seo-schema

# Schema Markup Analysis & Generation

## When to Use

- Use when detecting, validating, or generating Schema.org structured data.
- Use when the user asks about JSON-LD, rich results, or markup opportunities.
- Use when schema validation is the main task, rather than a broader SEO audit.

## Detection

1. Scan page source for JSON-LD `<script type="application/ld+json">`
2. Check for Microdata (`itemscope`, `itemprop`)
3. Check for RDFa (`typeof`, `property`)
4. Always recommend JSON-LD as primary format (Google's stated preference)

## Validation

- Check required properties per schema type
- Validate against Google's supported rich result types
- Test for common errors:
  - Missing @context
  - Invalid @type
  - Wrong data types
  - Placeholder text
  - Relative URLs (should be absolute)
  - Invalid date formats
- Flag deprecated types (see below)

## Schema Type Status (as of Feb 2026)

Read `references/schema-types.md` for the full list. Key rules:

### ACTIVE (recommend freely):
Organization, LocalBusiness, SoftwareApplication, WebApplication, Product (with Certification markup as of April 2025), ProductGroup, Offer, Service, Article, BlogPosting, NewsArticle, Review, AggregateRating, BreadcrumbList, WebSite, WebPage, Person, ProfilePage, ContactPage, VideoObject, ImageObject, Event, JobPosting, Course, DiscussionForumPosting

### VIDEO & SPECIALIZED (recommend freely):
BroadcastEvent, Clip, SeekToAction, SoftwareSourceCode

See `schema/templates.json` for ready-to-use JSON-LD templates for these types.

> **JSON-LD and JavaScript rendering:** Per Google's December 2025 JS SEO guidance, structured data injected via JavaScript may face delayed processing. For time-sensitive markup (especially Product, Offer), include JSON-LD in the initial server-rendered HTML.

### RESTRICTED (only for specific sites):
- **FAQ**: ONLY for government and healthcare authority sites (restricted Aug 2023)

### DEPRECATED (never recommend):
- **HowTo**: Rich results removed September 2023
- **SpecialAnnouncement**: Deprecated July 31, 2025
- **CourseInfo, EstimatedSalary, LearningVideo**: Retired June 2025
- **ClaimReview**: Retired from rich results June 2025
- **VehicleListing**: Retired from rich results June 2025
- **Practice Problem**: Retired from rich results late 2025
- **Dataset**: Retired from rich results late 2025
- **Book Actions**: Deprecated then reversed, still functional as of Feb 2026 (historical note)

## Generation

When generating schema for a page:
1. Identify page type from content analysis
2. Select appropriate schema type(s)
3. Generate valid JSON-LD with all required + recommended properties
4. Include only truthful, verifiable data. Use placeholders clearly marked for user to fill
5. Validate output before presenting

## Common Schema Templates

### Organization
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "[Company Name]",
  "url": "[Website URL]",
  "logo": "[Logo URL]",
  "contactPoint": {
    "@type": "ContactPoint",
    "telephone": "[Phone]",
    "contactType": "customer service"
  },
  "sameAs": [
    "[Facebook URL]",
    "[LinkedIn URL]",
    "[Twitter URL]"
  ]
}
```

### LocalBusiness
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "[Business Name]",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "[Street]",
    "addressLocality": "[City]",
    "addressRegion": "[State]",
    "postalCode": "[ZIP]",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "telephone": "[Phone]",
  "openingHours": "Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00",
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": "[Lat]",
    "longitude": "[Long]"
  }
}
```

### Article/BlogPosting
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "[Title]",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "[Author Name]"
  },
  "datePublished": "[YYYY-MM-DD]",
  "dateModified": "[YYYY-MM-DD]",
  "image": "[Image URL]",
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "[Publisher]",
    "logo": {
      "@type": "ImageObject",
      "url": "[Logo URL]"
    }
  }
}
```

## Output

- `SCHEMA-REPORT.md`: detection and validation results
- `generated-schema.json`: ready-to-use JSON-LD snippets

### Validation Results
| Schema | Type | Status | Issues |
|--------|------|--------|--------|
| ... | ... | ✅/⚠️/❌ | ... |

### Recommendations
- Missing schema opportunities
- Validation fixes needed
- Generated code for implementation

## Error Handling

| Scenario | Action |
|----------|--------|
| URL unreachable | Report connection error with status code. Suggest verifying URL and checking if the page requires authentication. |
| No schema markup found | Report that no JSON-LD, Microdata, or RDFa was detected. Recommend appropriate schema types based on page content analysis. |
| Invalid JSON-LD syntax | Parse and report specific syntax errors (missing brackets, trailing commas, unquoted keys). Provide corrected JSON-LD output. |
| Deprecated schema type detected | Flag the deprecated type with its retirement date. Recommend the current replacement type or advise removal if no replacement exists. |