What is sameAs Schema

sameAs is a schema markup that provides information about the connections between web pages, social media accounts, and other online entities. Essentially, it allows search engines to determine that two or more web pages or social media accounts are referring to the same entity. This schema markup is typically used for businesses, public figures, and organisations.

For example, if you have a business website, and you also have a verified Facebook page, you can use sameAs schema to confirm that both web pages are related to the same entity. This can be done through adding the Organization and sameAs schema code in the header section of your website’s HTML.

How Does SameAs Schema Work?

The sameAs property is used to indicate that two entities are essentially the same. It is typically nested within other schema types to provide additional context and information about the entity or webpage being described. 

The sameAs property uses URLs to establish these links. You should ensure that the URLs included in your sameAs property are valid and accessible since a URL returning a 404 error could negatively impact your SEO.

sameAs alone only establishes an identity relationship between the current entity and external entities. By nesting it within other schema types, you can provide a more comprehensive description of the entity, including its attributes, properties, and relationships. This helps search engines and other data consumers better understand the entity.

Here’s an example of nesting sameAs within a Person schema using JSON-LD:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "http://schema.org",
  "@type": "Person",
  "name": "Ernest Hemingway",
  "jobTitle": "Author",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway",
    "https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/1954/hemingway/biographical/",
    "https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ernest-Hemingway"
  ]
}
</script>

sameAs schema Best Practices

When implementing the sameAs schema in structured data markup, it’s important to follow best practices to ensure that your schema is effective, accurate, and compliant with search engine guidelines:

1. Use it for equivalent entities: The sameAs property should only be used to relate entities that are truly equivalent, such as different versions of the same webpage or the same person’s profile on different social media platforms.
2. Use valid URLs: Make sure that the URLs you include in your sameAs property are valid and accessible. If a URL returns a 404 error, it could negatively impact your SEO.
3. Include all relevant URLs: If you have multiple URLs that refer to the same entity, include all of them in your sameAs property. This will help search engines understand the full scope of your content.
4. Don’t overuse it: While it’s important to include all relevant URLs, don’t go overboard. Including too many URLs could lead to confusion and may not provide any additional SEO benefit.
5. Use it in combination with other schema properties: The sameAs property is just one part of Schema.org. To get the most out of it, use it in combination with other properties like url, name, and description.
6. Validate schema markup regularly: Periodically check the structured data on your website using Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool or other validation tools to ensure that your sameAs schema is error-free.
7. Keep it up to date: If the URLs you’ve included in your sameAs property change, make sure to update your schema markup accordingly.

Should you put a competitor URL in the sameAs schema?

Generally, it’s not advisable to put a competitor’s URL in the sameAs field. The sameAs schema property is used to indicate equivalent web pages or digital assets. In most cases, you would use it to link entities that are essentially the same, such as a person’s profile on your website and their profiles on various social media platforms.

Including a competitor’s URL in the sameAs field could potentially confuse search engines and users alike, as it might imply that your business and your competitor’s are the same entity, which is likely not the case. It could also inadvertently drive traffic away from your site to your competitor’s.

Instead, focus on linking your own related digital assets using the sameAs property. This could include your company’s profiles on social media platforms, review sites, industry directories, and so on. This will help consolidate your online presence and improve your visibility in search engine results.

Conclusion

It’s important to note that sameAs schema is not a silver bullet for SEO. It works best when used in combination with other effective SEO strategies such as on-page optimization and regular content updates.

When used correctly, sameAs schema can help improve your website’s visibility and credibility, making it easier for users and search engines to understand the relationships between your online presence and other entities. Keep these best practices in mind when implementing sameAs schema on your website to ensure optimal results.