If you’ve gone through the trouble of creating some schema to add to your website, the good news is that you’ve done half the work. But, now you have to add your newly created schema to your website. So, how do you add schema markup to your site and what’s the best method?
There are three ways you can add schema to your website: manually, through GTM or a dedicated plugin. Which method is right for you will depend on your website CMS, the schema you’re adding and your technical knowledge. Using a plugin is often the most straightforward way, but GTM or manual implementation can be good options if you have enough experience with GTM or coding.
Keep reading for an in-depth breakdown of the different ways you can add schema to your website.
Adding Schema to a Website
After you’ve generated your schema (you can do this manually or through a tool like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper or Schema Markup Generator), you will need to add it to the relevant page or pages of your website.
There are three main ways you can add structured data markup to your site:
- Manually
- Through GTM
- Using a plugin
Which method you choose will depend on the CMS of your website, the type of schema you want to add and your technical knowledge:
- Manually adding schema means you have to edit your website’s files directly (for most CMS platforms) which requires some technical knowledge and can cause significant issues if you make a mistake. However, this does give you complete control over your structured data.
- Adding schema through GTM means you don’t need to edit any code and all your schema can be managed in one place. You can also add schema dynamically. However, this method still requires a good working knowledge of GTM.
- Using a dedicated plugin is the easiest way to add schema to your website especially if you don’t have much technical knowledge. However, plugins might be limited in the types of schema that you can add and too many plugins can slow down your website. For some types of schema, e.g. Breadcrumb Schema, it’s much easier to use a plugin as it requires a lot of technical knowledge to add them manually.
How To Manually Add Schema To a Website
JSON-LD schema markup should be implemented directly in the page source code. It can be added within <script> tags in the <head> of your page.
Adding schema manually can be difficult as it involves accessing your website’s files. If possible, you should always take a backup of your site before editing your site’s code, in case you make a mistake. If you’re unsure about doing this, we recommend using GTM or a dedicated plugin which are easier options (keep reading to learn more about these methods).
Below we look at how to manually add schema to some of the most common CMS platforms: WordPress, Wix and Shopify.
Adding Schema Markup Manually to WordPress
You can add schema markup manually to a WordPress website by assessing the WordPress files:
- Access Your WordPress files through any WordPress editor plugin, FTP or loudways SSH Terminal.
- Insert your schema markup into the <head> section of your header.php file (if you want to add the schema site-wide), or individual posts or page templates.
- Test your schema using both Google’s Rich Results Test tool and Schema Markup Validator.
Adding Schema Markup Manually to Shopify
To add schema manually to a Shopify site, you’ll need to access your store’s theme files:
- Navigate to your store’s theme files through Online Store – Themes – Actions – Edit Code.
- Locate the right .liquid template to add your schema.
- For example, for product pages, choose product.liquid or product-template.liquid.
- For articles, choose article.liquid.
- For collection pages, choose collection.liquid or collection-template.liquid.
- For the homepage, choose index.liquid.
- For all pages, choose theme.liquid.
- Test your schema using both Google’s Rich Results Test tool and Schema Markup Validator.
Adding Schema Markup Manually to Wix
The good news is that Wix makes it very easy to add schema to your site. You can add structured data markup through the Wix Editor, without needing to access your website files:
- Go to your website editor.
- Click Pages & Menu on the left-hand side of the editor.
- Click SEO Basics next to the page that you want to add schema to.
- Click Advanced SEO, then Structured Data Markup, then +Add New Markup.
- Add your schema (ensure it is in JSON-LD format).
- Click Apply.
- Test your schema using both Google’s Rich Results Test tool and Schema Markup Validator.
How to Add Schema to a Website Using Google Tag Manager
If you already have Google Tag Manager set up, this can be a straightforward way to add schema to your site. It does require some knowledge of GTM, but it offers additional flexibility and control compared to using a plugin.
Here are the steps you’ll need to follow.
1. Create a New Custom HTML Tag.
Open a new custom HTML tag and name it something descriptive, for example, ‘Organisation Schema Markup’ or ‘Service Schema SEO’.
2. Paste JSON-LD Schema Markup into the Text Box
Copy and paste the schema you’ve already created (make sure you’ve validated it first) into the custom HTML text box.
3. Save Your Custom HTML Tag
Click the blue ‘Save’ button on the top right-hand corner of your screen to save your tag. You might get a pop-up message saying, ‘No Triggers Selected’, but this is not a problem.
4. Add Your Page View Trigger
Next, you will need to create a Page View trigger for your tag to fire on. Click the plus icon on the right-hand side and choose Add Trigger. Name the trigger based on which page or pages you want your structured data on, for example, ‘Home Page View’ or ‘All Page Views’. Choose ‘Page View’ for your Trigger Type
5. Configure Your Page View Trigger
Next, you will need to configure the trigger that you have just created so that it fires on the correct page or pages. ‘Choose All Page Views’ if you want your structured data to appear on all pages or ‘Some Page Views’ if you only want it to appear on certain pages.
Then choose ‘Page URL’ and select ‘equals’ or ‘contains’ depending on which pages you want your structured data on. In the example below, I’ve selected ‘equals’ and put the URL of my website’s home page, as I only want my organisation schema on this page. Click Save.
6. Connect Your Page View Trigger to Your Tag
Open the ‘Organisation Schema Markup’ you created in step 1. Choose the ‘Page View’ trigger you just created to ensure your tag fires on the desired page or pages. Then you can save your tag.
6. Publish Your Google Tag Manager container
Click Submit and then Publish. You can add a version name and description of what you’ve added.
7. Test Your Markup
You should use both the Rich Results Test and the Schema Markup Validator to check your schema is working properly (if you have created service schema like in my example, this does not appear in the Rich Results Test, so you only need to use the Schema Markup Validator).
Below you can see that the Schema Markup Validator shows no warnings or errors.
How to Add Schema to a Website Using a Plugin
Using a plugin is the simplest way to add schema to your website, though the downside is that you don’t have much control over your schema. Below we go over some of the most popular plugins:
- SchemaPro. This WordPress plugin allows you to choose from a wide range of schema types and select the pages that you want it on.
- Rank Math. This WordPress SEO plugin offers a wide range of features, including a schema markup generator and importer tool.
- Yoast. This SEO plugin for WordPress and Shopify offers both a free and premium version and automatically adds structured data to your site.
Add Schema to Your Website With Help From Wildcat Digital
At Wildcat Digital, our technical SEO team are experts at adding a wide range of structured data to your website to help you outperform your competitors. We will create and implement schema, alongside other aspects of technical SEO and an effective content strategy, to drive more traffic to your site, boost keyword rankings and ultimately increase conversions.
Get in touch with a member of our friendly team to learn more or visit our Technical SEO page for more information.
Adding Schema FAQs
Can I Add Schema to My Website Through Google Tag Manager (GTM)?
Yes, you can use Google Tag Manager (GTM) to add structured data to your website. This means you can add schema without modifying code or installing a plugin. You’ll need to create a custom HTML tag which contains your structured data. Then you’ll need to set the tag to fire on the specific page or pages that you want your structured data on (for example, a service page for service schema). After you’ve published your tag, you’ll need to test your schema through the Rich Results Test and the Schema Markup Validator. Learn more about the process of adding schema using GTM.
Can I Add Structured Data Dynamically Using GTM?
Yes, you can add structured data dynamically using GTM through variables. This can be really useful for schema that needs to be tailored to specific pages (for example product or service schema). Using variables means you only need to create one structured data template with variables and one tag which will then inject the tailored schema on all relevant pages.
Here’s a quick overview of the process you’ll need to follow:
- Create the schema template. For anything you want to be filled out dynamically (such as the product name or description), leave this blank.
- Replace each empty space in your schema template with a variable. Put these variables inside double curly braces, so GTM can recognise them. For example, for where you want the product name, put {{Product_Name}}.
- Create your variables in GTM. You’ll need to create user-defined variables (some variables such as Page URL are already provided by GTM).
- Name the variable according to your schema template (e.g. Product_Name).
- Choose DOM Element as the variable type and choose CSS Selector.
- To find the CSS selector of your element, right-click on the element, click copy, then copy selector.
- Add this to your tag.
- Add your trigger so your tag fires on the correct pages.
- Publish your tag and test using the Rich Results Test and the Schema Markup Validator.
How Can I Check if My Schema Markup Has Been Added Correctly?
To check if your schema markup has been added correctly,you can use Google’s Rich Results Test and the Schema Markup Validator. Here’s a bit more information about these testing tools:
- The Rich Results Test specifically checks if your schema is valid and eligible for Google’s rich results. However, it doesn’t support all schemas, only Google-approved ones. For example, if you’ve created service schema, this will not appear in the Rich Results Test.
- The Schema Markup Validator was created by Schema.org and validates all types of schema.org markup, helping you identify any errors.
Do I Need to Add Schema to Every Page on My Website?
No, you don’t need to add schema markup to every page on your website, you only need to add to pages where it’s relevant and will help search engines better understand your content. Generally, you should add relevant schema to the following pages:
- Home page
- Product pages
- Service pages
- Location pages
- FAQ pages
Some types of schema can be on every page, such as organisation or local business schema, but it can also just be implemented on the most relevant pages, like your home page and location pages. Learn more about this in our blog, ‘Should You Add LocalBusiness Schema on Every Page?’.
What’s the Difference Between JRDFa, Microdata, and JSON-LD for Schema Markup?
The main difference between RDFa, Microdata, and JSON-LD is how they’re implemented on the page. Microdata and RDFa are added as properties within the content, while JSON-LD is added independently, usually in the header or footer of the HTML.
JSON-LD is the W3C and Google recommended format for structured data because of its simplicity and ability to be read easily by both machines and humans. If you are adding schema to your website, it is strongly recommended that you use JSON-LD. For some methods of schema implementation, e.g. using GTM or adding manually, will require you to use JSON-LD.
Can Schema Help With Rich Snippets in Google Search Results?
Yes, schema helps Google understand your content more easily and display it more visually, through rich results (previously called rich snippets). Rich results are enhanced search results which display additional information like images, ratings and prices. They help users find information more quickly, help improve your website’s visibility in the search results and typically have higher click-through rates,
Learn more about this in our blog ‘How Do You Appear in Rich Results?’.
If you’d like to learn more about schema, check out our ultimate guide, ‘
Kezia Humphries
SEO Executive
