Easily Add Schema to Listings for Better SEO and AI Inquiries

Schema markup is structured data that helps search engines and AI systems understand your listing content.

If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know that I don’t focus too much on SEO-optimizing individual listings. The reasoning is backed up by simply looking at how some of the major (successful) directories, like Yelp, for example, approach SEO, which is to say they focus on the core website.

When done right, focusing on optimizing the core website, rather than optimizing the individual listing types, means listings will be found naturally, through proper navigation, SEO-optimized category pages, region pages, author pages, permalink structure, helpful content, etc.

However, I recognize that some individuals may still insist on implementing schema for listings, so let’s examine our approach.

Key Takeaways

• MyListing sites usually get better SEO results by focusing on optimizing the core site (categories, regions, authors, permalinks, helpful content, etc.) instead of listings, but schema does have its place in SEO and answering AI.
• Add schema to listings using MyListing’s built-in Schema tool.
• Use an AI tool (ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, etc.) to generate schema suggestions from a real listing URL, then apply those values inside the corresponding MyListing listing type.
• Remove irrelevant schema objects to reduce code output and make it easier for crawlers and AI systems to parse your pages.
• Always validate your final schema using the Schema.org Validator before saving and rolling it out to other listing types.

Automatic Schema for MyListing Using SEOPress

If you want to delve deeper into schema as it relates to the MyListing WordPress theme, SEOPress offers an automatic schema feature and has even published a MyListing guide on the subject.

For my personal MyListing project, using the automatic schema for listings wasn’t worth the effort, so I went with MyListing’s built-in schema tool.

MyListing’s Built-In Schema Tool

WordPress Dashboard > Listing Types > Listing Type > General > Schema

At first glance, MyListing’s schema tool is daunting. What do all the values mean? Where do I start?

By default, MyListing gives you a nice jumpstart with various objects, pulling listing data like the title (name), description, logo, email, etc. However, you quickly realize there are object values that are incorrect or simply not applicable to your particular listing types.

To find the right objects to include and the correct values for them, you can spend quite a bit of time reading through Schema.org docs (a great resource, by the way), or you can save yourself a ton of time by using AI.

Use AI to Generate Listing Schema for MyListing Websites

1. Open the AI tool of your choice (ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, etc.)
2. Prompt > Generate proper schema for the following listing <include the URL of the listing>
3. Let AI do its thing and keep that browser tab open, as we’ll reference it here soon

Add the Listing Schema to MyListing Listing Types

WordPress Dashboard > Listing Types > Listing Type > General > Schema

1. Remove the schema objects that are irrelevant your listing type so you’re outputting less source code, which also means crawlers have less to parse through
2. Adjust the remaining schema objects based on the values provided by AI. (Note: Switching MyListing’s Schema Markup from “tree view” to “text view” makes it much easier to paste in values from AI.)
3. Optionally add new schema objects based the values provided by AI
4. Test your schema
5. Save changes
6. Repeat the steps for your other listing types

Frequently Asked Questions About Adding Schema to MyListing Listings

Should We Focus on Listing Schema or the Core Directory Site for SEO?

For most directory sites, we get the results by focusing on optimizing the core site. That means strong category pages, region pages, author pages, helpful content, and a clean permalink structure. Listings then naturally get discovered.

Where Do We Add Schema in the MyListing Theme?

Go to WordPress Dashboard, Listing Types, choose a Listing Type, then General, then Schema. That is where you can edit, remove, and add schema objects for each listing type.

What Is the Fastest Way to Figure Out the Right Schema Objects and Values?

Use an AI tool and provide a real listing URL. Ask it to generate schema that matches your listing type. Then compare its output to what MyListing already includes, and update the objects and values that are wrong or not relevant.

Why Should We Remove Irrelevant Schema Objects?

Less markup means less page code and less noise for crawlers. It also reduces the chance you publish misleading fields that do not match your listing type, which can hurt trust and create validation warnings.

How Do We Test Our Listing Schema Before Publishing?

Run the page (or markup) through the Schema.org validator. Fix errors and warnings, then save your MyListing schema changes. After that, repeat the same process for your other listing types.

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