If you run a food-related business such as a cookware brand, restaurant or cooking blog, you’ll understand that traffic on your website is key to success.
But how do you stand out from the competition online with so many other sites vying for attention?
If you’ve ever searched for recipes on Google you’ll have noticed some listings have extra information such as reviews, preparation time, images and even ingredients listed on them. This is known as recipe structured data markup.
Structured data can be your secret ingredient. It makes your recipes pop in search results, drawing in readers with eye-catching details.
Below we look at how structured data can transform your recipes on Google, helping increase the traffic to your website.
What Is Structured Data?
Think of structured data as a translator for Google. It turns the details of your recipes into a format that search engines digest easily.
There are various types of structured data markup available depending on the listing, with unique information for e-commerce stores, reviews, job listings, hotels and many more.
This means better display in search results—complete with ratings, cooking times, and calorie info right at the top!
Why Bother with Structured Data?
Here’s why structured data should be on every food blogger’s menu:
- Visibility Boost: Recipes with structured data stand out, thanks to rich results. They’re more eye-catching, making them hard to scroll past.
- Traffic Increase: Snazzy rich results don’t just look good; they click well too. Expect more visitors!
- User Experience Perks: Quick info means users find what they want faster. This can cut down on bounce rates and keep them browsing your site longer as the recipe is more relevant to their query.
How to Implement Structured Data on Recipes
- Pick the Right Format: There are a few different ways to implement recipe structured data (more info on each below). We recommend going with JSON-LD. Google loves it, and it’s simple to manage. You slot it right into the HTML’s head section without messing with the page’s look.
- Use Google’s Markup Helper: Not a coder? No problem. Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper lets you tag your recipe’s elements visually. It then gives you the JSON-LD structured data you need.
- Add Rich Helpful Data: Mark up vital information on your recipe such as: preparation time, cook time, ingredients recipe image, recipe cooking method, review score and many more!
- Test Your Markup: Pop your URL into Google’s Rich Results Test. It’ll check your markup and show you a preview of your recipe’s new look in search results.
Implementing Structured Data: [Detailed Steps]
To implement structured data effectively on your recipe site, consider these methods depending on your technical preference and website’s capabilities:
Manually Coding with JSON-LD
For those comfortable with coding, manually adding JSON-LD to your HTML offers full control over the structured data, allowing for customisation to meet Google’s rich result requirements.
The best implementation we have seen involves marking up the product template on the website rather than having to do this for every recipe using Google’s markup tool. For example, you can create a custom input field on your CMS for ingredients and set a rule that these are marked up with the correct schema for every new recipe you upload. You will need some web development assistance unless you have the skills yourself!
Below is an example of some JSON-LD markup for a chocolate chip recipe.
<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “http://schema.org/”,
“@type”: “Recipe”,
“name”: “Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies”,
“image”: [
“https://example.com/photos/1×1/photo.jpg”,
“https://example.com/photos/4×3/photo.jpg”,
“https://example.com/photos/16×9/photo.jpg”
],
“author”: {
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “John Doe”
},
“datePublished”: “2018-03-10”,
“description”: “This classic chocolate chip cookie recipe is a favorite for all. Enjoy soft, chewy cookies with rich chocolate chips.”,
“prepTime”: “PT30M”,
“cookTime”: “PT15M”,
“totalTime”: “PT45M”,
“keywords”: “chocolate chip cookies, classic recipe, baking”,
“recipeYield”: “24 cookies”,
“recipeCategory”: “Dessert”,
“recipeCuisine”: “American”,
“nutrition”: {
“@type”: “NutritionInformation”,
“calories”: “210 calories”,
“fatContent”: “10 grams fat”
},
“recipeIngredient”: [
“2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour”,
“1/2 teaspoon baking soda”,
“1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature”,
“1/2 cup granulated sugar”,
“1 cup packed light-brown sugar”,
“1 teaspoon salt”,
“2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract”,
“2 large eggs”,
“2 cups semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips”
],
“recipeInstructions”: [
{
“@type”: “HowToStep”,
“text”: “Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda; set aside.”
},
{
“@type”: “HowToStep”,
“text”: “In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute.”
},
{
“@type”: “HowToStep”,
“text”: “Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.”
},
{
“@type”: “HowToStep”,
“text”: “Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.”
},
{
“@type”: “HowToStep”,
“text”: “Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.”
}
],
“aggregateRating”: {
“@type”: “AggregateRating”,
“ratingValue”: “4.5”,
“reviewCount”: “276”
}
}
</script>
Using a Structured Data App
Utilising RDFa
RDFa, also known as Microdata markup, involves embedding structured data directly within HTML content, maintaining a close tie between visible content and metadata, which is beneficial for dynamic, content-heavy websites. It can be quite laborious so not always recommended!
Below is an example of the same cookie recipe using RDFa markup.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang=”en”>
<head>
<meta charset=”UTF-8″>
<title>Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe</title>
</head>
<body>
<article vocab=”http://schema.org/” typeof=”Recipe”>
<header>
<h1 property=”name”>Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies</h1>
<img src=”https://example.com/photos/cookies.jpg” property=”image” alt=”A plate of classic chocolate chip cookies”>
<p property=”description”>This classic chocolate chip cookie recipe produces soft, chewy cookies with rich chocolate chips – a favourite for all ages!</p>
</header>
<section>
<h2>Details</h2>
<p>Prep Time: <time property=”prepTime” datetime=”PT30M”>30 minutes</time></p>
<p>Cook Time: <time property=”cookTime” datetime=”PT15M”>15 minutes</time></p>
<p>Total Time: <time property=”totalTime” datetime=”PT45M”>45 minutes</time></p>
<p>Yield: <span property=”recipeYield”>24 cookies</span></p>
</section>
<section>
<h2>Ingredients</h2>
<ul property=”recipeIngredient”>
<li>2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature</li>
<li>1/2 cup granulated sugar</li>
<li>1 cup packed light-brown sugar</li>
<li>1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract</li>
<li>2 large eggs</li>
<li>2 cups semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips</li>
</ul>
</section>
<section>
<h2>Instructions</h2>
<div property=”recipeInstructions”>
<p>1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda; set aside.</p>
<p>2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.</p>
<p>3. Reduce speed to low; add salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute.</p>
<p>4. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.</p>
<p>5. Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.</p>
<p>6. Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, about 12 minutes.</p>
<p>7. Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.</p>
</div>
</section>
<footer>
<p>Author: <span property=”author”>John Doe</span></p>
<p>Date Published: <time property=”datePublished” datetime=”2018-03-10″>March 10, 2018</time></p>
</footer>
</article>
</body>
</html>
Advanced Tips to Improve Your Recipe Visibility on Google
- Quality Matters: Great structured data starts with great content. Write clearly, snap stunning photos, and share top-notch recipes. The internet is a big ‘ol place so opt for unique recipes that may not have been featured by other sites before!
- Keep It Fresh: Update your recipes regularly. Tweaking a few details can remind Google that your content is still relevant.
- Track and Tweak: Use Google Search Console to keep an eye on how your recipes are doing in search results. You will even see the structured data listed on here for each recipe and any errors with implementation. It’s like having a feedback loop that tells you what’s working and what’s not.
Need Help with Recipe Structured Data or SEO for your Cooking Site? We Can Help!
Leveraging structured data can make your recipes the main attraction in Google search results. It’s about getting the technical bits right and pairing them with killer content.
If you need help implementing structured data on your recipes, Search Hog can help. We are experienced SEO experts that can supercharge your visibility online.
Get in touch today to see how we can help your business grow online.
