Schema Structured Data: Free WordPress Plugin for Schema.org Markup

Boost your search visibility with rich snippets. No coding required.

Have you noticed how some websites in Google Search look “richer”? They have expandable Q&A sections, step-by-step instructions with images, or rated product lists. These are called Rich Snippets, and they directly impact click-through rates (CTR).

Today, I’m introducing Schema Structured Data — a free WordPress plugin that adds valid Schema.org markup to your site using simple shortcodes.

Pro Tip: The FAQ section at the bottom of this article? It’s powered by this plugin. Keep reading to see exactly how we did it.

🚀 Why This Matters

Google loves structured data. When you mark up your content (articles, FAQs, tutorials), the search engine understands it better and is more likely to display it in an enhanced format.

What this plugin delivers:

  • ✅ HowTo — Step-by-step tutorials (recipes, guides, DIY projects)
  • ✅ FAQPage — Questions & Answers (triggers “People Also Ask” boxes)
  • ✅ ItemList — Ranked lists (top 10, product roundups, collections)
  • ✅ CreativeWork — General markup for articles and creative content

Important: This plugin generates valid JSON-LD code. Markup doesn’t guarantee rich snippets (Google’s algorithm decides), but it significantly improves your chances.

🛠️ Installation

  1. Download the plugin from the WordPress.org repository or upload the ZIP file.
  2. Activate it in your WordPress admin dashboard.
  3. No configuration needed! Just add the schema shortcode to any post or page.

📚 Live Examples (This Article Uses Them!)

Every example below is actually implemented on this page. View the page source to see the JSON-LD output.

1. HowTo: Step-by-Step Tutorial

What you see above: The installation steps are marked up as HowTo schema.

The shortcode we used:

How to Install Schema Structured Data

Time: 2M

Step 1: Download the plugin from WordPress.org repository
Step 2: Activate it in your WordPress admin dashboard
Step 3: Add the [schema] shortcode to any post or page

Result: Google can display these steps directly in search results.

2. FAQPage: Questions & Answers

What you’re reading now: This FAQ section is live Schema.org markup, not just text.

The shortcode we used:

Schema Structured Data FAQ

Q: Does this work with Gutenberg?
A: Yes! Add a Shortcode block in Gutenberg and paste your [schema] code.
Q: Can I use multiple shortcodes on one page?
A: Yes, but only the first FAQPage will be eligible for rich snippets (Google requirement). HowTo and ItemList can be used multiple times.
Q: Why isn’t Google showing my rich snippet?
A: Markup is just one ranking factor. Your content needs to be high-quality, and the page must be indexed. The validator confirms your code is technically valid, but Google’s algorithm makes the final call on display.
Q: Is this compatible with SEO plugins like Yoast or RankMath?
A: Yes! This plugin outputs raw JSON-LD. Most SEO plugins won’t conflict. If you see duplicates, disable the competing schema type in your SEO plugin settings.
Q: What is the FAQPage format?
A: Each line should contain a question and answer separated by a pipe character (|).

See what we did there? You just read schema-markup content without knowing it. That’s the power of this plugin.

3. ItemList: Action Steps

Your Next Steps: This list is marked up as ItemList schema.

The shortcode we used:

Your Next Steps

  1. Install the plugin from WordPress.org
  2. Copy any example from this article
  3. Paste it into a draft post and run it through the validator
  4. Drop a comment below — which schema type are you implementing first?

For bulleted lists (no numbers): Add the items-tag="ul" attribute:

[schema type="ItemList" name="My Shopping List" items-tag="ul"]
Coffee beans
French press
Filtered water
Kitchen scale
[/schema]

4. CreativeWork: This Article

What you’re reading: This entire article is marked up as CreativeWork schema.

The shortcode we used:

[schema type="CreativeWork" name="Schema Structured Data Plugin Launch" description="Free WordPress plugin for Schema.org markup with HowTo, FAQPage, and ItemList support"]
Full article content...
[/schema]

Why it matters: Even if it doesn’t trigger a rich snippet, it helps Google understand this is authoritative content about a software product.

🕵️‍♂️ Verify It Yourself (Live Demo)

Don’t just trust me — validate the data on this very page.

Step 1: Google Rich Results Test

  1. Copy this page URL
  2. Go to Google Rich Results Test
  3. Enter the URL and click “Test URL”
  4. Expected result: You’ll see FAQPage detected

Step 2: View Page Source

  1. Press Ctrl+U (Windows) or Cmd+U (Mac)
  2. Search for application/ld+json
  3. You’ll find 4 separate schema objects — one for each shortcode we used

Step 3: Schema Validator

  1. Copy any JSON-LD block from the source
  2. Paste it into validator.schema.org
  3. Expected result: You’ll see FAQPage, HowTo, and ItemList and “No errors detected”

Pro Tip: If the validator can’t access your site, check Cloudflare settings (Bot Fight Mode may block crawlers).

⚙️ Advanced Settings

Hidden Mode (Schema-Only)

Want markup for search engines without visible HTML on the page? Add hidden="1".

[schema type="FAQPage" name="Hidden FAQ" hidden="1"]
Question | Answer
[/schema]

HTML output is hidden via display:none, but JSON-LD is added to the footer.

Limits & Restrictions

Schema TypeLimitWhy
FAQPage1 per pageStrict Google requirement
HowTo1 recommendedBest results for rich snippets
ItemListUnlimitedNo restrictions
CreativeWorkUnlimitedNo restrictions

📥 Download & Get Started

The plugin is completely free, follows WordPress Coding Standards, and contains zero anonymous functions.

Your Next Steps: (yes, this is also an ItemList schema)

Your Next Steps

  1. Install the plugin from WordPress.org
  2. Copy any example from this article
  3. Paste it into a draft post and run it through the validator
  4. Drop a comment below — which schema type are you implementing first?
[schema type="ItemList" name="Your Next Steps"]
Install the plugin from WordPress.org
Copy any example from this article
Paste it into a draft post and run it through the validator
Drop a comment below — which schema type are you implementing first?
[/schema]

Download Links:

  • WordPress.org Repository (soon)
  • GitHub
Downloads from GitHub

❓ Behind the Scenes: How We Built This Article

Transparency time. Here’s exactly what schema types we implemented on this page:

Total schema objects: 4
Total shortcodes used: 4
Lines of code: ~500

That’s it. No complex setup, no premium features, no bloat.

We’ve shown you exactly how we use this plugin on this very page. Now it’s your turn:

💬 Your Turn

  1. Install the plugin from WordPress.org
  2. Copy any shortcode from this article
  3. Paste it into a draft post
  4. Validate it through Google Rich Results Test
  5. Comment below — which schema type are you implementing first?

Questions? Drop them in the comments — I read every single one.

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