Google Updates Organisation Structured Data Documentation: A Comprehensive Overview
In recent updates to its Organisation Structured Data documentation, Google has provided a more transparent, more detailed explanation of the purpose and benefits of this data. This revision reflects a commitment to improving the clarity and density of information, making the documentation more accessible and valuable for developers and businesses. The updated document introduces four key points that enhance the previous version, addressing shortcomings in specificity, scope, and actionable guidance. By understanding these changes, publishers and SEOs can effectively draw valuable insights on structuring web content to improve user experience and search engine visibility.
What is Organisation Structured Data?
Organisation structured data is a form of markup that provides search engines like Google with essential details about a business or organisation. These details typically include the organisation's name, address, contact information, logo, and other relevant identifiers. By including this data on their website, businesses help search engines better understand their identity, which in turn can improve how they appear in search results.
Organisation structured data plays a vital role in the creation of knowledge panels and visual elements in search results. Knowledge panels, often seen on the right-hand side of Google’s search results, provide users with quick access to essential details about an organisation, person, or entity. For businesses, appearing in a knowledge panel can enhance visibility and credibility, presenting users with trustworthy and accurate information at a glance.
Improvements to Google's Documentation
The most significant change in Google’s updated Organisation Structured Data documentation is the revision of the opening paragraph. Previously, the introduction was somewhat limited in scope and lacked specific details about the value and application of structured data. The new version, however, addresses these shortcomings, offering a more comprehensive and informative overview.
Previous Opening Paragraph
By utilising organisation-structured data, you can provide Google with essential details about your business, such as your logo, address, contact information, and other key identifiers. Google may use this information in knowledge panels and other visual features like attribution, making it easier for users to find and recognise your organisation in Google Search.
New Opening Paragraph
“Adding organisation structured data to your home page can help Google better understand your organisation’s administrative details and disambiguate your organisation in search results. Some properties are used behind the scenes to disambiguate your organisation from other organisations (like iso6523 and naics). In contrast, others can influence visual elements in Search results (such as which logo is shown in Search results and your knowledge panel). If you’re a merchant, you can influence more details in your merchant knowledge panel and brand profile, such as return policy, address, and contact information. There are no required properties; instead, we recommend adding as many relevant properties as possible to your organisation.”
This new paragraph introduces several improvements that enhance the document’s overall quality, providing a clear roadmap for readers to understand the topic.
Key Improvements in the New Documentation
1. Higher Information Density
Google’s updated documentation exemplifies information density, a fundamental principle in effective writing. Information density refers to the ability to communicate more information with fewer words. The new opening paragraph packs essential information by covering various topics, such as disambiguation, visual elements, and merchant-specific features, without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary detail. This concise yet comprehensive approach helps readers grasp the key points quickly, making the documentation more effective.
2. Enhanced Relevance
The updated documentation clearly outlines the page's focus, explaining the significance of structured data for organisations and how it benefits users. By providing this clarity in the opening lines, readers can quickly grasp the document's purpose, making it easier to navigate and understand. This improvement in relevance ensures that users seeking specific information can find it easily without having to wade through vague or overly broad content.
3. Clearer Examples and Applications
The updated documentation introduces examples of how specific Schema.org properties can be applied to influence the presentation of an organisation’s details in search results. For instance, it explains that properties like iso6523 and naics disambiguate one organisation from another. This level of specificity is precious for businesses operating in competitive spaces where it’s important to distinguish their organisation from similar entities.
Additionally, the documentation now highlights how structured data can enrich a merchant’s knowledge panel and brand profile, providing details such as return policies, contact information, and addresses. These examples offer actionable information for merchants looking to optimise their search presence.
4. Comprehensive yet Simple Approach
The update emphasises that no properties are required for organisation-structured data, encouraging businesses to add as many properties relevant to their specific needs. While this guidance is not new, its inclusion in the opening paragraph helps set the stage for a more flexible approach to structured data. Rather than imposing rigid requirements, the documentation invites businesses to tailor their use of structured data based on relevance and context, making the content more approachable for a wider audience.
5. Increased Focus on Merchants
One of the most notable changes is the inclusion of merchants as a specific class of users who can particularly benefit from organisation-structured data. The new documentation indicates that merchants can influence the details in their knowledge panels and brand profiles, giving them more control over how their business is perceived in search results. This focus on merchants addresses a gap in the previous version, which was more generic and did not cater to the needs of specific user groups.
Why the Previous Version Needed to be Improved
While the previous version of Google’s documentation did provide some helpful information, it fell short in several key areas. The most significant issues were a lack of specifics, limited scope, and a failure to prepare the reader for the rest of the document.
1. Lack of Specifics
The earlier version of the documentation was vague, failing to provide enough detail to help users fully understand the benefits of organisation-structured data. For example, it mentioned that structured data could provide Google with details such as a logo, address, and contact information. Still, it didn’t explain how this information might be used or why it was necessary. The new version corrects this by providing clear examples of how structured data can impact search results and knowledge panels.
2. Limited Scope
The scope of the previous documentation was also too narrow, focusing primarily on administrative details without delving into the broader applications of structured data. This made it difficult for businesses to see the full potential of structured data for improving their search presence. The updated version expands the scope, discussing the role of disambiguation and the impact of structured data on visual elements in search results, making the content more relevant and valuable.
3. Lack of Actionable Information
The old version of the documentation provided some general guidance on organisation-structured data, but it needed actionable advice for users looking to implement it effectively. On the other hand, the new documentation offers specific recommendations for adding relevant structured data properties, making it easier for businesses to take practical steps toward improving their search presence.
4. Insufficient Preparation for the Reader
One of the critical shortcomings of the previous version was its failure to prepare the reader for the rest of the document. With a clear explanation of the purpose and benefits of organisation structured data, readers might have understood why the information was relevant to them. The new opening paragraph resolves this issue by providing a clear and concise summary of the document, ensuring that readers are well-prepared for the more detailed information that follows.
Conclusion
Google's updated Organisation Structured Data guidelines set a strong example of how to enhance the quality and impact of web content. By focusing on information richness, relevance, and practical advice, the new documentation gives readers a more straightforward path to effectively implementing structured data. Including detailed examples and attention to merchants' needs further adds to its value, making it a valuable tool for businesses across the board.
These updates highlight the importance of clear communication, relevance, and precision for publishers and SEO professionals. By adopting these principles, they can craft content that is more engaging and better aligned with their objectives. Whether you're a small business aiming to boost your search visibility or a larger organisation refining your structured data, Google's new guidelines provide a solid framework for success.