> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.get-ryze.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Structured data for AI search

> Which Schema.org types matter for AI search and shopping agents, how to implement them in JSON-LD, and the validation rules that cause markup to be ignored.

Structured data is machine-readable markup describing what a page contains, using [Schema.org](https://schema.org) vocabulary. It is how a system knows a number on the page is a price rather than a weight.

For AI search and shopping agents, it converts a page from prose to be interpreted into data to be used.

## Format

Use **JSON-LD** in a `<script type="application/ld+json">` block. It is Google's recommended format and is easier to maintain than microdata because it is separate from the visible markup.

## The types that matter for ecommerce

| type              | use on                | key properties                                           |
| ----------------- | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| `Product`         | product pages         | `name`, `sku`, `brand`, `image`, `description`, `offers` |
| `Offer`           | inside `Product`      | `price`, `priceCurrency`, `availability`, `url`          |
| `AggregateRating` | products with reviews | `ratingValue`, `reviewCount`                             |
| `BreadcrumbList`  | all pages             | `itemListElement`                                        |
| `FAQPage`         | genuine Q\&A content  | `mainEntity`                                             |
| `Organization`    | homepage              | `name`, `url`, `logo`, `sameAs`                          |
| `ItemList`        | collection pages      | `itemListElement`                                        |

`Product` with a complete `offers` block carries the most weight for both shopping surfaces and agents.

## Rules that cause markup to be ignored

These are the failures that appear most often in audits:

* **Markup must match the visible page.** Marking up a price, rating, or availability that differs from what a user sees is a violation and can cost rich results entirely.
* **Do not mark up content that is not on the page.** Reviews, ratings, and FAQs must be genuinely present and visible.
* **`FAQPage` requires real question-and-answer content**, not marketing copy reshaped into questions.
* **Availability must track real inventory.** Stale `InStock` on a sold-out product is worse than no markup.
* **Every required property must be present.** Incomplete `Product` markup is frequently ignored wholesale rather than partially honoured.

## Validate

* [Google Rich Results Test](https://search.google.com/test/rich-results) — eligibility for rich results
* [Schema.org validator](https://validator.schema.org) — vocabulary correctness
* Search Console's enhancement reports — errors across the whole site, which is where scale problems surface

Validate the **rendered** page, not the template. Markup assembled by JavaScript may differ from what you expect.

## Does it drive AI citations?

Structured data reliably drives **rich results and shopping surfaces**. Its direct effect on citation in generated answers is less firmly established.

The defensible position: structured data makes a page unambiguous, and unambiguous pages are easier to use as a source. It also happens to be required for surfaces where the effect *is* proven. It is worth doing on that basis alone — not because a specific citation lift can be promised.

## Related

* [Making product pages AI-readable](/ai-visibility/ai-readable-pages)
* [Agentic commerce](/concepts/agentic-commerce)
* [Technical SEO](/concepts/technical-seo)