Question Does schema markup help with SEO in general and no?

[Super Mike]

I've been doing various testing in a couple of sub niches for the same kind of business model. For both Local and national visibility. Does the type of schema used dictate the kind of results you get ?

I mean the is so many different variants of schema which to me says the exact same thing, such as cooperation, local business, organisation. How do you differentiate what type of company you stand for ?

Thanks

 

[Optimize]

With Schema it's always best not to overdo it, use whats needed to try and make Google understand your business and the content on a specific page.

But to answer your question, yes Schema markup or JSON-LD can harness some great improvements, whether it be through increased conversion rates through featured snippets and reviews or via localised map pack ranking. There is a wealth of advantages to be had by implementing Schema.

It's always worth mentioning that it's recommended to always make sure your Schema validates after making changes.( http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/richsnippets ) Having Schema which is wrong or has errors can often be worse than not having any at all.

 

[Super Mike]

Whats the difference between ProfessionalService and Service schema ? If you were selling a service what would you use and why ?

 

[Nati]

The simple answer is NO. At least not right now.

However, if you consider the question in a slightly different way, you could come up with a sort of YES answer.

Say for instance, if you asked, “is structured markup data (of which schema markup is just one example) a helpful factor in improving search engine optimization or search engine visibility?” the answer would be a clear YES.

This is because the use of structured markup data can improve your website (or content) search engine visibility in 3 primary ways:

1. Structured Data Helps Google Algorithms To Better Understand And Index Your Data.
2. Structured Data Imposes A Structure On Your Websites Architecture That’s Independent Of Design
3. Structured Data Is Easier To Link Automatically Through Machines