JSON-LD Schema
JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) is a standardized code format that structures website data for search engines and AI models. It explicitly labels content elements like "price," "stock status," and "author," allowing machines to instantly index and cite specific facts without parsing visual layouts or guessing context.
Why JSON-LD is Critical for AI Search
Humans can visually scan a product page and instantly identify the price, availability, and ratings. But search engines and AI models don't "see" pages—they parse raw HTML code. Without explicit labeling, they must algorithmically guess which numbers represent prices versus phone numbers, which text is a product name versus marketing copy. This guessing game leads to incorrect rich snippets, missed AI citations, and lost visibility in conversational search. JSON-LD solves this by wrapping data in Schema.org vocabulary that machines understand: "price": "10.00", "currency": "USD". This structured approach is invisible to human visitors but dramatically improves how Google displays your content in rich results and how ChatGPT/Gemini cite your facts in AI responses. It's the technical foundation of both modern SEO and GEO.
Unstructured HTML vs. JSON-LD Structured Data
Real-World Impact
Product page shows price as "Only $49 this week!"
Google can't create rich snippet, AI can't parse pricing
Click-through rate: 2.3%, zero AI citations
Add JSON-LD with "price": "49.00", "availability": "InStock"
Google shows star rating + price in search, ChatGPT cites exact price
Click-through rate jumps to 8.7%, 340% more AI citations