Should JSON-LD go in ` ` or ` `?

Google recognizes both locations. Conventionally, it goes in ` `. When generating page-specific JSON-LD dynamically, inserting at the end of ` ` does not affect crawling.

JSON-LD Basics

Definition

JSON-LD is the Schema.org structured data insertion method recommended by Google.

Summary

JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) inserts structured data with a single <script> tag without modifying HTML. Google officially recommends JSON-LD over Microdata and RDFa. Using Schema.org vocabulary, you can define various entities such as Article, FAQPage, and Organization.

What Is Structured Data?

Structured data is standardized code that helps search engines and AI systems understand page content meaning mechanically. Separate from human-readable HTML text, it specifies things like "this page is a Q&A list" or "this article's author is X."

Google generates Rich Results based on structured data. Visual elements such as FAQ accordions, star ratings, and breadcrumbs are added to search results.

Why JSON-LD Is Recommended

Google Search Central official documentation states "we recommend using JSON-LD." There are three reasons.

1. Easy Maintenance

JSON-LD exists independently in a <script> tag in <head> or <body>. You can add, modify, or remove structured data without changing HTML structure.

2. Dynamic Injection Possible

JSON-LD can be dynamically injected after page load via JavaScript. Google crawls and indexes dynamically generated JSON-LD.

3. Error Isolation

JSON-LD syntax errors do not affect HTML rendering. Microdata inserts structured data as HTML attributes, so errors can affect page rendering.

Basic Structure

All JSON-LD starts with these three fields.

<script type="application/ld+json">
  {
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "Article",
    "name": "JSON-LD Basics Guide"
  }
</script>

@context: Declares use of Schema.org vocabulary. Always "https://schema.org".
@type: Entity type. Use types defined in Schema.org.
Remaining fields: Properties of that type.

Major Schema.org Types

Article / NewsArticle

Used for blog posts and news articles. Include headline, author, datePublished, dateModified, and image.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "What Is AEO",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "John Doe"
  },
  "datePublished": "2026-05-06",
  "dateModified": "2026-05-06"
}

Organization

Defines company and brand information. Include name, url, logo, and contactPoint.

FAQPage

Used for Q&A-format content. Google AI Overviews tend to prioritize content with FAQPage schema when selecting citation sources.

BreadcrumbList

Defines page hierarchy. Displays breadcrumbs in search results in "Site > Category > Page" format.

HowTo

Used for step-by-step guides. Define each step as HowToStep.

Role of JSON-LD in AEO

Aggarwal et al. (2024) KDD research experimentally confirmed that structured content optimization can increase citation potential in AI answers by up to 40%. JSON-LD helps AI systems understand page content in semantic units.

Google AI Overviews selects citation sources based on the Google Search index. Explicitly defining content structure with JSON-LD helps Google classify pages more accurately and increases the likelihood of appearing as AI Overviews citation candidates.

Validation Methods

Google Rich Results Test

Enter a URL or code to verify JSON-LD parses correctly and whether it qualifies for Rich Results. URL: https://search.google.com/test/rich-results

Schema Markup Validator

Official validation tool from Schema.org. URL: https://validator.schema.org

Google Search Console

Check structured data errors and warnings in the "Rich results" report for indexed pages. Newly added JSON-LD is reflected within days.

Korean Market Context

Major Korean CMS platforms such as WordPress, Naver Smart Store, and Cafe24 have limited JSON-LD support. WordPress can auto-insert basic JSON-LD via Yoast SEO and RankMath plugins. For custom-built sites or Next.js-based sites, directly inserting JSON-LD in the <Head> component is most reliable.

For Korean content, JSON-LD field values can be written in Korean. Google processes structured data regardless of language.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Should JSON-LD go in <head> or <body>?
A. Google recognizes both locations. Conventionally, it goes in <head>. When generating page-specific JSON-LD dynamically, inserting at the end of <body> does not affect crawling.

Q. Can I add multiple JSON-LD blocks on one page?
A. Yes. You can add multiple <script type="application/ld+json"> blocks or include multiple types in one block as an array.

Q. Without JSON-LD, do Rich Results never appear?
A. Rich Results are still possible with Microdata or RDFa structured data. However, JSON-LD is easiest to implement and maintain.

Q. Do Rich Results appear immediately after adding JSON-LD?
A. Not immediately. Google must crawl and index the page first. It typically takes days to weeks. Use Google Search Console "URL Inspection → Request indexing" to encourage crawling.

Q. Do JSON-LD errors affect page rankings?
A. JSON-LD errors themselves do not lower rankings. However, errors can prevent Rich Results display and reduce structured-data-based AI citations.

Related Sources

Google Search Central. Introduction to structured data markup in Google Search. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/intro-structured-data
Google Search Central. JSON-LD: Linked Data in JSON format. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/sd-policies
Schema.org. Schema.org Full Hierarchy. https://schema.org/docs/full.html
Aggarwal, S., et al. (2024). GEO: Generative Engine Optimization. KDD 2024. https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.09735