Free Guide · Schema Reference for AEO + GEO

Schema Mountain: Your Complete AEO + GEO Structured Data Guide

Your Green Circle → Blue Square → Black Diamond path to AI visibility. Every schema type you need — with ready-to-deploy JSON-LD examples — organized from foundational identity to advanced entity stacking and knowledge graphs.

By Avinash Vagh·Updated May 16 2026·17 runs · 3 difficulty levels·~35 min read

Introduction

Welcome to Schema Mountain

Schema is the trail map of AI search. Without it, your site is like a skier dropped at the top of a mountain with no signs, no markers, and no sense of where the expert terrain begins.

If you want to show up inside ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, Copilot, and Google's AI Overviews, you need structured data that makes your brand, content, and experts impossible to ignore.

This guide is organized like a ski mountain — three difficulty levels, each building on the last. Use it as a reference, a team training manual, or a deployment checklist for your dev/SEO stack.

TrailLevelWhat It Does
🟢 Green CircleFoundationalCore schema every site needs
🔵 Blue SquareIntermediateAuthority, rich results, topic depth
⬛ Black DiamondAdvancedEntity stacking, AI citations, knowledge graphs

How This Guide Works

  • →Built for AEO + GEO. Every schema type here is selected from the Schema.org vocabulary because it helps answer engines and generative engines understand who you are, what you do, and why you're the authority.
  • →Organized by trail difficulty. Start at Green Circle if you're missing the basics. Move to Blue Square for authority and rich snippets. Hit Black Diamond when you're ready for entity stacking and AI citations.
  • →Practical, not theoretical. For each run, you'll find which schema types to use, why they matter, and exactly where they belong — site-wide, blog posts, service pages, product pages, local pages, or video hubs.
🟢

Green Circle Runs

Core schema every site needs. If you do nothing else, implement these.

Green Circle · Run 1

Site-Wide Identity (Easy Street)

Goal: Tell AI engines exactly who you are and how your brand, people, and content connect.

Key Schema Types

WebSite, Organization, Person, ContactPoint, PostalAddress, Brand

Where It Goes

Global header JSON-LD, About page, Contact page, Author bio pages

Creates the foundational entity graph that everything else builds on. Without this, AI engines have no reliable way to connect your brand to your content or your experts.

The sameAs array on Organization and Person is doing the heaviest lifting — it tells AI engines "this entity is the same one referenced at all these URLs," which is how knowledge graphs get linked together.
  • •WebSite — defines your domain as an entity with a SearchAction.
  • •Organization — full brand profile with logo, sameAs, and contactPoint. Deploy site-wide.
  • •Person — founder or key expert with jobTitle, knowsAbout, and sameAs. Links to Organization via worksFor.
  • •ContactPoint — nested inside Organization. Defines how and when you can be reached.
  • •PostalAddress — physical or operational address nested inside Organization or LocalBusiness.
  • •Brand — can nest inside Product or Organization to create an explicit brand entity separate from the company.

Green Circle · Run 2

Page-Level Essentials (Content Crossing)

Goal: Make every page signal its purpose clearly to AI engines.

Key Schema Types

WebPage, AboutPage, ContactPage, ProfilePage, CollectionPage

Where It Goes

All core pages — home, about, contact, category hubs, team profiles

Clarifies page intent for AI rerankers and helps engines select the right page for a given question.

WebPage Schema

Use for any standard informational or service page.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "WebPage",
  "@id": "https://yoursite.com/services/#webpage",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/services/",
  "name": "Our Services | Your Brand",
  "description": "A clear description of what this page covers and who it serves.",
  "isPartOf": {
    "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#website"
  },
  "about": {
    "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#organization"
  }
}

AboutPage Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "AboutPage",
  "@id": "https://yoursite.com/about/#webpage",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/about/",
  "name": "About Your Brand",
  "description": "The story, mission, and team behind your organization.",
  "isPartOf": {
    "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#website"
  },
  "about": {
    "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#organization"
  }
}

ContactPage Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "ContactPage",
  "@id": "https://yoursite.com/contact/#webpage",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/contact/",
  "name": "Contact Your Brand",
  "description": "Reach out to our team for inquiries, project quotes, or support.",
  "isPartOf": {
    "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#website"
  },
  "about": {
    "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#organization"
  }
}

ProfilePage Schema

Use for individual author or team member pages.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "ProfilePage",
  "@id": "https://yoursite.com/author/jane-smith/#webpage",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/author/jane-smith/",
  "name": "Jane Smith | Lead Strategist",
  "description": "Jane Smith is a digital strategist specializing in AI search visibility and structured data.",
  "isPartOf": {
    "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#website"
  },
  "about": {
    "@id": "https://yoursite.com/author/jane-smith/#person"
  }
}

CollectionPage Schema

Use for blog archives, video hubs, or resource libraries.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "CollectionPage",
  "@id": "https://yoursite.com/resources/#collection",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/resources/",
  "name": "Resources — Guides, Videos & Research",
  "description": "A curated collection of guides and videos covering AI search, AEO, and structured data strategy.",
  "isPartOf": {
    "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#website"
  },
  "about": {
    "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#organization"
  }
}

Green Circle · Run 3

Navigation & Structure (Trail Map Traverse)

Goal: Give AI a clear picture of how your site is organized.

Key Schema Types

BreadcrumbList, ItemList, SiteNavigationElement

Where It Goes

Category pages, product/listing pages, blog archives, mega-menus

Reinforces topic clusters and internal linking structure, helping AI see which content belongs together.

BreadcrumbList Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
  "itemListElement": [
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 1,
      "name": "Home",
      "item": "https://yoursite.com/"
    },
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 2,
      "name": "Services",
      "item": "https://yoursite.com/services/"
    },
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 3,
      "name": "SEO Services",
      "item": "https://yoursite.com/services/seo/"
    }
  ]
}

ItemList Schema

Great for service category pages, blog archives, video hubs, or resource pages.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "ItemList",
  "name": "AI Search Guides",
  "itemListOrder": "Ascending",
  "itemListElement": [
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 1,
      "url": "https://yoursite.com/guides/what-is-aeo/"
    },
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 2,
      "url": "https://yoursite.com/guides/entity-stacking/"
    },
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 3,
      "url": "https://yoursite.com/guides/schema-for-ai-search/"
    }
  ]
}

SiteNavigationElement Schema

Describes your primary navigation so AI can understand top-level site structure.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "SiteNavigationElement",
  "name": "Primary Navigation",
  "url": [
    "https://yoursite.com/",
    "https://yoursite.com/services/",
    "https://yoursite.com/about/",
    "https://yoursite.com/blog/",
    "https://yoursite.com/contact/"
  ]
}

Green Circle · Run 4

Reviews & Social Proof (Reputation Ridge)

Goal: Encode trust signals directly into your structured data.

Key Schema Types

Review, Rating, AggregateRating

Where It Goes

Product pages, service pages, location pages, testimonial pages

Powers star ratings in search results and reinforces "this brand is trusted for X" signals inside AI engines.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#organization",
  "name": "Your Brand",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/",
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.9",
    "reviewCount": "47",
    "bestRating": "5",
    "worstRating": "1"
  },
  "review": [
    {
      "@type": "Review",
      "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Verified Google Reviewer" },
      "datePublished": "2025-01-15",
      "reviewRating": {
        "@type": "Rating",
        "ratingValue": "5",
        "bestRating": "5"
      },
      "publisher": {
        "@type": "Organization",
        "name": "Google",
        "sameAs": "https://www.google.com/"
      },
      "reviewBody": "An outstanding agency — results-driven and genuinely transparent throughout the entire engagement."
    },
    {
      "@type": "Review",
      "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Verified Clutch Reviewer" },
      "datePublished": "2024-11-08",
      "reviewRating": {
        "@type": "Rating",
        "ratingValue": "5",
        "bestRating": "5"
      },
      "publisher": {
        "@type": "Organization",
        "name": "Clutch",
        "sameAs": "https://clutch.co/"
      },
      "reviewBody": "Their AI search strategy and reporting are on another level. Highly recommended for any brand serious about AEO."
    }
  ]
}

Green Circle · Run 5

Local Business Basics (Local Lodge Lane)

Goal: Help AI and map systems understand where you operate and who you serve.

Key Schema Types

LocalBusiness, Place, GeoCoordinates, OpeningHoursSpecification

Where It Goes

Any brand with a physical presence or defined service area; location pages, Google Business Profile landing pages

Improves visibility in local packs and AI summaries that reference local providers.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#localbusiness",
  "name": "Your Business Name",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/",
  "telephone": "+1-555-000-1234",
  "priceRange": "$$",
  "description": "A brief, accurate description of what your business does and who it serves.",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "456 Commerce Blvd Suite 100",
    "addressLocality": "Your City",
    "addressRegion": "ST",
    "postalCode": "00000",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": "42.000",
    "longitude": "-71.000"
  },
  "openingHoursSpecification": [
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"],
      "opens": "09:00",
      "closes": "18:00"
    }
  ],
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.linkedin.com/company/yourbrand/",
    "https://www.facebook.com/yourbrand/",
    "https://www.yelp.com/biz/yourbrand"
  ]
}
🔵

Blue Square Runs

Schemas that build authority, rich results, and topic depth. This is where your site earns 'According to…' citations.

Blue Square · Run 6

Articles, Blogs & Thought Leadership (Thought Leader Loop)

Goal: Turn your content into AI-ready, citation-friendly assets.

Key Schema Types

Article, BlogPosting, NewsArticle, TechArticle

Where It Goes

Blog posts, guides, industry analysis, news updates — any page you want AI engines to quote or summarize

Signals expertise and topical authority, giving AI engines structured hooks for citation-style responses.

Generic Article Schema

Use for any standard informational article.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "Your Article Title Here",
  "description": "A concise summary of what this article covers and why it matters.",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Author Name",
    "url": "https://yoursite.com/author/author-name/"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand",
    "url": "https://yoursite.com/"
  },
  "datePublished": "2025-03-01",
  "image": "https://yoursite.com/wp-content/uploads/article-image.jpg",
  "mainEntityOfPage": "https://yoursite.com/blog/your-article-slug/"
}

NewsArticle Schema

Use for announcements, press coverage, or company news.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "NewsArticle",
  "headline": "Your Brand Launches New AI Visibility Service",
  "description": "Announcement detailing the launch and what it means for clients.",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Author Name",
    "url": "https://yoursite.com/author/author-name/"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand",
    "url": "https://yoursite.com/"
  },
  "datePublished": "2025-04-10",
  "image": "https://yoursite.com/wp-content/uploads/news-image.jpg",
  "mainEntityOfPage": "https://yoursite.com/news/your-announcement/"
}

TechArticle Schema

Use for technical how-tos, algorithm breakdowns, or expert methodology pieces.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "TechArticle",
  "headline": "How to Structure Your Site for AI Search Visibility",
  "description": "A technical walkthrough of schema implementation, entity stacking, and AI citation optimization.",
  "proficiencyLevel": "Expert",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Author Name"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand"
  },
  "datePublished": "2025-03-15",
  "mainEntityOfPage": "https://yoursite.com/blog/ai-search-structure/"
}

BlogPosting Schema

Use for editorial content published to your blog.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "BlogPosting",
  "headline": "Five Schema Mistakes That Kill Your AI Search Visibility",
  "description": "A practical look at the most common structured data errors and how to fix them.",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Author Name",
    "url": "https://yoursite.com/author/author-name/"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand"
  },
  "datePublished": "2025-02-20",
  "image": "https://yoursite.com/wp-content/uploads/blog-image.jpg",
  "mainEntityOfPage": "https://yoursite.com/blog/schema-mistakes/"
}

Blue Square · Run 7

FAQ & Q&A Schema (Knowledge Knoll)

Goal: Package your best answers into machine-readable Q&A blocks.

Key Schema Types

FAQPage, QAPage

Where It Goes

FAQ sections on service and product pages, standalone FAQ pages, help center content

Produces FAQ rich results in traditional search and gives AI engines clean, trustworthy question-answer pairs to cite. Still highly valuable for AI citation even though Google deprecated FAQ rich snippets.

FAQPage Schema

Use when a page contains multiple questions and answers.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "AEO is the practice of optimizing your content, entities, and schema so that AI engines — including ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude — can understand, trust, and cite your brand in generated answers."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What services does your agency provide?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "We provide SEO, AEO, GEO, paid media management, and AI search visibility services for businesses looking to grow across both traditional and AI-driven search platforms."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How long does it take to see results from AEO?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Most clients see measurable improvements in AI citation frequency within 60–90 days of implementing a complete entity and schema strategy."
      }
    }
  ]
}

QAPage Schema

Use when a page is structured around one primary question with an in-depth answer.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "QAPage",
  "mainEntity": {
    "@type": "Question",
    "name": "How does structured data improve AI search visibility?",
    "text": "What role does schema markup play in helping brands appear in ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity answers?",
    "answerCount": 1,
    "acceptedAnswer": {
      "@type": "Answer",
      "text": "Structured data provides AI engines with a machine-readable layer of meaning on top of your content. When your schema accurately defines who you are, what you offer, and what topics you're authoritative on, AI systems can confidently surface your brand as a trusted source in generated answers — increasing citation frequency and brand visibility across the AI search ecosystem."
    }
  }
}

Blue Square · Run 8

Product & Service Schema (Merchandise Meadow)

Goal: Make your offers completely unambiguous — for both humans and AI.

Key Schema Types

Product, Service, Offer, PriceSpecification

Where It Goes

E-commerce product pages, B2B service pages, pricing and plans pages

Clarifies what you sell, to whom, and at what price — helping AI recommend your offering when someone asks "What's the best solution for X?"

Product Schema

Use when your offering is a packaged, defined product.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Product",
  "name": "AI Search Visibility Audit",
  "description": "A comprehensive audit analyzing your brand's presence across AI engines including ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity, with a full schema and entity gap analysis.",
  "brand": {
    "@type": "Brand",
    "name": "Your Brand"
  },
  "image": "https://yoursite.com/wp-content/uploads/audit-product.png",
  "sku": "AUDIT-AI-001",
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "url": "https://yoursite.com/products/ai-visibility-audit/",
    "priceCurrency": "USD",
    "price": "1499",
    "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock"
  }
}

Service Schema

Use for any ongoing or project-based service offering.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Service",
  "name": "Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) Program",
  "serviceType": "AI Search Visibility",
  "provider": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand",
    "url": "https://yoursite.com/"
  },
  "description": "An end-to-end AEO program that builds entity authority, implements schema, and optimizes content so your brand earns citations inside AI-generated answers.",
  "areaServed": "US",
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "priceCurrency": "USD",
    "price": "2500",
    "priceSpecification": {
      "@type": "PriceSpecification",
      "price": "2500",
      "priceCurrency": "USD",
      "description": "Monthly retainer"
    }
  }
}

Combined Service + Offer + PriceSpecification

The ideal pattern for service pages where pricing clarity matters.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Service",
  "name": "AI Search Visibility Program",
  "description": "A structured AEO/GEO engagement designed to help brands earn citations and recommendations inside AI-driven search engines.",
  "provider": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand"
  },
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "priceCurrency": "USD",
    "price": "4500",
    "priceSpecification": {
      "@type": "PriceSpecification",
      "priceCurrency": "USD",
      "price": "4500",
      "billingPeriod": "P1M"
    }
  }
}

Blue Square · Run 9

Media Schema — Video, Audio & Images (Render Run)

Goal: Turn your media into AI-discoverable content assets.

Key Schema Types

VideoObject, ImageObject, AudioObject, PodcastSeries, PodcastEpisode

Where It Goes

YouTube video pages, podcast episode pages, hero images, infographic pages

Supports video carousels and media-rich snippets; makes AI engines more likely to pull from your video or podcast when answering questions.

VideoObject Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "VideoObject",
  "name": "What Is AEO and Why Does It Matter for AI Search?",
  "description": "A practical breakdown of Answer Engine Optimization, covering what it is, how it works, and why brands need it to compete in AI-driven search.",
  "thumbnailUrl": "https://yoursite.com/wp-content/uploads/video-thumb.jpg",
  "uploadDate": "2025-02-10",
  "duration": "PT5M18S",
  "embedUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/embed/YOURVIDEOCODE",
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand",
    "logo": {
      "@type": "ImageObject",
      "url": "https://yoursite.com/wp-content/uploads/logo.png"
    }
  },
  "creator": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Author Name"
  }
}

ImageObject Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "ImageObject",
  "contentUrl": "https://yoursite.com/wp-content/uploads/schema-guide-infographic.png",
  "description": "Schema Mountain infographic showing the Green Circle, Blue Square, and Black Diamond path to AI visibility.",
  "creator": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand"
  },
  "creditText": "Your Brand",
  "acquireLicensePage": "https://yoursite.com/"
}

AudioObject Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "AudioObject",
  "name": "AI Search Optimization Explained",
  "description": "A spoken-word overview of how AEO helps brands earn citations inside AI engines.",
  "contentUrl": "https://yoursite.com/media/aeo-explained.mp3",
  "encodingFormat": "audio/mpeg",
  "duration": "PT14M30S",
  "creator": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Author Name"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand"
  }
}

PodcastSeries Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "PodcastSeries",
  "name": "The AI Search Edge",
  "description": "A podcast covering AEO, GEO, entity strategy, and AI search visibility for digital marketers.",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/podcast/",
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand"
  },
  "image": "https://yoursite.com/wp-content/uploads/podcast-cover.jpg",
  "inLanguage": "en-US"
}

PodcastEpisode Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "PodcastEpisode",
  "name": "Episode 1: How AEO Helps You Get Cited in AI Answers",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/podcast/episode-1/",
  "partOfSeries": {
    "@type": "PodcastSeries",
    "name": "The AI Search Edge"
  },
  "description": "A deep dive into Answer Engine Optimization — what it is, how AI engines select sources, and how brands can increase citation frequency.",
  "uploadDate": "2025-01-20",
  "duration": "PT22M",
  "associatedMedia": {
    "@type": "AudioObject",
    "contentUrl": "https://yoursite.com/media/podcast/episode-1.mp3",
    "encodingFormat": "audio/mpeg"
  }
}

Blue Square · Run 10

Local Business Vertical Types (Specialty Slopes)

Goal: Tell AI exactly what kind of business you are using industry-specific schema subtypes.

Key Schema Types

HVACBusiness, Electrician, Plumber, Dentist, Physician, Attorney, FinancialService, Restaurant, CafeOrCoffeeShop, and more

Where It Goes

Individual location pages, niche-specific service pages, service-area directories

Vertical schema alignment is a strong relevance signal — it helps AI engines match your site correctly when queries are industry-specific.

Trades & Home Services

// HVAC Business
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "HVACBusiness",
  "name": "Comfort Zone Heating & Cooling",
  "url": "https://example.com/",
  "telephone": "+1-555-200-3000",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "78 Industrial Way",
    "addressLocality": "Springfield",
    "addressRegion": "MA",
    "postalCode": "01101",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  }
}

// Electrician
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Electrician",
  "name": "Bright Wire Electrical Services",
  "url": "https://example.com/",
  "telephone": "+1-555-300-4000",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "22 Maple Ave",
    "addressLocality": "Salem",
    "addressRegion": "MA",
    "postalCode": "01970",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  }
}

// Plumber
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Plumber",
  "name": "Flow Right Plumbing Co.",
  "url": "https://example.com/",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "55 River Rd",
    "addressLocality": "Gloucester",
    "addressRegion": "MA",
    "postalCode": "01930",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  }
}

Health & Medical

// Dentist
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Dentist",
  "name": "Coastal Family Dental",
  "url": "https://example.com/",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "100 Harbor Blvd",
    "addressLocality": "Rockport",
    "addressRegion": "MA",
    "postalCode": "01966",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  }
}

// Physician
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Physician",
  "name": "North Shore Family Medicine",
  "url": "https://example.com/",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "200 Medical Plaza",
    "addressLocality": "Beverly",
    "addressRegion": "MA",
    "postalCode": "01915",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  }
}

Legal & Financial

// Attorney
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Attorney",
  "name": "Harbor Law Group",
  "url": "https://example.com/",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "30 Federal St",
    "addressLocality": "Boston",
    "addressRegion": "MA",
    "postalCode": "02110",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  }
}

// FinancialService
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FinancialService",
  "name": "Meridian Wealth Advisors",
  "url": "https://example.com/",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "5 Market Square",
    "addressLocality": "Newburyport",
    "addressRegion": "MA",
    "postalCode": "01950",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  }
}

Retail & Food

// Restaurant
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Restaurant",
  "name": "The Anchor Grille",
  "url": "https://example.com/",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "12 Wharf Rd",
    "addressLocality": "Gloucester",
    "addressRegion": "MA",
    "postalCode": "01930",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  }
}

// CafeOrCoffeeShop
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "CafeOrCoffeeShop",
  "name": "Morning Fog Cafe",
  "url": "https://example.com/",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "44 Main St",
    "addressLocality": "Rockport",
    "addressRegion": "MA",
    "postalCode": "01966",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  }
}
Additional vertical types to implement: MedicalOrganization, LegalService, InsuranceAgency, BankOrCreditUnion, Store, GroceryStore, ClothingStore, HardwareStore, BarOrPub, HomeAndConstructionBusiness, RealEstateAgent

Blue Square · Run 11

Events, Places & Tourism

Goal: Structured promotion of events, venues, and destinations.

Key Schema Types

Event, BusinessEvent, EducationEvent, SportsEvent, MusicEvent, Festival, LandmarksOrHistoricalBuildings, TouristAttraction, TouristDestination

Where It Goes

Conference and webinar pages, tourism and hospitality pages, museums and public venues

Boosts visibility for time-bound and location-bound experiences; helps AI recommend your event or destination in "what to do in…" queries.

// Standard Event
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Event",
  "name": "Digital Marketing Strategy Workshop",
  "startDate": "2025-09-15T10:00",
  "endDate": "2025-09-15T15:00",
  "location": {
    "@type": "Place",
    "name": "The Innovation Center",
    "address": {
      "@type": "PostalAddress",
      "streetAddress": "200 Innovation Way",
      "addressLocality": "Boston",
      "addressRegion": "MA",
      "postalCode": "02110",
      "addressCountry": "US"
    }
  }
}

// TouristAttraction
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "TouristAttraction",
  "name": "Essex River Scenic Cruise",
  "description": "A coastal attraction offering guided tours of the Essex River and surrounding marshlands.",
  "url": "https://example.com/essex-river-cruise",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "12 Harbor Rd",
    "addressLocality": "Essex",
    "addressRegion": "MA",
    "postalCode": "01929",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  }
}

// TouristDestination
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "TouristDestination",
  "name": "Cape Ann",
  "description": "A coastal peninsula known for beaches, lighthouses, fresh seafood, and whale watching excursions.",
  "url": "https://example.com/cape-ann",
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": "42.647",
    "longitude": "-70.620"
  }
}

Blue Square · Run 12

How-To & Recipe Schema (Recipe Ridge)

Goal: Turn step-by-step content into rich, structured instructions for AI.

Key Schema Types

HowTo, Recipe

Where It Goes

Tutorials, guides, setup and onboarding content, cooking and DIY pages

Ideal for "how do I…" queries; powers rich snippets and makes it easy for AI to structure procedural answers.

HowTo Schema

Full type reference: schema.org/HowTo. Use when your content walks through a defined sequence of steps to accomplish a goal.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "HowTo",
  "name": "How to Improve Your AI Search Visibility with Structured Data",
  "description": "A step-by-step guide for implementing schema markup that helps AI engines understand, trust, and cite your brand.",
  "totalTime": "PT30M",
  "estimatedCost": {
    "@type": "MonetaryAmount",
    "currency": "USD",
    "value": "0"
  },
  "step": [
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Implement Site-Wide Entity Schema",
      "text": "Add Organization, Person, WebSite, and LocalBusiness schema to your global JSON-LD block so AI engines can establish your core brand identity."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Add Page-Level Schema to Every Key Page",
      "text": "Apply WebPage, AboutPage, BlogPosting, and FAQPage schema to the appropriate pages, linking each back to your Organization entity."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Build Citation-Friendly Content Blocks",
      "text": "Structure short, direct answers to common questions in your content so AI engines have clean passages to quote or paraphrase."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Validate and Iterate",
      "text": "Run your schema through Google's Rich Results Test and Schema.org validators. Resolve errors and revisit your implementation every quarter."
    }
  ]
}

Recipe Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Recipe",
  "name": "No-Bake Energy Bites",
  "description": "A quick and simple snack recipe requiring no oven — perfect for demonstrating Recipe schema markup.",
  "image": "https://yoursite.com/wp-content/uploads/energy-bites.jpg",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Recipe Author"
  },
  "datePublished": "2025-01-20",
  "prepTime": "PT10M",
  "totalTime": "PT10M",
  "recipeYield": "14 pieces",
  "recipeIngredient": [
    "1 cup rolled oats",
    "1 ripe banana, mashed",
    "2 tablespoons honey",
    "1 tablespoon chia seeds",
    "Pinch of sea salt"
  ],
  "recipeInstructions": [
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "text": "Mash the banana thoroughly in a large mixing bowl."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "text": "Add oats, honey, chia seeds, and salt. Stir until fully combined."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "text": "Roll the mixture into small balls and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before serving."
    }
  ]
}
⬛

Black Diamond Runs

Advanced entity stacking and AI citation strategies. This is where you build knowledge graphs, authority structures, and the entity web that AI engines rely on for answers.

Black Diamond · Run 13

Knowledge Graph & Entity Layer (Knowledge Knifepoint)

Goal: Build your own topic graph on your domain and position your site as a "source of truth" for your core subject areas.

Key Schema Types

DefinedTerm, DefinedTermSet, Dataset, AlignmentObject, CreativeWorkSeries

Where It Goes

Glossaries and terminology hubs, original data and research pages, multi-part content series

Organizes your knowledge into a machine-readable graph that AI engines can navigate and cite with confidence.

DefinedTerm Schema

Use for a single concept or definition page.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "DefinedTerm",
  "name": "Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)",
  "description": "The practice of structuring your brand, content, and entities so that AI-powered systems like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity can confidently surface and cite your site in generated answers.",
  "inDefinedTermSet": "https://yoursite.com/glossary/",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/glossary/answer-engine-optimization/"
}

DefinedTermSet Schema

Use on your glossary hub page to group all defined concepts together.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "DefinedTermSet",
  "name": "AI Search & AEO Glossary",
  "description": "A glossary of terms covering AI search, Answer Engine Optimization, Generative Engine Optimization, and entity strategy.",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/glossary/",
  "hasDefinedTerm": [
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "name": "Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)",
      "url": "https://yoursite.com/glossary/answer-engine-optimization/"
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "name": "Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)",
      "url": "https://yoursite.com/glossary/generative-engine-optimization/"
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "name": "Entity Stacking",
      "url": "https://yoursite.com/glossary/entity-stacking/"
    }
  ]
}

Dataset Schema

Use for any original research, benchmark data, or audit findings you publish. The schema.org/data property links a Dataset to its actual data content or distribution — add it when your dataset has a downloadable or queryable file.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Dataset",
  "name": "AI Search Citation Frequency Benchmark",
  "description": "An anonymized dataset measuring how often brands are cited inside AI engines before and after implementing a structured AEO strategy.",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/research/ai-citation-benchmark/",
  "creator": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand"
  },
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "keywords": [
    "Answer Engine Optimization",
    "AI search visibility",
    "structured data",
    "citation frequency"
  ]
}

AlignmentObject Schema

Maps your concepts to established external vocabularies or taxonomies.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "AlignmentObject",
  "alignmentType": "equivalent",
  "targetName": "Search engine optimization",
  "targetUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_engine_optimization",
  "educationalFramework": "Wikipedia",
  "educationalLevel": "Advanced",
  "description": "Maps our AEO content to the broader discipline of search engine optimization as defined by Wikipedia."
}

CreativeWorkSeries Schema

Use for any multi-part series — videos, articles, or guides.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "CreativeWorkSeries",
  "name": "AI Search Visibility Series",
  "description": "A multi-part series covering AEO fundamentals, entity stacking, schema implementation, and AI citation strategy.",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/series/ai-search-visibility/",
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand"
  },
  "creator": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Author Name"
  }
}

Black Diamond · Run 14

Industry Authority Schemas (Trustfall Tundra)

Goal: Signal deep expertise in regulated or high-scrutiny niches.

Key Schema Types

ScholarlyArticle, ResearchProject, Report, MedicalWebPage, Legislation

Where It Goes

Whitepapers, technical reports, policy and compliance pages, legal and medical content

Aligns your content with high-trust entity types, helping AI distinguish genuine expertise from generic information.

ScholarlyArticle Schema

Use when your content references original research or uses academic-style analysis.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "ScholarlyArticle",
  "headline": "The Effect of Entity Optimization on AI Search Citation Frequency",
  "description": "An analysis of how structured entity data and schema implementation influence how frequently AI systems cite a given source in generated answers.",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Author Name"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand"
  },
  "datePublished": "2025-03-01",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/research/entity-optimization-study/"
}

ResearchProject Schema

Use to describe an active or completed research initiative.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "ResearchProject",
  "name": "AI Engine Citation Frequency Study",
  "description": "An ongoing study analyzing how brand citation rates across AI engines respond to structured data and entity optimization implementation.",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/research/citation-frequency-study/",
  "creator": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand"
  },
  "keywords": [
    "AI search",
    "citation patterns",
    "entity optimization",
    "structured data"
  ]
}

Report Schema

Use for whitepapers, annual reports, benchmark summaries, or technical briefs.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Report",
  "name": "2025 AI Search Visibility Benchmark Report",
  "description": "Performance benchmarks for brands actively optimizing for AI-driven search engines, with data across ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/reports/ai-visibility-benchmark-2025/",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand"
  },
  "datePublished": "2025-01-15"
}

MedicalWebPage Schema

Use for any content providing health guidance, clinical information, or medical context.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "MedicalWebPage",
  "name": "Heat Exhaustion: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment",
  "description": "A medically reviewed guide explaining the signs, risk factors, and recommended treatments for heat exhaustion.",
  "url": "https://example.com/heat-exhaustion/",
  "medicalSpecialty": "EmergencyMedicine",
  "reviewedBy": {
    "@type": "Physician",
    "name": "Dr. Sarah Chen"
  }
}

Legislation Schema

Use when referencing legal acts, regulations, or policy documents.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Legislation",
  "name": "Online Consumer Data Protection Act",
  "description": "A summary of data privacy requirements affecting digital marketing practices and consumer data usage.",
  "url": "https://example.com/data-privacy-compliance/",
  "legislationType": "Statute",
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}

Black Diamond · Run 15

SaaS & Software Schema (Platform Plunge)

Goal: Structure your product, pricing, onboarding, and documentation for AI.

Key Schema Types

SoftwareApplication, WebApplication, OfferCatalog, HowTo

Where It Goes

SaaS product pages, pricing and comparison pages, setup guides, help documentation

Makes it easier for AI to recommend your software as a solution by highlighting capabilities, pricing, and use cases.

SoftwareApplication Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
  "name": "AI Visibility Dashboard",
  "operatingSystem": "Web",
  "applicationCategory": "BusinessApplication",
  "description": "A SaaS platform that tracks your brand's citation frequency across AI engines including ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude.",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/ai-visibility-dashboard/",
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "price": "199",
    "priceCurrency": "USD",
    "priceSpecification": {
      "@type": "PriceSpecification",
      "price": "199",
      "priceCurrency": "USD",
      "billingPeriod": "P1M"
    }
  }
}

WebApplication Schema

Use when your product runs entirely in the browser with no download required.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "WebApplication",
  "name": "AEO Content Analyzer",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/aeo-analyzer/",
  "applicationCategory": "SEOApplication",
  "browserRequirements": "Requires HTML5",
  "description": "A browser-based tool that evaluates page structure, entity coverage, and schema health for AI search readiness.",
  "creator": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand"
  },
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "price": "49",
    "priceCurrency": "USD"
  }
}

OfferCatalog Schema

Perfect for pricing pages that list multiple tiers or plan options.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "OfferCatalog",
  "name": "AI Visibility Dashboard Plans",
  "description": "A tiered catalog of AI visibility tracking plans for agencies, in-house teams, and enterprise organizations.",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/pricing/",
  "itemListElement": [
    {
      "@type": "Offer",
      "name": "Starter Plan",
      "description": "AI visibility monitoring for a single domain with essential reporting.",
      "price": "99",
      "priceCurrency": "USD"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Offer",
      "name": "Professional Plan",
      "description": "Full visibility suite with entity graph analysis, citation tracking, and competitor benchmarking.",
      "price": "299",
      "priceCurrency": "USD"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Offer",
      "name": "Enterprise Plan",
      "description": "Multi-domain and multi-location AI search visibility with custom reporting and dedicated support.",
      "price": "799",
      "priceCurrency": "USD"
    }
  ]
}

Combined SaaS Schema (Webpage + WebApplication + OfferCatalog + HowTo)

The gold standard for a product page — links everything together.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@graph": [
    {
      "@type": "WebPage",
      "@id": "https://yoursite.com/ai-visibility-dashboard/#webpage",
      "url": "https://yoursite.com/ai-visibility-dashboard/",
      "name": "AI Visibility Dashboard | Your Brand",
      "description": "Track how often your brand is cited inside ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude with our AI visibility platform.",
      "inLanguage": "en-US",
      "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#website" },
      "about": { "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#organization" },
      "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://yoursite.com/ai-visibility-dashboard/#app" }
    },
    {
      "@type": ["WebApplication", "SoftwareApplication"],
      "@id": "https://yoursite.com/ai-visibility-dashboard/#app",
      "name": "AI Visibility Dashboard",
      "operatingSystem": "Web",
      "applicationCategory": "BusinessApplication",
      "description": "A SaaS platform for tracking AI search visibility and citation frequency across major AI engines.",
      "url": "https://yoursite.com/ai-visibility-dashboard/",
      "creator": {
        "@type": "Organization",
        "name": "Your Brand",
        "url": "https://yoursite.com/"
      },
      "offers": { "@id": "https://yoursite.com/ai-visibility-dashboard/#catalog" }
    },
    {
      "@type": "OfferCatalog",
      "@id": "https://yoursite.com/ai-visibility-dashboard/#catalog",
      "name": "AI Visibility Dashboard Plans",
      "itemListElement": [
        { "@type": "Offer", "name": "Starter Plan", "price": "99", "priceCurrency": "USD" },
        { "@type": "Offer", "name": "Professional Plan", "price": "299", "priceCurrency": "USD" },
        { "@type": "Offer", "name": "Enterprise Plan", "price": "799", "priceCurrency": "USD" }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowTo",
      "@id": "https://yoursite.com/ai-visibility-dashboard/#setup",
      "name": "How to Set Up the AI Visibility Dashboard",
      "totalTime": "PT5M",
      "step": [
        {
          "@type": "HowToStep",
          "position": 1,
          "name": "Create Your Account",
          "text": "Visit the dashboard page and click Start Free Trial to register your account."
        },
        {
          "@type": "HowToStep",
          "position": 2,
          "name": "Connect Your Domain",
          "text": "Enter your domain and verify ownership via DNS record or HTML tag."
        },
        {
          "@type": "HowToStep",
          "position": 3,
          "name": "Run Your First Scan",
          "text": "Click Run Scan to analyze your entity coverage, schema health, and current citation patterns across AI engines."
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Black Diamond · Run 16

Video Series, Broadcasts & Live Content

Goal: Help AI understand your full video universe — not just individual clips in isolation.

Key Schema Types

MediaObject, Clip, BroadcastEvent, BroadcastService

Where It Goes

Live events, webinars, highlight reels, episodic YouTube or podcast series

Clarifies relationships between episodes, clips, and full-length content; lets AI see your channel as a continuous authority source rather than disconnected uploads.

MediaObject Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "MediaObject",
  "name": "AEO Strategy Overview",
  "description": "A media file covering the core principles of Answer Engine Optimization and how brands earn AI citations.",
  "contentUrl": "https://yoursite.com/media/aeo-strategy.mp4",
  "encodingFormat": "video/mp4",
  "uploadDate": "2025-02-01"
}

Clip Schema

Use for short segments extracted from a longer video — ideal for Shorts, Reels, or chapter clips.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Clip",
  "name": "What Is Entity Stacking? (60-Second Explainer)",
  "startOffset": 0,
  "endOffset": 60,
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/media/entity-stacking-clip.mp4",
  "partOf": {
    "@type": "VideoObject",
    "name": "Black Diamond Schema: Entity Stacking Masterclass",
    "url": "https://yoursite.com/videos/entity-stacking-masterclass/"
  }
}

BroadcastEvent Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "BroadcastEvent",
  "name": "Live Training: Schema Implementation for AI Search",
  "description": "A live broadcast covering how to implement entity-first schema to improve AI search visibility.",
  "startDate": "2025-06-10T14:00:00-05:00",
  "isLiveBroadcast": true,
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/live/schema-training",
  "broadcastOfEvent": {
    "@type": "Event",
    "name": "Schema Mountain Live Masterclass"
  }
}

BroadcastService Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "BroadcastService",
  "name": "Your Brand Live Stream",
  "broadcastDisplayName": "Your Brand YouTube Channel",
  "url": "https://youtube.com/@YourBrand",
  "broadcaster": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand",
    "url": "https://yoursite.com/"
  },
  "videoFormat": "1080p",
  "inLanguage": "en-US"
}

Black Diamond · Run 17

Roles, Relationships & Author Identity (Identity Icefall)

Goal: Tie people, brands, and topics together so AI engines can follow — and correctly attribute — your experts.

Key Schema Types

Person (worksFor/affiliation), OrganizationRole, PropertyValue, identifier

Where It Goes

Author bios, leadership pages, expert columns, bylined articles, video credits

Reinforces "this person is an authority on this topic at this organization" — directly increasing the likelihood that AI engines cite your experts by name.

Person with Affiliation (Author Identity)

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Person",
  "@id": "https://yoursite.com/author/jane-smith/#person",
  "name": "Jane Smith",
  "jobTitle": "Director of AI Search Strategy",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/author/jane-smith/",
  "worksFor": {
    "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#organization"
  },
  "affiliation": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Brand",
    "url": "https://yoursite.com/"
  },
  "knowsAbout": [
    "Answer Engine Optimization",
    "Generative Engine Optimization",
    "Structured Data",
    "AI Search Visibility",
    "Entity Strategy"
  ]
}

OrganizationRole (Explicit Role Binding)

Use to formally bind a Person to a specific role within an Organization.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@graph": [
    {
      "@type": "Organization",
      "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#organization",
      "name": "Your Brand",
      "url": "https://yoursite.com/"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "@id": "https://yoursite.com/author/jane-smith/#person",
      "name": "Jane Smith"
    },
    {
      "@type": "OrganizationRole",
      "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#jane-director-role",
      "roleName": "Director of AI Search Strategy",
      "startDate": "2022-03-01",
      "member": {
        "@id": "https://yoursite.com/author/jane-smith/#person"
      },
      "memberOf": {
        "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#organization"
      }
    }
  ]
}

PropertyValue for Credentials & Authority Signals

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Person",
  "@id": "https://yoursite.com/author/jane-smith/#person",
  "name": "Jane Smith",
  "additionalProperty": [
    {
      "@type": "PropertyValue",
      "name": "Industry Recognition",
      "value": "Named Top 40 Under 40 in Digital Marketing by Search Engine Journal"
    },
    {
      "@type": "PropertyValue",
      "name": "YearsExperience",
      "value": "12",
      "unitText": "years in SEO and AI search strategy"
    }
  ]
}

Identifier for External IDs

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Person",
  "@id": "https://yoursite.com/author/jane-smith/#person",
  "name": "Jane Smith",
  "identifier": [
    "brand-jane-smith-001",
    {
      "@type": "PropertyValue",
      "name": "LinkedInProfileID",
      "value": "janesmith-seo"
    }
  ]
}

Article Pointing Back to Author (The Closing Link)

This is the connector that completes the entity loop — tying published content back to the expert who created it.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "Why Entity Stacking Is the Most Underrated AI Search Strategy",
  "author": {
    "@id": "https://yoursite.com/author/jane-smith/#person"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@id": "https://yoursite.com/#organization"
  },
  "url": "https://yoursite.com/blog/entity-stacking-ai-search/"
}

Double Black Diamond

Advanced Image Schema

Apply this pattern to every significant image on your site — it creates a direct connection between your visuals and your brand's entity graph.

1. ImageObject JSON-LD

{
  "@type": "ImageObject",
  "contentUrl": "https://yoursite.com/images/diagnostic-assessment-process.jpg",
  "caption": "Step-by-step diagnostic assessment during a home energy audit",
  "about": {
    "@type": "Service",
    "name": "Home Energy Assessment"
  }
}

Connects image → concept → service. Fully graph-compatible and parsed immediately by both traditional and AI-powered engines.

2. HTML Figure Context

<figure>
  <img
    src="diagnostic-assessment.jpg"
    alt="Technician conducting a diagnostic assessment during a home energy audit"
  >
  <figcaption>
    Diagnostic assessment step in a full home energy audit process
  </figcaption>
</figure>

3. DOM <> Schema Alignment

If your JSON-LD declares a step called "Diagnostic Assessment," the corresponding HTML heading must match exactly:

<h3>Step 2: Diagnostic Assessment</h3>
Mismatches between your schema and visible HTML create trust gaps. Align them precisely. AI engines cross-check schema declarations against rendered content and devalue pages where they diverge.

Quality Control

Validation & Quality Checklist

Before considering any schema implementation "done," run through this checklist:

✓

Passes validation

No errors in Google's Rich Results Test or Schema.org validator

✓

No duplicate entity definitions

One canonical @id per entity, referenced consistently across pages

✓

Every major page type has schema

Blog posts, service pages, location pages, product pages, team bios

✓

Content and schema are aligned

Page headings, descriptions, and schema markup say the same thing

✓

Author entities are connected

Articles point back to Person @id; Person connects to Organization @id

✓

Local pages use vertical-specific types

Not just LocalBusiness but Dentist, Attorney, Restaurant, etc.

✓

Media is marked up

Videos, podcasts, and key images have their own schema blocks

✓

AI engines can accurately describe you

If you query ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity for your brand and the answer is wrong or thin, your entity layer needs work

Reference

Summary: The Full Trail Map

RunTrail NameLevelSchema Types
1Easy Street🟢WebSite, Organization, Person, ContactPoint
2Content Crossing🟢WebPage, AboutPage, ContactPage, ProfilePage
3Trail Map Traverse🟢BreadcrumbList, ItemList, SiteNavigationElement
4Reputation Ridge🟢Review, Rating, AggregateRating
5Local Lodge Lane🟢LocalBusiness, GeoCoordinates, OpeningHoursSpecification
6Thought Leader Loop🔵Article, BlogPosting, NewsArticle, TechArticle
7Knowledge Knoll🔵FAQPage, QAPage
8Merchandise Meadow🔵Product, Service, Offer, PriceSpecification
9Render Run🔵VideoObject, ImageObject, AudioObject, PodcastSeries
10Specialty Slopes🔵All LocalBusiness vertical subtypes
11Events & Tourism🔵Event, TouristAttraction, TouristDestination
12Recipe Ridge🔵HowTo, Recipe
13Knowledge Knifepoint⬛DefinedTerm, DefinedTermSet, Dataset, CreativeWorkSeries
14Trustfall Tundra⬛ScholarlyArticle, ResearchProject, Report, MedicalWebPage
15Platform Plunge⬛SoftwareApplication, WebApplication, OfferCatalog
16Broadcast Blacks⬛MediaObject, Clip, BroadcastEvent, BroadcastService
17Identity Icefall⬛Person, OrganizationRole, PropertyValue, Identifier

The One-Sentence Schema Mandate

Schema is not a one-time task — it's a living layer of your site's intelligence. Build it systematically, validate it regularly, and let AI engines find you at every turn.

Start at Green Circle, ship every run in order, and your structured data will compound into a citation engine that works across every AI platform your buyers use.

Get schema done for you →Read the AEO Complete Guide →