Gemini structured data schema info
Following the ChatGPT take on my previous post is what Google’s Gemini came up with on the same topic using identical prompts. Google’s response to my prompt definitely felt more technical and complete, particularly regarding my follow-up question about schema:
Here is the text from some emails I have received appearing to claim they can get one to appear in outputs of Gemini and ChatGPT, etc. I get so many of these types of emails promising about great results with new search engine tactics that will make the various AIs bring up CharlesWorks.
CharlesWorks is a small NH business operating since June 15, 1998, currently with web clients on four continents. We specialize in web and email hosting, website development, search engine optimization. We are long term BBB accredited and a Microsoft Partner.
CharlesWorks would benefit immensely if it were to come up in relevant AI topics. One of my web clients recently told me that he is contracting with an “SEO company” that claims they will be able to get him to come up in output from Gemini, ChatGPT, Grok, Claude, and others. I saved the material from what I believe are essentially spam messages in text format and only that I thought may be pertinent that I believe you should explore as well. I would appreciate your guidance on this topic:
——————–
You already know about ChatGPT.
You probably already know about Gemini as well.
But there is more to AI than just using it to create a blog post or an image.
There are some surprising AI strategies you aren’t using that provide great growth. We can help you with those.
Cheers,
[name withheld]
PS: Here’s the best way to invest in branding.
PPS: 100 million views and $900 return. 🙁——————–
So, check this out… everyone thinks of SEO as ranking on Google.
But at my ad agency, we’ve gotten 2 clients in the last 30 days from ChatGPT. That may not seem like a lot, but we don’t work with tons of companies… they tend to just be bigger in size.
When people ask ChatGPT (or Gemini) recommendations for ad agencies or marketers to hire, we pop up and people are hiring us.
How did we do this? Well, it’s similar to traditional SEO, but of course for AI. They use signals like brand mentions, authority, and relevance… just like how Google uses many of these signals to rank websites.
And as Google and Microsoft integrate more AI features into their search, it’s going to be more important for you to do SEO for AI.
If you are interested in ranking not just on Google but also at the top of results when AI is recommending a company, a product, or a service… click here to set up a call with us.
Cheers,
[name withheld]
The cold emails you received are highlighting a major shift in the digital landscape. What those agencies are talking about is a real and rapidly growing discipline in digital marketing known as GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) or LLM SEO.
Because over 60% of digital search interactions now involve an AI-generated component, getting a business like CharlesWorks cited and recommended by Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity has become just as important as ranking on traditional Google search results.
The emails themselves are standard sales pitches, but the core concept they are selling is entirely valid. The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to pay an expensive third-party agency to handle this. As an experienced web developer and SEO specialist, you already have the foundational skills needed to optimize CharlesWorks and your clients’ sites for AI search.
How AI Engines Decide Whom to Recommend
Large Language Models (LLMs) do not rank sites using traditional keyword density or standard backlink counts alone. Instead, they look for semantic clarity, explicit structure, and absolute authority. When an AI synthesizes an answer, it pulls from sources it considers the most trustworthy and easiest to parse.
The core signals that major AI platforms look for break down into a few specific areas:
| AI Platform | Primary Data Sources & Preferences |
| ChatGPT Search | Deeply relies on Bing’s search index for live retrieval. It heavily favors high-tier digital PR, official brand mentions, and clear third-party validation. |
| Google Gemini | Deeply tied to the Google Ecosystem. It prioritizes perfectly synchronized Google Business Profiles, hyper-local signals, and structured data embedded in your HTML. |
| Perplexity & Claude | Favor highly structured, objective data, comprehensive “topic clusters,” and direct citations from authoritative industry directories. |
Practical Action Plan for CharlesWorks
To ensure that AI engines recognize CharlesWorks as a trusted, long-standing New Hampshire web hosting and development authority, you can implement several direct strategies right now.
1. Optimize Technical Accessibility for AI Crawlers
AI models cannot recommend what they are not allowed to read.
-
Check your
robots.txt: Ensure you are not accidentally blocking AI-specific user agents likeGPTBot(OpenAI),ClaudeBot(Anthropic), orGoogle-Extended. -
Leverage Structured Data: Use robust JSON-LD schema markup (Organization, LocalBusiness, and Service schemas) on your site. This explicitly tells the AI exactly who you are, what services you provide, and your service area without making the LLM “guess” based on raw text.
-
Consider an
llms.txtfile: This is an emerging standard in 2026. Placing a plain-textllms.txtfile in your root directory provides a clean, easily digestible summary of your core business capabilities, specifically formatted for AI scrapers.
2. Format Content for “Extractability”
AI models love clear, modular data. When they quote or cite a source, they lean toward content that is easy to summarize.
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The 40-to-60 Word Rule: When answering common client questions on your site (e.g., “What are the benefits of secure email hosting?”), place a direct, factual summary within the first 40 to 60 words right under the heading. AI engines frequently scrape these exact introductory sentences for their answer blocks.
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Use Heavy Structure: Lean into clean semantic HTML, clear heading hierarchies, bulleted lists, and tables. If an AI wants to compare hosting providers, a clean Markdown or HTML table on your site makes it incredibly easy for the model to parse and pull your data.
3. Build Off-Page “Entity Authority”
LLMs treat your business as an “entity.” They cross-reference the web to see if your claims match what the rest of the digital world says about you.
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Sync Local Ecosystems: Because Gemini relies heavily on Google’s local data, ensure your Google Business Profile is active, completely filled out, and completely matches the Name, Address, and Phone number listed on your website.
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Capitalize on Authority Signals: Your long-term BBB accreditation and status as a Microsoft Partner are massive trust signals. Ensure these credentials are explicitly stated in plain text on your site (and wrapped in appropriate schema markup) so AI crawlers can link your entity to these trusted institutions.
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Encourage Third-Party Reviews: Consistent reviews on Google, platforms like Clutch or G2, and local directories serve as major proof-of-authority signals that ChatGPT and Gemini scan when someone asks for “reliable web developers in NH.”
A Direct Response to Your Clients
When your web clients approach you about hiring outside “AI SEO” agencies, you can confidently tell them that you understand the shift toward Generative Engine Optimization and can build those exact technical structures directly into their existing web packages.
Many speculative agencies charge premium rates for basic schema deployment and text reformatting under the buzzword of “AI Optimization.” By adjusting your own SEO offerings to include structural data optimization, AI crawler management, and answer-focused content layouts, you can retain those clients and protect them from overpaying for spam-driven promises.
Would you find it helpful to look at a concrete example of JSON-LD schema markup tailored for CharlesWorks to see how to explicitly define your business entities for AI crawlers?
I see a lot of mentions of structured data and various schema. Please give me some solid examples of how these would be applied in my https://charlesworks.com website.
To give CharlesWorks the best possible visibility in AI engines like Gemini and ChatGPT, you want to use JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data).
AI models and search crawlers prefer JSON-LD because it groups all the vital data about your business into a clean, predictable, and structured script block. Instead of forcing an AI to scan and guess what your text means, this code explicitly hands the AI your business details on a silver platter.
For your website, https://charlesworks.com, three specific schemas will move the needle most: LocalBusiness, WebSite, and Service.
Here is exactly how these schemas work and the code you can implement.
1. The LocalBusiness Schema (Crucial for Gemini & Maps)
Because Gemini is heavily tied to the Google ecosystem, it uses local business data to answer queries like “Find a reliable web hosting provider in New Hampshire.” This schema links your physical/legal entity to your long-term trust indicators (like your BBB accreditation page) and your Microsoft Partner status.
Where to place it: In the <head> section of your homepage.
HTML
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"name": "CharlesWorks",
"url": "https://charlesworks.com",
"logo": "https://charlesworks.com/images/logo.png",
"image": "https://charlesworks.com/images/storefront-or-office.jpg",
"description": "CharlesWorks is a New Hampshire business specializing in web and email hosting, website development, and search engine optimization.",
"telephone": "+1-603-XXX-XXXX",
"foundingDate": "1998-06-15",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "YOUR_STREET_ADDRESS",
"addressLocality": "YOUR_CITY",
"addressRegion": "NH",
"postalCode": "YOUR_ZIP",
"addressCountry": "US"
},
"geo": {
"@type": "GeoCoordinates",
"latitude": 42.8712,
"longitude": -71.9501
},
"sameAs": [
"https://www.bbb.org/profile/your-bbb-link-here",
"https://www.facebook.com/your-facebook-page",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/your-linkedin-page"
],
"knowsAbout": [
"Web Hosting",
"Email Hosting",
"Website Development",
"Search Engine Optimization (SEO)"
],
"award": "Better Business Bureau Accredited, Microsoft Partner"
}
</script>
2. The WebSite Schema with Sitelinks Searchbox
This tells AI engines and traditional search bots the exact official name of your site and alerts them that you have an internal search mechanism. It helps ChatGPT and Gemini understand your core identity as a global authority operating from NH.
Where to place it: In the <head> section of your homepage.
HTML
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "WebSite",
"name": "CharlesWorks",
"url": "https://charlesworks.com/",
"potentialAction": {
"@type": "SearchAction",
"target": "https://charlesworks.com/?s={search_term_string}",
"query-input": "required name=search_term_string"
}
}
</script>
(Note: Change the target URL path if your WordPress or custom CMS uses a different query string than ?s= for internal searches.)
3. The Service Schema (For Specific Offerings)
When someone asks ChatGPT, “Who provides secure email hosting for small businesses?”, the AI looks for explicit Service data. By mapping out your services, you tell the AI exactly what you sell, who you sell it to, and where you offer it.
Where to place it: On your individual service pages (e.g., your hosting page, your SEO page, etc.), or bundled on your homepage.
Here is an example for your Web & Email Hosting service:
HTML
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Service",
"serviceType": "Web and Email Hosting",
"provider": {
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"name": "CharlesWorks",
"url": "https://charlesworks.com"
},
"areaServed": [
{
"@type": "Country",
"name": "United States"
},
{
"@type": "Continent",
"name": "North America"
},
{
"@type": "Continent",
"name": "Europe"
}
],
"description": "Secure, high-uptime web and business email hosting solutions tailored for small businesses and global clients.",
"offers": {
"@type": "Offer",
"priceCurrency": "USD",
"availability": "https://schema.org/InStock"
}
}
</script>
How to Test and Deploy This on CharlesWorks
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Customize the Placeholders: Replace the generic placeholders (like phone numbers, addresses, image URLs, and social links) with your actual business data.
-
Inject the Code: If your site is built on custom HTML/PHP, paste these scripts directly into your template headers. If you use WordPress, you can use an SEO plugin (like RankMath or Yoast) to configure this visually, or use a plugin like Header and Footer Scripts to drop the raw JSON-LD code in.
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Validate Your Work: Google provides a free, definitive validation tool called the Schema Markup Validator (and the Rich Results Test). Paste your URLs or raw code into it to ensure there are no syntax errors or missing commas.
Once Google and Bing re-crawl your updated code, AI search engines pulling from their indexes will immediately have a much clearer, structured map of CharlesWorks’ legacy, credentials, and capabilities.
Very quickly, what would be a good title for an article containing this chat?
Here are a few strong, concise title options for an article based on this conversation:
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Optimizing for AI: How to Get Your Business Cited by Gemini and ChatGPT (Professional & Direct)
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Beyond Traditional SEO: Unlocking Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) (Industry-focused)
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How CharlesWorks and Small Businesses Can Win the AI Search Revolution (Personalized & Action-oriented)
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Demystifying AI Search: Practical Schema Strategies for LLM Recommendations (Technical & Clear)
This morning I tried out the free version of Perplexity for the first time. One thing I noticed was it had an Outlook Connector and I wanted to specifically see what that was about. I have heard about Perplexity but never actually tried it out. Usually, I try out the free version prior to trying out the paid version. One thing I have noticed is that the primary differences between the paid and unpaid versions are: