Types of schema markup: 25 schemas explained, with uses and 2026 status

The main types of schema markup are Organization, LocalBusiness, Person, WebPage, Breadcrumb, Article, Video, FAQ, HowTo, Recipe, Product, Review, AggregateRating, Event, JobPosting, Course, and Dataset. Schema.org defines 826 types in total, but these 25 cover nearly every website. Each one labels a specific kind of content so search engines know exactly what they’re looking at.

So why do so many sites still get schema wrong? Most lists online haven’t kept up with Google’s changes.

That means people keep adding FAQ and HowTo markup expecting rich results that Google no longer shows. Meanwhile, useful types like ProfilePage or Dataset get skipped entirely.

This guide walks through 25 types of schema markup one by one. For each, you’ll see what it does, where it belongs, the key properties, and its 2026 status in Google.

Key takeaways

• Schema.org has 826 types, but 25 common schema types cover almost every website’s needs.
• Most sites only need five to eight types, starting with Organization, WebSite, and Breadcrumb.
• Google stopped showing HowTo rich results in 2023 and FAQ rich results in May 2026, though both are still valid code.
• Some types, like Person, WebPage, and Service, never earn a rich result but still help search engines understand entities.
• Product, Review, and AggregateRating work together to show prices and stars in search.
• No schema type is required for AI Overviews, but clear entity markup supports how search engines describe your brand.

How many types of schema markup are there?

It depends on which list you’re reading. Three numbers explain the whole picture.

Number	What it counts	Source
826	Every type in the schema.org vocabulary (version 30.1, September 2026)	schema.org full hierarchy
25	Rich result features Google currently documents	Google search gallery
5 to 8	Types a typical business site actually uses	Practical rule of thumb

Every schema.org type sits inside one family tree. It starts with Thing, then branches into groups like CreativeWork, Organization, Person, Place, Product, and Event.

That tree matters.

A Bakery is a FoodEstablishment, which is a LocalBusiness, which is an Organization, so picking the most specific type gives you every property above it.

Quick reference: all 25 schema types and their 2026 status

Short on time? Scan this table first, then jump to the types of schema markup you need.

#	Schema type	Best for	Google rich result in 2026
1	Organization	Brand homepage, about page	Yes, logo and company details
2	Local business	Shops, clinics, restaurants	Yes
3	Person	Authors, founders, team members	No standalone result
4	Web page	Any page	No standalone result
5	WebSite	Homepage	Yes, site names
6	Breadcrumb	Inner pages	Yes
7	Article	Blog posts, news	Yes
8	Video	Pages with video	Yes
9	FAQ	FAQ sections	Retired May 2026
10	How to	Step-by-step guides	Retired September 2023
11	Recipe	Food and cooking pages	Yes
12	Book	Publishers, bookstores	Limited (Book actions)
13	Profile page	Author and creator pages	Yes
14	Discussion forum	Forums, community threads	Yes
15	Q&A	Single-question pages with answers	Yes
16	Image metadata	Photos and licensed images	Yes
17	Product	Product pages	Yes
18	Product review	Reviewed products	Yes, review snippets
19	Aggregate rating	Average star ratings	Yes, inside review snippets
20	Software	Apps and SaaS products	Yes
21	Service	Service pages	No standalone result
22	Event	Concerts, webinars, classes	Yes
23	Job posting	Careers pages	Yes
24	Course	Course catalogs	Yes, course lists (course info retired)
25	Dataset	Research and open data	Yes, in Dataset Search

Site and entity schema types

These types describe who you are and how your site is organized. Most websites need several of them.

1. Organization schema

Organization schema describes your company as a whole. It’s the anchor that every other type on your site can point back to.

• Use it on: your homepage or about page.
• Key properties: name, url, logo, contactPoint, sameAs.
• Google status: supported, and it can help Google show your logo and company details.

The sameAs property is worth extra attention. It links your brand to official profiles like LinkedIn, which strengthens your entity.

2. Local business schema

LocalBusiness is a more specific kind of Organization for places customers can visit. It has hundreds of subtypes, such as Dentist, Restaurant, and Store.

• Use it on: each location page, one block per location.
• Key properties: address, geo, openingHoursSpecification, telephone, priceRange.
• Google status: supported for local business details.

Organization or LocalBusiness? Use Organization for the brand, and LocalBusiness for each physical branch. Link each branch back to its parent brand.

3. Person schema

Person schema describes an individual, usually an author, founder, or expert. It ties a name to real credentials and profiles.

• Use it on: author pages, team pages, and inside Article markup.
• Key properties: name, jobTitle, worksFor, sameAs, image.
• Google status: no rich result of its own, but it feeds author details and Profile page markup.

Person markup supports trust. A clearly identified author with real credentials beats an anonymous byline.

4. Web page schema

WebPage schema describes the page itself rather than its main subject. It acts as a hub that connects the article, the site, and the breadcrumb trail.

• Use it on: any page, often added automatically by SEO plugins.
• Key properties: name, url, isPartOf, breadcrumb, datePublished.
• Google status: no rich result, but useful for connecting entities with @id.

Subtypes like AboutPage, ContactPage, and FAQPage tell search engines what kind of page it is.

5. WebSite schema

WebSite schema describes your whole site. Google uses it to choose the site name shown above your search results.

• Use it on: your homepage only.
• Key properties: name, alternateName, url.
• Google status: supported for site names.

It’s also the most common type online. The HTTP Archive Web Almanac 2024 found WebSite JSON-LD on 12.73% of mobile pages, ahead of Organization at 7.16%.

6. Breadcrumb schema

BreadcrumbList shows the path from your homepage to the current page. Google can display that trail in place of a raw URL.

• Use it on: almost every inner page.
• Key properties: itemListElement, with position, name, and item for each step.
• Google status: supported.

Breadcrumbs pair nicely with good internal linking, since both show how your pages connect.

Content schema types

These types describe what a page says or shows. Publishers, bloggers, and media sites rely on them most.

7. Article schema

Article schema tells search engines a page is a written piece, with a headline, an author, and dates. Use BlogPosting for blogs and NewsArticle for news.

• Use it on: blog posts, news stories, and guides.
• Key properties: headline, image, author, datePublished, dateModified, publisher.
• Google status: supported.

Article markup works best when the piece is already well organized. It’s worth learning how to structure a blog post before tagging it.

8. Video schema

VideoObject schema helps Google show your video’s thumbnail, length, and upload date. Longer videos can also get key moments.

• Use it on: any page where a video is the main content.
• Key properties: name, description, thumbnailUrl, uploadDate, duration, contentUrl.
• Google status: supported.

9. FAQ schema

FAQPage schema marks up a list of questions and answers. For years it produced expandable questions under your listing.

• Use it on: pages with a real FAQ section written by you.
• Key properties: mainEntity, with Question and acceptedAnswer pairs.
• Google status: retired. FAQ rich results stopped showing for all sites in May 2026.

Should you still use it? The code stays valid, so it won’t hurt. The visible FAQ section still helps readers and answer engines, so keep the content either way.

10. How to schema

HowTo schema describes step-by-step instructions, with tools, supplies, and time needed for each step.

• Use it on: tutorials and step-by-step guides.
• Key properties: name, step (HowToStep), totalTime, tool, supply.
• Google status: retired. HowTo rich results stopped showing on desktop and mobile in September 2023.

Clear numbered steps in plain HTML still work well. Readers and AI tools can follow them, markup or not.

11. Recipe schema

Recipe schema is one of the oldest and most visual types. It can show cook time, ratings, and calories right in search.

• Use it on: individual recipe pages.
• Key properties: name, image, recipeIngredient, recipeInstructions, cookTime, nutrition.
• Google status: supported, including recipe carousels.

12. Book schema

Book schema describes a book’s title, author, and editions. Google also supports Book actions, which let people borrow or buy a book from search.

• Use it on: book pages from publishers, bookstores, and libraries.
• Key properties: name, author, isbn, bookFormat, workExample.
• Google status: limited. Google planned to retire Book actions in 2025, then reversed that in November 2025.

13. Profile page schema

ProfilePage schema marks a page that’s mainly about one person or organization. It’s a strong signal for creator and author pages.

• Use it on: author bios, creator profiles, and user profile pages.
• Key properties: mainEntity (a Person or Organization), dateCreated, dateModified.
• Google status: supported.

14. Discussion forum schema

DiscussionForumPosting describes threads and posts on forums and community sites. It helps Google surface real conversations.

• Use it on: forum threads, community posts, and comment-led pages.
• Key properties: headline, author, datePublished, text, comment.
• Google status: supported.

15. Q&A schema

QAPage schema marks a page built around one question with answers from users. Think support communities, not your own FAQ list.

• Use it on: pages where users submit answers to a single question.
• Key properties: mainEntity (Question), acceptedAnswer, suggestedAnswer, answerCount.
• Google status: supported.

Not sure whether you need Q&A or FAQ? If you wrote all the answers, it’s FAQ. If users answer, it’s Q&A.

16. Image metadata schema

ImageObject markup tells Google who created an image and how it can be licensed. That can add a “Licensable” badge in Google Images.

• Use it on: photography sites, stock libraries, and original image pages.
• Key properties: contentUrl, license, acquireLicensePage, creator, creditText.
• Google status: supported.

Product, review, and service schema types

These types matter most for stores, SaaS brands, and service businesses. Price, stock, and stars in a listing can tip a buyer’s choice before they click.

17. Product schema

Product schema describes an item you sell. Combined with an Offer, it can show price and availability in search and in Google Shopping.

• Use it on: individual product pages, not category pages.
• Key properties: name, image, description, SKU, brand, offers (price, priceCurrency, availability).
• Google status: supported for product snippets and merchant listings, including shipping and return details.

The payoff can be real. In Google’s structured data case studies, Rotten Tomatoes saw a 25% higher click-through rate on pages with structured data.

18. Product review schema

Review schema marks up a single review of a product, with the reviewer and their rating. Editorial review sites use it heavily.

• Use it on: product review articles and individual customer reviews.
• Key properties: itemReviewed, author, reviewRating, reviewBody.
• Google status: supported as review snippets.

One rule to remember: reviews a business writes about itself aren’t eligible for stars. Keep it to genuine, independent reviews.

19. Aggregate rating schema

AggregateRating summarizes many reviews into one average score and count. It’s what produces the “4.7 stars from 128 reviews” line.

• Use it on: products, recipes, software, and other items with real ratings.
• Key properties: ratingValue, reviewCount or ratingCount, bestRating.
• Google status: supported inside review snippets.

AggregateRating never stands alone. Nest it inside the Product, Recipe, or SoftwareApplication it describes.

20. Software schema

SoftwareApplication schema describes apps, games, and SaaS tools. It can show ratings and price in search.

• Use it on: app landing pages and software product pages.
• Key properties: name, operatingSystem, applicationCategory, offers, aggregateRating.
• Google status: supported.

SaaS brands often overlook this one. It’s a natural fit for pricing and product pages.

21. Service schema

Service schema describes something you do rather than something you sell in a box. Think SEO audits, plumbing, or legal advice.

• Use it on: individual service pages.
• Key properties: serviceType, provider, areaServed, offers.
• Google status: no rich result, but it clarifies what your business offers.

Agencies and consultants get the most from it. Pair each Service with your Organization or LocalBusiness as the provider.

Event, job, and education schema types

These types fit content tied to a date, a role, or a learning goal. Each has its own dedicated Google experience.

22. Event schema

Event schema describes something happening at a set time, online or in person. It can surface in Google’s event listings.

• Use it on: event pages for concerts, webinars, workshops, and classes.
• Key properties: name, startDate, endDate, location, eventStatus, eventAttendanceMode, offers.
• Google status: supported.

Update eventStatus if plans change. Google can then show an event as postponed or cancelled.

23. Job posting schema

JobPosting schema puts open roles into Google’s job search experience. It’s one of the most valuable types for hiring.

• Use it on: each individual job listing page.
• Key properties: title, description, datePosted, validThrough, hiringOrganization, jobLocation, baseSalary.
• Google status: supported.

Remove the markup, or set validThrough, once a role is filled. Expired listings frustrate applicants.

24. Course schema

Course schema describes a class or training program. Google now uses it for course lists, which show several courses from one provider.

• Use it on: course catalog and course detail pages.
• Key properties: name, description, provider, hasCourseInstance, offers.
• Google status: supported for course lists. The separate Course info result was retired in 2025.

25. Dataset schema

Dataset schema describes data tables, research files, and open data. It helps your data appear in Google Dataset Search.

• Use it on: pages hosting downloadable or public datasets.
• Key properties: name, description, creator, license, distribution, temporalCoverage.
• Google status: supported in Dataset Search.

It’s a niche type, but a powerful one. Research teams and publishers with original data should never skip it.

Which schema types has Google retired?

Google has spent the last few years trimming features that rarely helped searchers. Every entry below comes from Google’s own Search Central updates log.

When	What changed
May 2026	FAQ rich results stopped showing for all sites
November 2025	Practice problem deprecated; Book actions kept after Google reversed its earlier notice
June 2025	Course info, Claim review (Fact check), Estimated salary, Learning video, and Vehicle listing deprecated
April 2025	Special announcement deprecated
September 2023	HowTo rich results removed on desktop and mobile; FAQ limited to well-known government and health sites

Here’s the key point. Retired features don’t make the code invalid. They simply stop producing a special listing in Google.

Which types of schema markup should your site use?

You don’t need all 25. Use this table as a starting kit for your kind of site.

Site type	Must-have types	Add when relevant
Blog or publisher	Organization, WebSite, Breadcrumb, Article, Person	Video, Profile page, Image metadata
Ecommerce store	Organization, WebSite, Breadcrumb, Product	Product review, Aggregate rating
Local business	Local business, WebSite, Breadcrumb	Service, Event, Product review
SaaS company	Organization, WebSite, Software, Breadcrumb	Article, Video, Person
Agency or consultant	Organization, WebSite, Service, Breadcrumb	Person, Article, Profile page
Events or education	Organization, Event or Course, Breadcrumb	Video, Q&A
Community or forum	Organization, WebSite, Discussion forum	Q&A, Profile page
Research or data	Organization, Dataset, Article	Person, Image metadata

Start with the must-haves on your top pages. Then roll out the extras once the basics validate cleanly.

Schema is only one piece of on-page SEO, so don’t skip titles, headings, and content quality along the way.

Which schema types matter most for AI search?

The short answer: the ones that define your entity. Organization, Person, Product, and LocalBusiness tell search systems exactly who and what you are.

Google is clear that you don’t need any special markup to appear in AI features. Its AI features guidance says there’s “no special schema.org structured data that you need to add.”

Still, consistent entity data helps search engines connect your brand across the web. That supports AI search optimization and the brand mentions behind citation SEO.

The best way to know if it’s paying off? Track your AI visibility before and after you roll out new markup.

How Contentpen supports a schema-ready content strategy

Markup describes your content, but it can’t fix weak content. Contentpen, an AI SEO tool, helps you build pages that each schema type can describe cleanly.

Here’s how it fits into your schema workflow:

• Structure built for extraction. The AI search optimization tool scores content with a real-time GEO score and adds key takeaways and a linked table of contents.
• Clean article basics. SEO scoring checks heading hierarchy, meta details, image alt tags, and named entities, the same fields Article markup relies on.
• Publishing to your CMS. Posts go straight to WordPress, Shopify, Webflow, and more, where your schema plugin adds the JSON-LD.
• Proof it’s working. Website analytics pulls in Search Console data, so you can watch clicks and CTR on pages with new markup.

Managing schema across dozens of client sites? See how Contentpen for agencies handles content at scale.

Fewer schema types, done well, beat a long list

There are 25 schema types worth knowing, but no site needs all of them. Chasing every type wastes time on markup that shows nothing.

Start with the site and entity types, add the ones that match your pages, and treat FAQ and HowTo as optional. Then validate, publish, and check the results in Search Console.

A short, accurate set of types will always outperform a long, messy one.

Frequently asked questions