Rich Snippets
Enhanced search result displays that show additional structured information such as ratings, prices, images or events next to title and text.
Also known as: Rich results, Enhanced search results
Rich snippets are enhanced displays in the result list of a search engine. Instead of showing only the title, URL and description, they add information such as ratings, prices, availability, images, cooking times or event dates. They make a search result more visible and give the user quick added value.
How rich snippets are produced
The basis is structured markup on the page, typically using the schema.org vocabulary and serialised in JSON LD. The search engine reads this data while crawling and decides on its own whether and in which form to present it as a rich snippet. A check via the rich result testing tools shows whether the markup is processed correctly.
What they deliver and what they do not
Rich snippets often increase click through rate, because the result feels more prominent and matches the search intent more clearly. They do not guarantee better rankings, they only improve presentation. Wrong or misleading markup can trigger manual penalties, so only information that is actually present on the page should be marked up.
Practical relevance in everyday marketing
In day to day marketing, rich snippets are most worthwhile for product pages, recipes, events, FAQs and reviews. Company pages also benefit from structured information for address, opening hours and contact. A consistent data base remains crucial: what sits in the markup needs to match what users actually find on the page and in their contact moments.