SEO vs Schema Agencies

Schema markup is not something to neglect or overlook. Adding schema to your SEO checklist is an important step that is bound to bring about positive results. I would venture to say that any SEO agency that is not currently employing schema markup is not an SEO agency at all. At this point, schema markup is critical and essential for garnering meaningful results through organic search. I would strongly recommend steering away from SEO agencies that do not offer in-house structured data services. 

This is where Schema Pros comes in. Although we offer SEO services, many clients choose Schema Pros to handle all of their schema markup needs exclusively. This is sometimes done alongside an SEO vs schema agency that the client has hired. Why is this? Schema markup requires knowledge of JSON-LD – a language with which many SEOs and coders are unfamiliar. SEOs are unlikely to have any knowledge of JSON-LD whatsoever, and ineffective plugins like Yoast SEO may function as a replacement for that lack of knowledge.

Unfortunately, Yoast SEO and related plugins are entirely insufficient, and they may do more harm than good.  More so, familiarity with the JSON-LD language is only a small stepping stone to being able to apply effective schema markup. Coders must be able to understand how and when to apply structured data to help clients meet business objectives strategically. 

What to Watch Out For in SEO vs. Schema Agencies

• The SEO agency recommends Yoast or a similar plugin to handle your schema markup needs. This is a dead giveaway that 1) the SEO agency doesn’t know JSON-LD and 2) the SEO agency doesn’t understand the basic principles of structured data.
• The SEO Agency wants to code using microdata or RDFa. However, JSON-LD is the preferred coding method by Google. Therefore, there is no reason to code schema markup using microdata or RDFa unless the SEO agency is unfamiliar with the JSON-LD.
• The SEO agency has difficulty letting you know what to expect from their schema markup additions. Unfortunately, this is typically a dead giveaway that the SEO agency does not have sufficient experience with or understanding of schema. 
• The SEO agency does not have any dedicated coders on staff. SEO is a creative endeavor that involves a limited amount of coding. Schema markup is similarly innovative, but it is much more technical. Typically, a designated web developer is required to meet all of the technical requirements. A pure SEO is not expected to know JSON-LD.
• The SEO agency is offering schema markup as a “new service.” This is typically another dead giveaway that the SEO agency is simply dipping their toe into the schema markup waters to see if the water is warm. The agency may not have a solid grasp of schema markup or what it requires.

Important Things to Remember About Schema Markup

• Marketing is a very fast-growing field, and so is SEO. At this point, someone who deals with SEO would not usually be expected to also deal with schema markup, as there is not a significant amount of overlap between the disciplines. Fortunately, we at Schema Pros pride ourselves on being geeky and committed to professional development, so we’ve covered our bases. In the future, schema markup associates will be an addition to every marketing agency. Now is the time to beat your competition and get ahead of the curve.
• Only a small percentage of sites are currently taking advantage of rich snippets, and Google is rewarding them for it. Now is the time to capitalize on the opportunity for upward mobility, as the number of websites using structured data will continue to climb quickly. 
• Schema markup boosts CTR and general engagement. Google ranks whatever websites have the best CTR and general engagement (among other important factors). As a result, schema markup both directly and indirectly impacts SEO.
• Schema markup drives both voice and predictive search, and these are the two fastest-growing areas in all of SEO. Schema markup enables Google Algorithms like RankBrain to function by understanding the context and intent of a page. This would be a near-impossible feat without structured data. Moving forward, websites without schema markup will be devalued, as Google simply won’t feel as confident recommending those websites as the websites that do have schema markup.

How Schema Pros Works With SEO Agencies

At Schema Pros, it is not uncommon for us to handle the schema markup while an SEO Agency handles the SEO. Although Schema Pros is ready and equipped to handle all of your SEO needs, this typically happens because clients come to us after they already have an SEO Agency that has failed to execute proper schema markup. For example, perhaps the SEO Agency recommended schema markup and wasn’t able to implement it, or maybe the SEO Agency attempted to implement schema, but the client failed to see any positive results. 

Either way, Schema Pros has a process to seamlessly work with any SEO Agency to get the job done promptly. Generally, we will put the ball in the other agency’s court. If the SEO Agency wants the JSON-LD for the entire website in bulk, that’s fine. If the SEO Agency intends to work on specific business objectives page by page, that’s even better.

 At the end of the day, though, it is essential to trust the SEO Agency that you’re using. Some agencies will focus only on the numbers, while others will focus more closely on meaningful business objectives, and you want an honest agency that is serving your interests. 

If you don’t feel like you’re getting the value you expect from your current SEO agency, you should contact Schema Pros for a free consultation. We will let you know how we can help, to what cost, and to what degree. 

Schema Pros is dedicated to quality and establishes business objectives for our clients before going to work. We push any SEO Agency we might be working with to do the same. We’re on your side. Are you ready to be on ours?