HowTo Schema
Structured data for step‑by‑step instructions and guides. Enables Google to display a carousel of steps with images and descriptions in search results.
HowTo Schema is a schema.org markup type for describing instructions, recipes, guides, and any process with sequential steps. When implemented correctly, Google can show a rich result with steps, images, total time, supplies, and tools.
What is HowTo Schema
HowTo Schema is structured data that turns a regular step‑by‑step instruction into a rich search result. Google can display steps with titles, text, and images directly in the SERP, attracting attention and improving CTR.
Required fields
- `@type` — `HowTo`
- `name` — title of the instruction (e.g., 'How to set up SEO')
- `step` — array of `HowToStep` items
- For each step: `@type` — `HowToStep`, `name` — step title, `text` — description
Optional fields
- `totalTime` — total time in ISO 8601 (e.g., `PT30M` for 30 minutes, `PT1H` for one hour)
- `supply` — required supplies (array)
- `tool` — required tools (array)
- `image` — image for the whole instruction or per step
Example markup
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "HowTo",
"name": "How to set up SEO on your site",
"description": "A step‑by‑step SEO setup guide",
"totalTime": "PT30M",
"step": [
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"name": "Install an SEO plugin",
"text": "Install Yoast SEO or Rank Math from the plugin directory"
},
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"name": "Set Title and Description",
"text": "Fill in meta tags for the homepage"
}
]
}Display in search results
Google can show HowTo as a step carousel (up to 6 steps), each step potentially including a thumbnail image and a description. Total time, supplies, and tools may also appear. This rich result is common for queries with 'how to', 'guide', 'recipe'.
Common questions
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