Online search results are no longer just a list of links. When someone searches for a product or service, they’re likely to see relevant images, maps, prices, store hours, and reviews. These detailed search results, called rich snippets, are derived from structured data that you can add to your website to boost your business’s chances of appearing in this visually appealing type of search result.
Learn why rich snippets are so useful and how to create and optimize them for your store’s website.
What are rich snippets?
Regular snippets contain a page title, a URL, and a meta description, like this:
Rich snippets—also known as rich cards or rich results—display reviews, product prices, images, and other extra details about products, stores, and services, like this:
Rich snippets are more eye-catching than regular snippets and deliver enhanced search results with relevant details, right when potential customers are seeking them, both of which can help increase click-through rates.
What is structured data?
Structured data is the code you add to your webpage to help search engines understand what to show in search results. Google relies on structured data to identify content types and generate rich snippets. There are many types of structured data. Rich snippets use only a subset.
For example, if you publish recipes on your blog, including structured data—like ingredients, method, and cooking time—it tells Google exactly what kind of content is on the page, which makes it easier for Google to populate a recipe rich snippet. For a local business listing, the structured date might include the business name and type, photos, address, and a review rating. Google offers a comprehensive guide that lists all the markup that Google search supports.
It’s important to note that adding structured data does not guarantee that your results will display as rich snippets, but the more clearly your site communicates with search engines, the better your odds of showing up in the highest-impact search results. According to Google, adding structured data for rich snippets can increase click-through rates by 25% to 82%.
Types of rich snippets
Rich snippet types include article snippets (which display a larger thumbnail, plus the title and publish date), job posting snippets, paywalled content, and more. Here are some examples that are most relevant to businesses:
Local business
This rich snippet type is optimized for local businesses selling goods or services. It provides essential information potential customers want to know, including business hours, address, directions, and photos. They can get relevant details at a glance, instead of having to comb through your website for the information they need. This is a great example of a useful rich snippet because it can drive customers directly to your door.
Product
Product rich snippets include structured data that displays the product’s cost, a short description, availability status, and reviews in general search results.
Merchant listings
Merchant listing rich snippets include product details beyond what’s contained in a product rich snippet, such as images, availability, pricing, and shipping details. Merchant listings are like mini web store panels that show up on Google Shopping, the “popular products” grid on the search engine results page (SERP), and elsewhere. Here’s how they manifest within Google Shopping:
The snippets may also appear in popular product results, for example, with the relevant details below each thumbnail image:
Software app
Software app rich snippets include the software type (game, productivity, etc.), supported platforms, star ratings, app icon thumbnail, and more.
How to optimize for rich snippets
- Choose a rich snippet type
- Structure your data
- Add structured data code or a plug-in
- Test and refine
- Monitor your results
Optimizing rich snippets is relatively easy once you know what steps to take. Here’s a brief guide to ensure you get the most out of the process:
1. Choose a rich snippet type
Head over to Google’s Search Central pages and check the list of supported structured data markup types. You’ll find structured data for all rich snippet types in the previous section and many more. Decide on the structured data type that best fits your business needs.
2. Structure your data
You can structure data manually by typing special code into the page’s HTML with Microdata. This approach works if your site rarely changes. However, utilizing JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data (JSON-LD) is much more streamlined. JSON-LD can also be written by plug-ins, and Google search can read it on the fly, so you can dynamically insert your tags. This is a huge advantage for a store with changing inventory.
3. Add structured data code or a plug-in
If you’re running a Shopify store, you can include structured data directly in your store’s product template so it auto-populates when you add a new product. If you want structured data on every page, you add it to your theme’s template tools instead.
4. Test and refine
Even if you add structured data, Google doesn’t guarantee it will display rich snippets for your site, so you’ll need another way to check you’ve gotten everything right. For this, you can use Google’s Rich Result Test Tool. This shows which Google rich results can be generated for your page based on the structured data you have added. This is how you test that your structured data is compatible with whichever Google rich snippets you want to use.
5. Monitor your results
When you’re sure it’s all working, you can check the performance of your site by comparing click-through rates and other metrics before and after you added the structured data. You might also try different schema markup for different parts of the site, or A/B test for the most effective combination.
What are rich snippets FAQ
Do rich snippets improve SEO?
Rich snippets can make the structure of your site much clearer to search engines, while also offering deeper, more relevant information on your products right there in the SERP. In a way, a rich snippet is like a custom mini display ad, which can increase click-through rates.
What is the difference between featured snippets and rich snippets?
A rich snippet appears in the regular search results and shows in-depth data about your service or product. It may show a product image, price, store hours, or the answer to a question. A featured snippet is one that Google displays at the very top of the SERP, presenting it as an answer to a search query.
How do you make a rich snippet?
You don’t make a rich snippet. Instead, you use structured data to add your site’s detailed information in a standard format. The search engine can read that data and use it to present a rich snippet.
