Person Schema Markup : A Complete Guide in 2024

A Person schema markup is a type of structured data that helps search engines understand specific information about a person. It’s a way to provide more precise and detailed information about an individual which can help improve the visibility of that person’s information in search results.

This schema markup is usually used on personal websites, staff directories, or author pages on a website.

In this blog post, let’s explore how person schema markup can benefit your website and how to implement it for optimal results.

What are the most common Person schema properties?

These are many properties documented in Schema.org that you can use within a Person schema markup.

Here are some major properties to include in Person schema markup:

name: The full name of the person.
url: A link to the person’s primary online representation, such as a personal website or profile page.
image: An image that visually represents the person.
jobTitle: The person’s job title or primary occupation.
description: A brief and informative description of the person, including biographical details or expertise.
birthDate: The person’s date of birth.
gender: The person’s gender.
address: The person’s postal address, typically used for business-related schema.
email and telephone: Contact information, such as email address and phone number.
worksFor: The organization the person works for, including the organization’s name and URL.
sameAs: A list of URLs linking to the person’s profiles on various platforms, such as social media.
alumniOf: The educational institutions or universities that the person is an alumnus of, including the institution’s name and, if applicable, a link to its website.
knowsAbout: An indication of the areas or topics that the person is knowledgeable about. This property provides insights into the individual’s expertise and interests.
knowsLanguage: A list of languages that the person knows or is proficient in, each specified as a “Language” object.

Person Schema Example

Here is an example of how a Person Schema might look like for The Doctor:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "http://schema.org",
  "@type": "Person",
  "name": "The Doctor",
  "url": "https://www.example.com/doctorwho",
  "image": "https://www.example.com/doctorwho.jpg",
  "jobTitle": "Time Lord",
  "description": "The Doctor is a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey who travels through time and space in the TARDIS",
  "birthDate": "Unknown",
  "gender": "Regenerates (Mostly Male Incarnations)",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "addressLocality": "Gallifrey"
},
  "email": "[email protected]",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_Who",
    "https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho"
  ],
  "alumniOf": [
    {
      "@type": "EducationalOrganization",
      "name": "Time Lord Academy",
      "url": "https://www.academy-of-time.space"
    }
  ],
  "worksFor": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "UNIT",
    "url": "https://unit.gov.uk"
  },
  "knowsLanguage": [
    {
      "@type": "Language",
      "name": "Gallifreyan"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Language",
      "name": "English"
    }
  ],
  "knowsAbout": "Time Travel, Regeneration"
}
</script>

How to Add a Schema markup for a Person

To implement person schema markup, you’ll need to use the appropriate properties and markup.

1. Identify the Person’s Information

The first step in implementing a Person Schema Markup is to identify the relevant information that you want to include. This may include the person’s name, job title, birth date, nationality, and any other additional information that you would like to display. It’s important to note that the more information you include, the better search engines will be able to understand and display your data.

2. Generate Schema Code

Once you have identified the relevant information, it’s time to generate the schema code.

There are many online tools that can help you generate a Person schema and you can then customise it for your specific needs:

3. Add Schema Code to Your Website

After generating the schema code, the next step is to add it to your website’s HTML. In general, you don’t need to place the Person schema on every page of your website, but rather on the specific page that provides the most information about the person. However, you should ensure that the page you choose is accessible and relevant.

This can be done by adding the code directly to the relevant page or by using a plugin if you’re using a content management system (CMS) such as WordPress. You can also add the code through Google Tag Manager.

If you are creating a schema for an individual on a personal website, place the Person schema markup on the bio page or an “About Me” page.

If you’re using Person schema for an author of blog posts, include it on the individual articles. By including both the Article schema and the Author schema within the same script, you create structured data that conveys information about both the blog post and its author. This helps search engines understand the content and the authorship relationship.

4. Test Your Markup

Before publishing your changes, it’s crucial to check and test your markup and ensure that it is working correctly. You can use Google’s Rich Results Test or Schema Validator Tool to validate your markup and make any necessary adjustments.

5. Keep Your Schema Code Up-to-Date

As search engine algorithms and guidelines continue to evolve, it’s crucial to keep your schema code up-to-date. This will ensure that your data is displayed correctly and effectively, helping to improve your website’s visibility and organic traffic.

When and Where to use Person Schema?

Person Schema Markup is typically used in the following scenarios:

Personal Websites or Blogs: If you have a personal website or a blog, you can use Person structured data to provide more information about yourself such as your name, job title, work history, affiliations, educational background, and contact information.
Author Pages: On websites that publish content by multiple authors, each author can have a separate page with Person Schema detailing their professional background and other works.
Staff Pages on Company Websites: Companies often list their team members on their website. Each staff member’s page can include Person Schema with details like their name, job title, professional background, and contact information.
Speaker or Presenter Pages for Events: If you’re hosting an event and have a webpage for each speaker, you can use Person Schema to provide additional information about each presenter.
Academic or Research Websites: On academic or research websites, you can use Person Schema on each researcher’s page to detail their education, research work, publications, and affiliations.

Remember, the usage of Person Schema should be relevant to the content of the webpage, and the information provided should be accurate and up-to-date.

Best Practices for Person Schema Markup

Implementing Person Schema Markup properly can be a boon for SEO and visibility on the web. Here are some best practices:

Use Relevant Properties: Only use properties that are relevant to the person in question. For example, if you’re marking up a page about an employee, include their company information in the “worksFor” property.
Keep Information Up-To-Date: It’s important to keep schema markups updated. If a person changes jobs or gets a new award, update the markup accordingly.
Use JSON-LD Format: Google recommends using JSON-LD for structured data whenever possible because it’s easier to add and manage.
Use Google’s Rich Results Test or Schema Validator Tool: This tool allows you to test your markup to make sure it’s working correctly.
Avoid Misrepresentation: Do not try to manipulate schema markups by including false information or misleading content. This can harm your website’s reputation and even lead to penalties from search engines.
Include Social Media Profiles: If the person has professional social media profiles, include them in the markup for increased visibility.
Nested Items: If a certain property can have more details (like “worksFor” can have “address”, “name”, etc.), use nested items to provide as much detail as possible.
Follow Guidelines: Google provides guidelines for each type of schema markup. Make sure to follow these guidelines to get the most benefit from your structured data.

Remember, while schema markup can enhance your visibility in search results, it’s not a guarantee. It’s one of many factors search engines consider when determining what to show users.

Person Schema Markup