Technical

Schema Markup for AI Search: Complete Implementation Guide

Learn to implement schema markup that helps AI systems cite your content. Step-by-step guide with code examples for FAQ, Article, and Organization schemas.

Cited TeamDecember 28, 202515 min read
Schema Markup for AI Search: Complete Implementation Guide

Key Takeaways

  • Schema markup is critical for AI systems to understand and cite your content accurately
  • Essential schema types include Organization, FAQ, Article, Product/Service, and Breadcrumb
  • JSON-LD is the recommended format for implementing schema markup
  • Always validate your schema using Google Rich Results Test or Schema.org Validator
  • Schema content must accurately match your visible page content

Why Schema Markup Matters for AI Search

Last updated: January 2026

Schema markup is structured data that helps search engines and AI systems understand the content and context of your web pages. While traditional SEO has long recognized schema's importance for rich snippets, its role in AI search visibility is even more critical.

AI systems use schema markup to:
  • Understand what entities your content discusses
  • Extract accurate information for citations
  • Verify the authority and freshness of content
  • Connect related concepts across your site

Without proper schema markup, AI systems must guess what your content means—and they often guess wrong or skip your content entirely.

Essential Schema Types for GEO

1. Organization Schema

Every website should have Organization schema on every page. This establishes your brand identity for AI systems.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Your Company Name",
  "url": "https://yourwebsite.com",
  "logo": "https://yourwebsite.com/logo.png",
  "description": "What your company does",
  "foundingDate": "2020",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://twitter.com/yourhandle",
    "https://linkedin.com/company/yourcompany"
  ],
  "contactPoint": {
    "@type": "ContactPoint",
    "contactType": "Customer Service",
    "email": "support@yourwebsite.com"
  }
}
Implementation tip: Add this schema to your site's root layout so it appears on every page.

2. FAQ Schema

FAQ schema is arguably the most important for GEO because AI systems love question-answer formats.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What is GEO optimization?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the practice of optimizing your website to be discovered and cited by AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity."
      }
    }
  ]
}
Best practices for FAQ schema:
  • Use natural, conversational questions
  • Provide complete answers (40-60 words minimum)
  • Include your target keywords naturally
  • Add FAQ schema to every relevant page, not just a dedicated FAQ page

3. Article Schema

For blog posts and articles, Article schema helps AI systems understand the content type, author, and publication date.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "Your Article Title",
  "description": "Brief description of the article",
  "image": "https://yoursite.com/article-image.jpg",
  "datePublished": "2026-01-01",
  "dateModified": "2026-01-05",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Author Name"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Company",
    "logo": {
      "@type": "ImageObject",
      "url": "https://yoursite.com/logo.png"
    }
  }
}

4. Product/Service Schema

If you sell products or services, this schema helps AI systems understand and recommend your offerings.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Product",
  "name": "Your Product Name",
  "description": "What the product does",
  "brand": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Company"
  },
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "price": "99.00",
    "priceCurrency": "USD",
    "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock"
  },
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.8",
    "ratingCount": "127"
  }
}

5. Breadcrumb Schema

Breadcrumb schema helps AI understand your site structure and the context of each page.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
  "itemListElement": [
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 1,
      "name": "Home",
      "item": "https://yoursite.com"
    },
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 2,
      "name": "Blog",
      "item": "https://yoursite.com/blog"
    }
  ]
}

Implementation Methods

Method 1: JSON-LD in Head (Recommended)

The most common and recommended approach is adding JSON-LD scripts to your page's head section:


  

Method 2: React/Next.js Components

For React applications, create reusable schema components:

function OrganizationSchema() {
  const schema = {
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Company"
  };

return (