STRUCTURED DATA · SEO GLOSSARY
Rich Snippet
Enhanced search result display that shows additional information (star ratings, price, availability, FAQ dropdowns, recipe details, event dates) derived from structured data (JSON-LD schema) on the source page.
Definition
A rich snippet is a search result that displays enhanced visual information beyond the standard title, URL, and meta description — derived from structured data (JSON-LD schema markup) on the page. Rich snippets are different from featured snippets: featured snippets extract content from any page without structured data; rich snippets require correctly implemented JSON-LD matching Google\'s Rich Results specifications. Types of rich snippets: **Review stars** — aggregate or individual review ratings for Product, Recipe, Book, and other eligible types with `AggregateRating` schema. **FAQ dropdowns** — collapsible Q&A pairs in the SERP from `FAQPage` schema. **HowTo steps** — numbered step list in the SERP from `HowTo` schema. **Recipe** — ingredients, cook time, and calorie count from `Recipe` schema. **Event** — date, location, and ticket link from `Event` schema. **Product** — price, availability, and condition from `Product` schema with `Offer`. **Video** — thumbnail and duration from `VideoObject` schema. **Article** — date and author information (in some Google experiences) from `Article` schema. Rich snippet eligibility requires: correct JSON-LD syntax (valid JSON, correct `@type` values); required properties for the specific schema type (Google\'s documentation lists required vs recommended properties for each Rich Result type); the structured data matching visible page content (Google may remove rich results from pages where the JSON-LD doesn\'t reflect what the user sees on the page); and the JSON-LD appearing in the server-rendered HTML (not client-side injected).
Why it matters for SEO
Rich snippets increase CTR by making organic results more visually prominent in the SERP. A result with star ratings, FAQ dropdowns, or recipe information occupies more SERP space and provides more information to the user before they click — resulting in higher CTR for relevant queries. For e-commerce, Product rich snippets with price and availability are particularly impactful. For content sites, FAQPage rich snippets are valuable for informational queries where questions can be answered concisely.
How DeepSEOAnalysis checks this
The audit validates all structured data types found on crawled pages against Google\'s Rich Results specifications: property-level validation (checking that required properties are present and correctly formatted for each schema type — for example, `FAQPage` requires `mainEntity` as an array of `Question` objects, each with `name` and `acceptedAnswer`); JSON-LD syntax correctness (valid JSON, correct `@context` and `@type` values); server-rendered presence (JSON-LD must be in the raw HTTP response, not injected via JavaScript after page load); and content matching (the structured data should reflect the actual page content — `FAQPage` JSON-LD questions and answers should match the visible FAQ section).
Useful tools and resources
GLOSSARY
Related terms
structured data
Structured Data
Machine-readable annotations added to HTML — usually JSON-LD — that explicitly describe what a page is about to search engines and AI systems.
Read definition →onpage
Featured Snippet
A special SERP result that displays a direct answer pulled from a webpage above the standard organic listings — also called "position zero."
Read definition →structured data
JSON-LD
JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data — Google\'s preferred format for adding structured data (Schema.org markup) to web pages via a `<script type="application/ld+json">` block in the HTML head or body, keeping machine-readable data separate from visible content and easier to maintain than Microdata or RDFa.
Read definition →structured data
Search Appearance
How a page displays in Google Search results — the combination of title link, snippet, URL, and any Rich Results enhancements (star ratings, FAQ accordions, site links, review counts) that make the result more prominent and informative.
Read definition →See how your site scores on Rich Snippet.
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