How to Use SmartCrawl’s Free Custom Schema Type Builder

Using schema markup is an excellent way to make your website stand out among your SEO competitors. This article explains why schema is essential and how to implement it into your web pages.

You can now create unlimited custom schema types – for free! You’ll see how to do this in just a few clicks with SmartCrawl.

Custom schema types mean you no longer need to rely on SmartCrawl’s schema types already installed.

Custom schema types image. — It’s as easy as ever to set up a custom schema type.

We’ve written about the benefits of schema markup and how to set it up using our SmartCrawl plugin. However, as you’ll see, adding Custom Schema Types is a bit different. They’re 100% customizable to fit your needs and are created from scratch!

In this brief article, we’ll be going over:

To include a custom schema type, it takes just a few simple steps. We’ll start with the building blocks to create a custom schema and journey all the way into a specific example.

Let’s dive into…

How to Set Up a Custom Schema Type

It all begins at SmartCrawl’s dashboard. From here, head to Schema. Then in the Types Builder section, you’ll click Add New Type.

Add new type button. — One-click gets you started.

This takes you to all the schema types available. Considering you want to create a custom one, you’ll hit the Custom Type option.

The custom type button. — The Custom Type is located towards the bottom.

Give the schema type a Name. Using something associated with the schema type is best, so you’ll know exactly what it is.

Where you name the schema. — The default name is Custom Type – but name it anything you’d like to identify it.

The name and other edits can be made at any time (which we’ll get into later in this article).

Configuring Schema Type

Next, you’ll add Rules. This set of rules determines where the schema type will be enabled or excluded.

This consists of configuring the schema type by setting up conditions that must be set and any page, post, or taxonomy that matches the set of requirements to assign the information for the custom schema type.

Add a schema type area. — There are a lot of variations to choose from.

The rule box has a dropdown of options, including Show Globally, Homepage, Category, and more. You’ll then choose what it will equal (=).

Whatever can be combined to equal the rule will appear.

You can always add a rule by clicking the And button.

The — Clicking “And” opens up a new rule.

Plus, you can have Or rules by clicking Add Rule (or).

Add rule button. — The Add Rule (or) button creates a new rule as well.

For more on configuring schema types, be sure to read our documentation.

Editing Custom Schema Type

Once your new custom schema type is saved and ready to go, it can be edited at any time. There are several ways to edit.

One is, if you ever decide to deactivate it, all it takes is one click. The same goes for reactivating it. If it’s blue – it’s active.

It takes just a click to deactivate or activate the schema.

Need to add a Simple, Nested, or Collection property? Or edit a configuration? Change location? That’s all done from the dropdown.

The dropdown button. — The dropdown gets you started in the rules editing process.

Clicking the Dropdown opens up all the rules and configurations, which you can edit accordingly.

Where you edit the schema. — Any editing can be done from here.

You can Rename, Duplicate, and Delete the custom schema from the Gear Icon.

Just click the gear icon to get to the selections.

If you duplicate the schema type, here’s a quick look at what it does…

Duplicating Custom Schema Type

When you Duplicate your custom schema type, another exact version will appear immediately underneath the one you duplicated.

Where you duplicate a schema type. — As you can see, it has the same name, features, etc. – an exact clone of the original.

Just like any schema, you can edit the duplicate accordingly.

If you need to edit, go to the Types Builder in the Schema area of SmartCrawl’s admin. All the schemas that you have for your site are all in one place!

Example Custom Schema Type

Now that you’ve seen how to set up a custom schema type let’s see a real-world example of this. To start with, all available schemas are at schema.org. Schema.org is a community that has a mission to create, maintain, and promote schemas.

We’ll use an example from schema.org that’s pretty common: restaurant.

As you can see on the schema.org page, there are a ton of categories to choose schema types.

A list of restaurant schema types. — As you can see on the page, there’s much to choose from. This is just a small portion of schema types available.

Just add properties to your custom schema type in SmartCrawl that you want to use. For example, we have the address, region, price range, logo, etc. — things that pertain to a restaurant.

An example of restaurant schema types. — You can see we’ve added a lot to this restaurant schema type.

Have the properties you want? Great! Now be sure to test your schema type at Google’s Rich Results Test or the Schema Markup Validator. This will ensure your schema markup is working properly.

Google rich results test. — As you can see, it has all of our schema types included.

And that’s it! Your custom schema for a restaurant is done, and patrons will set reservations in no time.

What’s Your (Schema) Type?

With custom schema type, there’s an endless possibility of schema to include for your WordPress site. And as you can see, it can be set up, enabled, and duplicated in just a few clicks.

Plus, it doesn’t cost you a thing! The custom schema type is included in our free and Pro versions of SmartCrawl.

So, what’s your schema type? Create a custom schema type to stand out amongst your SEO competitors and bring in more business today.

Have you tried creating custom schema types in SmartCrawl? What do you think? Let us know in the comments!