JSON-LD
JSON-LD is Google's recommended structured data format: JavaScript in a script tag that describes your page using schema.org vocabulary.
What is JSON-LD?
JSON-LD (JSON for Linking Data) is a format for structured data that describes a page’s content using schema.org vocabulary inside a <script type="application/ld+json"> tag. Unlike Microdata and RDFa, the code is not interleaved with the visible HTML — it sits as a single JSON block, usually in the page <head>. It is the method Google itself recommends because it is the easiest to maintain and debug.
Why does JSON-LD matter?
JSON-LD lets you tell Google exactly what a page is about — that a product page describes a Product with an Offer (price, currency, availability) and any reviews. Correct markup makes the page eligible for rich snippets such as star ratings, price, and stock status directly in the search results, which can lift click-through rate. Note that structured data is a signal, not a guarantee: Google decides whether the rich result is shown.
Common use cases
- Product pages with
ProductandOfferschema so price and availability can appear in Google. - Breadcrumbs with
BreadcrumbListfor a cleaner path in the result snippet. - FAQ and how-to content with
FAQPageschema on informational pages. - Business data with
Organizationso logo, name, and profiles are understood correctly. - Reviews with
AggregateRatingto trigger star ratings in the result.
Shopify perspective
Many Shopify themes (e.g. Dawn) already output some Product JSON-LD automatically via Liquid, but coverage and completeness vary by theme and are affected by apps. Avoid ending up with two sets of markup from both the theme and an SEO app, as this creates duplicates. Always test real URLs in Google’s Rich Results Test and the Schema Markup Validator, and watch the “Enhancements” report in Search Console.