then answer ‘is it open on Sunday?’ with confidence.