Key Points

  • Schema Markup is Essential for Review Site SEO: Schema markup is not just a nice-to-have, but a critical tool for review websites to stand out in search results and attract more clicks.
  • Rich Snippets Boost Visibility and Engagement: By correctly implementing the right schema types, review websites can earn rich snippets (star ratings, author info, etc.) that make their listings more enticing to users.
  • Schema Types for Review Sites are Specific: Review websites should focus on mastering Review, Product/Service/LocalBusiness, and AggregateRating schema types for the best search results.

There’s no denying that organic search is a leading traffic driver for a review website. 

SEO? It’s non-negotiable. 

But, to take your review site beyond simple search engine results pages (SERPs) and into rich snippet territory, a critical component for driving more traffic to your content versus your competitors, you need to master schema markup (also known as structured data).

What is schema markup? 

Think of it as the secret language that helps search engines better understand your content. 

In the review site world, this can include a type like Review schema, which can trigger reviews to appear right in search results. In short, an effective schema markup strategy can help increase visibility, attract clicks through rich snippets, and drive up click-through rates (CTRs).

To help you get a better lay of the schema land, we’ve written a laundry list of schema and SEO recommendations for review websites in the article below including why schema is important, how to add schema markup to your review site, and what types you should consider for improved search engine results.

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The Complete Guide to Schema for Website Publishers and Content Creators

Why Schema Markup Matters for Review Websites

Search is changing. It’s no longer enough to rely on on-page SEO and top keyword rankings alone to thrive.

Publishers like you need to master the more technical side of SEO, like schema markup, to find footing in this new digital era, driven largely by AI and user-generated content. From Google’s latest algorithm shift, Search Generative Experience (SGE) to SERP features, getting your content to the top of the web page means more than just crafting killer reviews.

Structured data markup as well as other SEO best practices help search engines better understand your content to rank it appropriately. Seeing how only 1% of searchers go past page one, it’s not a matter of preference but survival. 

As it relates to review websites, without schema, it will be more difficult for search engine crawlers to understand your content and isolate reviews from other site content.

Structured data can help your content break through the noise on the page.

Take rich snippets, those eye-catching enhancements in search. For reviews, this could mean displaying star ratings, authors' names, and even samples of the review text right on the SERP.

Review Site Schema - Despicable Me 4

Instead of just your meta title and description, users will see additional visual cues that spotlight the value of your site and content. They act as mini-ads for your reviews. And more clicks means more traffic, more visitors, and, ultimately, more conversions.

Review Site Schema Markup: The Essentials

So that was the why. Let’s get to the how — specifically, what types of schema markup a review site publisher needs to understand.

Now, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of different schema markup types. You can even create custom schema types for unique pieces of content. For the full list, be sure to check out schema.org, which is the go-to resource for all things schema.

But, to keep things simple and relevant to review sites, it’s best to start with the basic types you’ll likely need to implement.

Review Schema

The Review schema type is one you should know by heart.

It’s the foundation of a review site and every individual review on your site should be marked up with this schema code. Key properties include:

  • itemReviewed: The specific item being reviewed. This is nested within the Review schema using a relevant schema like Product of LocalBusiness. 
  • reviewRating: The rating given in the review.
  • author: The person who wrote the review.
  • datePublished: The date of publication (ISO 8601 format).
  • reviewBody: The text of the review itself.

Put it all together, and you may see something like this:

<script type="application/ld+json">

{

  "@context": "https://schema.org/",

  "@type": "Review",

  "itemReviewed": {

    "@type": "Product",

    "name": "Amazing Widget 3000",

    "image": "https://example.com/widget3000.jpg"

  },

  "reviewRating": {

    "@type": "Rating",

    "ratingValue": "4.5",

    "bestRating": "5"

  },

  "author": {

    "@type": "Person",

    "name": "Review Guru"

  },

  "datePublished": "2023-12-01",

  "reviewBody": "This widget is a game-changer!..." 

}

</script>

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Explore the Complete Schema Resource Center

Product, Service, and LocalBusiness Schema

This schema type provides critical context about the thing being reviewed. It tells search engines exactly what the review is about. There are three types you need to select from:

  • Product Schema: For reviews of physical products.
  • Service Schema: For reviews of services.
  • LocalBusiness Schema: For reviews of brick-and-mortar businesses. 

Some key properties to understand include:

  • name: The name of the product/service/business.
  • image: A URL to an image representing the item.
  • description: A brief description.
  • brand: (For products) The brand name.
  • address: (For LocalBusiness) The physical location.

AggregateRating Schema

The AggregateRating schema gives a summary of all reviews for a product, service, or business, presented as an average star rating. While you'll often find the AggregateRating schema used in editorial reviews that include reader feedback, it's equally common to see it on business review platforms like Facebook and Yelp.

Some key properties include:

  • ratingValue: The average rating (e.g., "4.2").
  • bestRating: The highest possible rating on your scale (usually "5").
  • worstRating: The lowest possible rating (usually "1").
  • ratingCount: The total number of reviews used to calculate the average.

In JSON-LD, which is the most popular schema format, that might look like this:

<script type="application/ld+json">

{

  "@context": "https://schema.org/",

  "@type": "AggregateRating",

  "ratingValue": "4.2",

  "bestRating": "5",

  "worstRating": "1",

  "ratingCount": "358"

}

</script>

Additional Tips for Optimizing Review Schema

Don’t think that you’re a master of schema markup just yet. While the nuts and bolts of schema markup implementation are essential, making the most out of schema is a bit more of an art than it may seem on the surface.

To help you optimize your schema markup, here are a few simple tips to consider:

  • Ensure Visibility: Make reviews prominent and easy to find on your web pages.
  • Focus on Specific Items: Add schema for individual items, not generic categories.
  • Update Ratings: Keep aggregate ratings fresh with new reviews.
  • Don't Aggregate External Reviews: Focus on first-party reviews.
  • Use Reviewed By and Publishing Principles: Add these for enhanced credibility.
  • Consider Editor Schema: If you have a formal editing process, include the editor in the schema.

If you follow these tips, you can ensure your review schema makes an impact, which will help your review site stand out in search and attract more visitors.

Track and Grow Your Success with Playwire

Schema is a great technical tool for review sites, but it's not where you should stop your SEO journey. It should play an important role in helping search engines understand your content, but make sure it's part of a more expansive SEO strategy.

As the search world evolves, schema will play an even more important role. 

If you want to get those snippets or see those stars in SERPs, schema is essential — and those rich results are becoming more prevalent.

Once you have your SEO game down pat, the next step is effective monetization. That’s where Playwire comes in. 

We’re your go-to ad tech platform and partner. We provide publishers like you with the tools and expertise you need to increase your revenue through the implementation of a customized ad monetization strategy.

Ready to get started? Get in touch with the team today.

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