What is JSON-LD?

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