Key Points

  • Stick to the Standard: Entertainment websites should utilize common root schema types such as article, person, and organization, which are standard across most websites.
  • Category-Specific Schema: Additional schema types should be implemented based on the entertainment category of the website. For example, Review and AggregateRating schema are both crucial for entertainment review sites while Movie and TVSeries schema are each essential for movie and TV show-related sites.
  • Schema Markup Implementation: Implementing schema on entertainment sites follows the same steps as other websites. Playwire offers tools and expert assistance to simplify and streamline this implementation process.

The average Hollywood movie has over 500 credited crew members. Yet most moviegoers only remember the leading actors. 

But that’s the point; in a well-done movie, you don’t think about the work that went into it. Each camera operator, makeup artist, and extra cast member does their part, and the result is a production that leaves viewers in awe.

The same can be said for your website. A lot goes on behind the scenes that your readers don’t know about, like schema, and without this background work, your site would be nowhere near the masterpiece that you hope it to be.

As we all know by now, technical SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is critical for people to find your content, and schema is one of many essential SEO mechanisms.

Think of schema like your website’s grip team; critical behind-the-scenes workers who rarely get any fame or fortune.

It may not get a shout-out at the award ceremony, but every website director needs schema markup if they want to get that Academy Award.

In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about schema and SEO for entertainment websites.

Cue the training montage…

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The Complete Guide to Schema for Website Publishers and Content Creators

Types of Schema Markup for Entertainment Websites

There are as many different types of schema markup as there are superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The challenge is knowing which ones will help your entertainment website gain more organic traffic.

The type of schema, or structured data markup, you should include on your site depends heavily on the type of entertainment your content covers. 

You wouldn’t need special effects makeup on an animated short film set. Similarly, you won’t need MusicAlbum schema on a film review website.

Here are the most important schema SEO options to consider when assessing your needs.

Article Schema

Most entertainment sites should include Article schema on any articles or blog post pages. Article schema provides detailed information about the headline, author, and publication date of your article or blog post. 

Say you’re writing a blog post about the latest season of The Last of Us. 

Here’s what the Article schema would look like for that post, in JSON-LD format:

{

  "@context": "https://schema.org",

  "@type": "Article",

  "headline": "Review: Season 2 of The Last of Us Exceeds Expectations",

  "author": {

    "@type": "Person",

    "name": "Alex Johnson"

  },

  "publisher": {

    "@type": "Organization",

    "name": "TV Reviews Daily",

    "logo": {

      "@type": "ImageObject",

      "url": "https://example.com/logo.png"

    }

  },

  "datePublished": "2024-06-25",

  "image": "https://example.com/last-of-us-season2-review.jpg",

  "description": "An in-depth review of Season 2 of The Last of Us, covering the storyline, character development, and overall impact.",

  "articleBody": "Season 2 of The Last of Us has taken the series to new heights...",

  "review": {

    "@type": "Review",

    "reviewBody": "Season 2 of The Last of Us delivers an emotionally charged and action-packed experience that exceeds the high expectations set by the first season.",

    "reviewRating": {

      "@type": "Rating",

      "ratingValue": "4.8",

      "bestRating": "5"

    },

    "author": {

      "@type": "Person",

      "name": "Alex Johnson"

    }

  },

  "mainEntity": {

    "@type": "TVSeries",

    "name": "The Last of Us",

    "actor": [

      {

        "@type": "Person",

        "name": "Pedro Pascal"

      },

      {

        "@type": "Person",

        "name": "Bella Ramsey"

      }

    ],

    "numberOfSeasons": "2",

    "aggregateRating": {

      "@type": "AggregateRating",

      "ratingValue": "9.2",

      "reviewCount": "2500"

    }

  }

}

 

A Note on Schema Hierarchy and Nesting

Nested within the article schema, there are other schema types — Person and Organization, to name a few. 

The hierarchy of schema types always begins with a root type. The root schema type should be the primary focus of the structured markup. For most entertainment websites, that type will be Article schema, but it could also be Product schema or Event schema.

Person Schema

Use Person schema to add data about a person associated with your content. This could include:

  • The author of the article
  • Actors and directors
  • Screenwriters
  • Characters
  • Public figures mentioned in the article

Here’s what Person schema looks like for a director, actor, and writer nested within a root TVEpisode schema about season 2 of The Last of Us:

{

  "@context": "https://schema.org",

  "@type": "TVEpisode",

  "name": "Episode Title",

  "episodeNumber": "1",

  "partOfSeason": {

    "@type": "TVSeason",

    "seasonNumber": "2"

  },

  "partOfSeries": {

    "@type": "TVSeries",

    "name": "The Last of Us"

  },

  "director": {

    "@type": "Person",

    "name": "John Doe",

    "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001234/"

  },

  "actor": [

    {

      "@type": "Person",

      "name": "Pedro Pascal",

      "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0050959/"

    },

    {

      "@type": "Person",

      "name": "Bella Ramsey",

      "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8165602/"

    }

  ],

  },

  "description": "In this thrilling first episode of Season 2, the journey continues with new challenges and unexpected alliances."

}

Organization Schema

Similar to Person schema, Organization schema provides additional information about companies and other organizations associated with your content.

Here’s an example of what Organization schema would look like for the production company that worked on Season 2 of The Last of Us:

{

  "@context": "https://schema.org",

  "@type": "TVEpisode",

  "name": "Episode Title",

  "episodeNumber": "1",

  "partOfSeason": {

    "@type": "TVSeason",

    "seasonNumber": "2"

  },

  "partOfSeries": {

    "@type": "TVSeries",

    "name": "The Last of Us"

  },

  "productionCompany": {

    "@type": "Organization",

    "name": "HBO",

    "url": "https://www.hbo.com/",

    "logo": {

      "@type": "ImageObject",

      "url": "https://www.hbo.com/logo.png"

    },

    "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/company/co0008693/",

    "contactPoint": {

      "@type": "ContactPoint",

      "telephone": "+1-212-512-1000",

      "contactType": "Customer Service",

      "areaServed": "US",

      "availableLanguage": "English"

    }

  }

}

Review Schema

If your website allows readers to leave reviews, you’ll need to include Review schema in your structured data markup.

Review schema provides detailed information about the content and context of user reviews. When done correctly, it should look like this:

{

  "@context": "https://schema.org",

  "@type": "TVEpisode",

  "name": "Episode Title",

  "episodeNumber": "1",

  "partOfSeason": {

    "@type": "TVSeason",

    "seasonNumber": "2"

  },

  "partOfSeries": {

    "@type": "TVSeries",

    "name": "The Last of Us"

  },

  "review": {

    "@type": "Review",

    "author": {

      "@type": "Person",

      "name": "Alex Johnson"

    },

    "reviewBody": "In this thrilling first episode of Season 2, the journey continues with new challenges and unexpected alliances. The character development and plot twists are exceptional.",

    "reviewRating": {

      "@type": "Rating",

      "ratingValue": "4.8",

      "bestRating": "5"

    },

    "datePublished": "2024-06-25"

   }

)

AggregateRating Schema

Similar to Review schema, AggregateRating schema is used to provide context about user ratings of content on your site.

This can be ratings of your content, meaning ratings of your original work, or ratings for movies, TV shows, music, or other entertainment that your website features.

Here’s what it looks like:

{

  "@context": "https://schema.org",

  "@type": "TVEpisode",

  "name": "Episode Title",

  "episodeNumber": "1",

  "partOfSeason": {

    "@type": "TVSeason",

    "seasonNumber": "2"

  },

  "partOfSeries": {

    "@type": "TVSeries",

    "name": "The Last of Us"

  },

  "aggregateRating": {

    "@type": "AggregateRating",

    "ratingValue": "9.0",

    "reviewCount": "1500",

    "bestRating": "10",

    "worstRating": "1"

   }

}

Movie Schema

If your website publishes content about movies, you should include Movie schema in your structured data.

Movie schema communicates information about a movie’s:

  • Title
  • Cast
  • Writers
  • Director
  • Production Company
  • Genre
  • Duration
  • Trailer
  • Description
  • Rating
  • Reviews

Here’s what it looks like in action: 

{

  "@context": "https://schema.org",

  "@type": "Movie",

  "name": "Inception",

  "director": {

    "@type": "Person",

    "name": "Christopher Nolan",

    "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0634240/"

  },

  "actor": [

    {

      "@type": "Person",

      "name": "Leonardo DiCaprio",

      "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000138/"

    },

    {

      "@type": "Person",

      "name": "Joseph Gordon-Levitt",

      "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0330687/"

    },

    {

      "@type": "Person",

      "name": "Ellen Page",

      "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0680983/"

    }

  ],

  "genre": "Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi",

  "duration": "PT148M",

  "datePublished": "2010-07-16",

  "description": "A thief who steals corporate secrets through the use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a C.E.O.",

  "aggregateRating": {

    "@type": "AggregateRating",

    "ratingValue": "8.8",

    "reviewCount": "2000000",

    "bestRating": "10",

    "worstRating": "1"

  },

  "image": "https://example.com/inception-poster.jpg",

  "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1375666/",

  "productionCompany": {

    "@type": "Organization",

    "name": "Warner Bros. Pictures",

    "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/company/co0002663/",

    "logo": {

      "@type": "ImageObject",

      "url": "https://example.com/warner-bros-logo.png"

    }

  },

  "trailer": {

    "@type": "VideoObject",

    "name": "Inception Trailer",

    "description": "Watch the official trailer for Inception.",

    "thumbnailUrl": "https://example.com/inception-trailer-thumbnail.jpg",

    "uploadDate": "2010-05-10",

    "contentUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoHD9XEInc0",

    "embedUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/embed/YoHD9XEInc0",

    "duration": "PT2M28S"

  }

}

TVSeries and Episode Schema

Similar to Movie schema, TVSeries or Episode schema provides search engines with information about a TV show’s cast, crew, episode length, or rating. 

Here’s an example:

{

  "@context": "https://schema.org",

  "@type": "TVSeries",

  "name": "The Walking Dead",

  "creator": {

    "@type": "Person",

    "name": "Frank Darabont",

    "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001104/"

  },

  "actor": [

    {

      "@type": "Person",

      "name": "Andrew Lincoln",

      "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0511088/"

    },

    {

      "@type": "Person",

      "name": "Norman Reedus",

      "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005342/"

    },

    {

      "@type": "Person",

      "name": "Melissa McBride",

      "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564350/"

    }

  ],

  "director": {

    "@type": "Person",

    "name": "Greg Nicotero",

    "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0630524/"

  },

  "genre": ["Drama", "Horror", "Thriller"],

  "datePublished": "2010-10-31",

  "description": "Sheriff Deputy Rick Grimes wakes up from a coma to learn the world is in ruins, and must lead a group of survivors to stay alive.",

  "aggregateRating": {

    "@type": "AggregateRating",

    "ratingValue": "8.2",

    "reviewCount": "900000",

    "bestRating": "10",

    "worstRating": "1"

  },

  "image": "https://example.com/the-walking-dead-poster.jpg",

  "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1520211/",

  "numberOfSeasons": "11",

  "numberOfEpisodes": "177",

  "productionCompany": {

    "@type": "Organization",

    "name": "AMC Studios",

    "sameAs": "https://www.imdb.com/company/co0040180/",

    "logo": {

      "@type": "ImageObject",

      "url": "https://example.com/amc-studios-logo.png"

    }

  },

  "trailer": {

    "@type": "VideoObject",

    "name": "The Walking Dead Trailer",

    "description": "Watch the official trailer for The Walking Dead.",

    "thumbnailUrl": "https://example.com/the-walking-dead-trailer-thumbnail.jpg",

    "uploadDate": "2010-09-01",

    "contentUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1v0uFms68U",

    "embedUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/embed/R1v0uFms68U",

    "duration": "PT2M31S"

  }

}

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Explore the Complete Schema Resource Center

MusicAlbum or MusicRecording Schema

If your website talks about music, you should include MusicAlbum or MusicRecording schema. MusicAlbum schema refers to a complete album of work from an artist, whereas MusicRecording is for a single song.

MusicAlbum schema includes information about an album’s artist, producer, reviews, and more. You can include MusicRecording schema nested in your MusicAlbum schema to outline each unique track on an album.

Here’s an example of MusicAlbum schema with nested MusicRecording structured data about each track:

{

  "@context": "https://schema.org",

  "@type": "MusicAlbum",

  "name": "Thriller",

  "byArtist": {

    "@type": "MusicGroup",

    "name": "Michael Jackson",

    "sameAs": "https://www.michaeljackson.com/"

  },

  "genre": ["Pop", "Rock", "R&B"],

  "datePublished": "1982-11-30",

  "description": "Thriller is the sixth studio album by American singer Michael Jackson, released on November 30, 1982. It remains the best-selling album of all time.",

  "aggregateRating": {

    "@type": "AggregateRating",

    "ratingValue": "4.9",

    "reviewCount": "10000",

    "bestRating": "5",

    "worstRating": "1"

  },

  "image": "https://example.com/thriller-album-cover.jpg",

  "sameAs": "https://www.discogs.com/Michael-Jackson-Thriller/master/10802",

  "track": [

    {

      "@type": "MusicRecording",

      "name": "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'",

      "duration": "PT6M3S",

      "inAlbum": {

        "@type": "MusicAlbum",

        "name": "Thriller"

      },

      "byArtist": {

        "@type": "MusicGroup",

        "name": "Michael Jackson"

      }

    },

    {

      "@type": "MusicRecording",

      "name": "Baby Be Mine",

      "duration": "PT4M20S",

      "inAlbum": {

        "@type": "MusicAlbum",

        "name": "Thriller"

      },

      "byArtist": {

        "@type": "MusicGroup",

        "name": "Michael Jackson"

      }

    },

    {

      "@type": "MusicRecording",

      "name": "The Girl Is Mine",

      "duration": "PT3M42S",

      "inAlbum": {

        "@type": "MusicAlbum",

        "name": "Thriller"

      },

      "byArtist": {

        "@type": "MusicGroup",

        "name": "Michael Jackson"

      },

      "additionalType": "https://schema.org/Duet"

    },

    {

      "@type": "MusicRecording",

      "name": "Thriller",

      "duration": "PT5M57S",

      "inAlbum": {

        "@type": "MusicAlbum",

        "name": "Thriller"

      },

      "byArtist": {

        "@type": "MusicGroup",

        "name": "Michael Jackson"

      }

    },

    {

      "@type": "MusicRecording",

      "name": "Beat It",

      "duration": "PT4M18S",

      "inAlbum": {

        "@type": "MusicAlbum",

        "name": "Thriller"

      },

      "byArtist": {

        "@type": "MusicGroup",

        "name": "Michael Jackson"

      }

    },

    {

      "@type": "MusicRecording",

      "name": "Billie Jean",

      "duration": "PT4M54S",

      "inAlbum": {

        "@type": "MusicAlbum",

        "name": "Thriller"

      },

      "byArtist": {

        "@type": "MusicGroup",

        "name": "Michael Jackson"

      }

    },

    {

      "@type": "MusicRecording",

      "name": "Human Nature",

      "duration": "PT4M6S",

      "inAlbum": {

        "@type": "MusicAlbum",

        "name": "Thriller"

      },

      "byArtist": {

        "@type": "MusicGroup",

        "name": "Michael Jackson"

      }

    },

    {

      "@type": "MusicRecording",

      "name": "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)",

      "duration": "PT3M59S",

      "inAlbum": {

        "@type": "MusicAlbum",

        "name": "Thriller"

      },

      "byArtist": {

        "@type": "MusicGroup",

        "name": "Michael Jackson"

      }

    },

    {

      "@type": "MusicRecording",

      "name": "The Lady in My Life",

      "duration": "PT4M59S",

      "inAlbum": {

        "@type": "MusicAlbum",

        "name": "Thriller"

      },

      "byArtist": {

        "@type": "MusicGroup",

        "name": "Michael Jackson"

      }

    }

  ]

}

Event Schema

If your entertainment website publishes content about events, you should include Event schema.

Event schema code includes information about the performer, venue, date, ticket price, status, and organizer of an event and can either be the root schema type or nested within another type, such as Article.

Here’s an example of Event schema for a live concert:

{

  "@context": "https://schema.org",

  "@type": "Event",

  "name": "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour",

  "startDate": "2024-08-15T19:00:00",

  "endDate": "2024-08-15T22:00:00",

  "location": {

    "@type": "Place",

    "name": "Madison Square Garden",

    "address": {

      "@type": "PostalAddress",

      "streetAddress": "4 Pennsylvania Plaza",

      "addressLocality": "New York",

      "addressRegion": "NY",

      "postalCode": "10001",

      "addressCountry": "US"

    }

  },

  "performer": {

    "@type": "MusicGroup",

    "name": "Taylor Swift",

    "sameAs": "https://www.taylorswift.com/"

  },

  "organizer": {

    "@type": "Organization",

    "name": "Live Nation",

    "url": "https://www.livenation.com/"

  },

  "eventStatus": "https://schema.org/EventScheduled",

  "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode",

  "offers": {

    "@type": "Offer",

    "url": "https://www.example.com/taylor-swift-tickets",

    "price": "150.00",

    "priceCurrency": "USD",

    "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock",

    "validFrom": "2024-06-01T12:00:00"

  },

  "description": "Join Taylor Swift for an unforgettable night of music at Madison Square Garden as part of her Eras Tour.",

  "image": "https://example.com/taylor-swift-eras-tour.jpg",

  "sameAs": "https://www.example.com/taylor-swift-eras-tour-event"

}

Hit Your Mark With Playwire

A schema markup strategy is only one role in a long call sheet of content marketing strategies to help you reach your revenue goals.

If you truly want to wow your readers, there’s a lot more that goes into generating more traffic. Social media engagement, paid search, digital advertising, etc.; and this is all on top of creating high-value, unique content that will earn you a standing ovation with search engines.

Luckily, you don’t need to go method. Playwire can help you turn your hard work into amplified revenue.

Think of us as your superstar producer: you have the vision (unique content), and we make it happen (by helping you implement an effective and customized ad monetization strategy).

If you’re ready to make it big, contact us to get started.

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