What is JSON-LD?
JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) is a structured data format used to embed machine-readable metadata in web pages, helping AI systems and search engines understand page content.
Definition
JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) is a method of encoding structured data using JSON format, embedded in a <script> tag within a web page's HTML. It uses the Schema.org vocabulary to describe entities — such as organizations, products, articles, and people — in a way that machines can reliably parse. Google recommends JSON-LD as the preferred structured data format.
Why JSON-LD matters for AEO
JSON-LD tells AI systems exactly what your page is about in unambiguous, machine-readable terms. While AI models can interpret natural language, structured data removes guesswork:
- Explicit entity identification — JSON-LD declares "this page is about Product X by Company Y" rather than relying on the AI to infer it
- Rich attributes — Pricing, ratings, availability, and descriptions are structured for easy extraction
- Knowledge graph inclusion — Google uses JSON-LD to populate its Knowledge Graph, which feeds into AI Overviews
- Cross-platform benefits — Structured data is used by Google, Bing, and AI platforms that crawl the web
Common JSON-LD types for AEO
| Schema type | Use case | AEO benefit |
|---|---|---|
Organization |
Company homepage | Establishes brand identity for AI |
Product |
Product pages | Enables accurate product recommendations |
Article |
Blog posts, guides | Helps AI cite your content correctly |
FAQPage |
FAQ sections | Directly maps to common AI queries |
HowTo |
Tutorials, guides | Structured for step-by-step AI answers |
Review |
Product reviews | Feeds into AI rating summaries |
Example
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Product",
"name": "Orbilo AEO Platform",
"description": "Monitor and optimize your brand's presence across AI platforms",
"brand": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Orbilo"
},
"offers": {
"@type": "Offer",
"priceCurrency": "USD",
"price": "49"
}
}
JSON-LD vs other structured data formats
- JSON-LD — Separate script block; doesn't mix with HTML; easiest to implement and maintain
- Microdata — Inline HTML attributes; harder to maintain; being phased out
- RDFa — Inline HTML attributes; more verbose than Microdata; less commonly used
Google explicitly recommends JSON-LD over the alternatives.
Related terms
- Structured Data — The broader concept of machine-readable metadata on web pages
- Content Extractability — How easily AI systems can parse information from your pages
- Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) — The practice of optimizing for AI-generated answers
Tools
- JSON-LD Generator — Free tool to generate JSON-LD schema markup for your pages
- AEO Score checker — Check whether your pages have proper structured data