JSON-LD

What Is JSON-LD?

JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) is a lightweight format for embedding structured, machine-readable data into web pages. It is the recommended method by Google, Bing, and the Schema.org vocabulary for implementing structured data — and it is increasingly important for AI visibility as well.

Unlike microdata or RDFa (older structured data formats), JSON-LD is embedded in a separate <script> tag rather than mixed into the HTML markup. This makes it easier to implement, maintain, and read without disrupting the page's visual presentation.

How JSON-LD Works

JSON-LD consists of a <script> tag with type="application/ld+json" containing a JSON object that describes the page's content using Schema.org vocabulary:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "Austin Family Dental",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main Street",
    "addressLocality": "Austin",
    "addressRegion": "TX",
    "postalCode": "78701"
  },
  "telephone": "+1-512-555-1234",
  "openingHours": "Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00"
}
</script>

This block tells search engines and AI crawlers: "This page is about a LocalBusiness named Austin Family Dental, located at 123 Main Street in Austin, TX, reachable at 512-555-1234, open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm."

Why JSON-LD Matters for AI Visibility

AI language models and search engines parse structured data to build their understanding of entities and their attributes. When your website includes comprehensive JSON-LD:

• AI crawlers can read explicit facts about your business without inferring from prose
• Schema types (LocalBusiness, SoftwareApplication, Product) tell AI what kind of entity you are
• sameAs properties link your entity to authoritative profiles on other platforms
• Properties like openingHoursSpecification, priceRange, and hasOfferCatalog provide specific, citable data

Businesses with comprehensive JSON-LD are more likely to be accurately represented in AI recommendations because the model has structured data to draw from rather than inferring from unstructured text.

Key JSON-LD Schema Types for Businesses

| Business type | Primary schema type | |---|---| | Local service business | LocalBusiness (with specific subtype) | | Restaurant | Restaurant | | Medical practice | MedicalBusiness, Dentist, Physician | | Law firm | LegalService | | Software/SaaS | SoftwareApplication | | E-commerce | Product, Offer | | Content/articles | Article, BlogPosting | | FAQ content | FAQPage | | Any brand | Organization |

Q: Do I need JSON-LD on every page? A: Organization or LocalBusiness schema should be on every page (typically in the site-wide template). Page-specific schema (Article, FAQPage, Product) should be on the relevant pages. There's no harm in having schema on every page — more structured data is better for AI comprehension.

Q: Is JSON-LD better than microdata or RDFa? A: For implementation ease and maintainability, JSON-LD is generally preferred. Google recommends JSON-LD. The underlying vocabulary (Schema.org) is the same regardless of the format, so the SEO and AI visibility impact is similar — but JSON-LD is much easier to implement and update without touching your HTML markup.