Schema markup: What it is and why it matters in 2026

Schema markup is code you add to a webpage to help machines understand the meaning behind your content. In traditional SEO, schema can improve how your content appears in Google’s results — think review stars, event dates, FAQ toggles, and even knowledge panels. But in 2026, it’s not just about rich results.
AI systems like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and others rely heavily on structured data to understand, summarize, and cite your content accurately. That’s why schema markup matters more than ever: