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itemtype - Microdata Vocabulary URL

The itemtype Attribute

Section titled “The itemtype Attribute”
Global Attribute HTML5

The itemtype attribute specifies the URL of the vocabulary that defines the item properties in Microdata. It works in conjunction with the itemscope attribute to create structured data that search engines and other tools can understand, enabling rich snippets in search results and improved SEO.

Quick Example

Section titled “Quick Example”
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Syntax

Section titled “Syntax”
<element itemscope itemtype="vocabulary-url">
  <span itemprop="property">value</span>
</element>

The itemtype attribute must:

Values

Section titled “Values”
ValueDescription
URLAn absolute URL pointing to the vocabulary definition. Most commonly uses Schema.org URLs (e.g., https://schema.org/Person).

Common Schema.org Types

Section titled “Common Schema.org Types”

Schema.org is the most widely used vocabulary for structured data on the web. Here are the most common types:

Person

Section titled “Person”
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Product

Section titled “Product”
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Organization

Section titled “Organization”
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Event

Section titled “Event”
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Article

Section titled “Article”
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LocalBusiness

Section titled “LocalBusiness”
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Recipe

Section titled “Recipe”
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FAQPage

Section titled “FAQPage”
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HowTo

Section titled “HowTo”
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Multiple Types

Section titled “Multiple Types”

You can specify multiple types for an item by providing space-separated URLs. This is useful when an item fits multiple vocabularies:

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Custom Vocabularies

Section titled “Custom Vocabularies”

While Schema.org is the most common vocabulary, you can use custom vocabularies by providing your own URL:

<div itemscope itemtype="https://example.com/vocab/CustomProduct">
  <span itemprop="productCode">ABC123</span>
  <span itemprop="internalCategory">electronics</span>
</div>

SEO Benefits and Rich Snippets

Section titled “SEO Benefits and Rich Snippets”

The itemtype attribute, when used with proper Microdata markup, can significantly enhance your site’s appearance in search results:

What are Rich Snippets?

Section titled “What are Rich Snippets?”

Rich snippets are enhanced search results that display additional information beyond the standard title, URL, and description. They can include:

Products can show price, availability, and ratings directly in search results, increasing click-through rates.

<div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Product">
  <span itemprop="name">Wireless Headphones</span>
  <div itemprop="offers" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Offer">
    <span itemprop="price">79.99</span>
    <meta itemprop="priceCurrency" content="USD">
  </div>
  <div itemprop="aggregateRating" itemscope
       itemtype="https://schema.org/AggregateRating">
    <span itemprop="ratingValue">4.5</span> stars
  </div>
</div>

Testing Your Structured Data

Section titled “Testing Your Structured Data”

Use these tools to validate your Microdata markup:

Browser Support

Section titled “Browser Support”

The itemtype attribute is supported in all modern browsers as part of the HTML5 Microdata specification.

BrowserVersionNotes
Chrome6+Full support
Firefox16+Full support
Safari5+Full support
EdgeAll versionsFull support
Opera11.6+Full support

Best Practices

Section titled “Best Practices”

Use Specific Types

Section titled “Use Specific Types”

Choose the most specific Schema.org type that applies to your content:

<!-- Too generic -->
<div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Thing">
  <span itemprop="name">My Restaurant</span>
</div>


<!-- Better - more specific -->
<div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Restaurant">
  <span itemprop="name">My Restaurant</span>
  <span itemprop="servesCuisine">Italian</span>
</div>

Include Required Properties

Section titled “Include Required Properties”

Each Schema.org type has required properties. Always include them for valid markup:

<!-- Product requires name and at least one of offers, review, or aggregateRating -->
<div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Product">
  <span itemprop="name">Laptop Computer</span>
  <div itemprop="offers" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Offer">
    <span itemprop="price">899.99</span>
    <meta itemprop="priceCurrency" content="USD">
  </div>
</div>

Use Nested Types Appropriately

Section titled “Use Nested Types Appropriately”

Nest related types to provide comprehensive structured data:

<div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/JobPosting">
  <span itemprop="title">Frontend Developer</span>


  <div itemprop="hiringOrganization" itemscope
       itemtype="https://schema.org/Organization">
    <span itemprop="name">TechCorp</span>
  </div>


  <div itemprop="jobLocation" itemscope
       itemtype="https://schema.org/Place">
    <div itemprop="address" itemscope
         itemtype="https://schema.org/PostalAddress">
      <span itemprop="addressLocality">New York</span>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

Keep Markup Visible

Section titled “Keep Markup Visible”

Whenever possible, use Microdata on visible content rather than hidden elements:

<!-- Preferred - marking up visible content -->
<h1 itemprop="name">Product Name</h1>
<p itemprop="description">This is the product description.</p>


<!-- Avoid - hidden metadata (unless necessary) -->
<meta itemprop="name" content="Product Name">
<meta itemprop="description" content="This is the product description.">
Section titled “Related Attributes”

Common Pitfalls

Section titled “Common Pitfalls”

Missing itemscope

Section titled “Missing itemscope”

The itemtype attribute requires itemscope to be present:

<!-- Wrong - itemtype without itemscope -->
<div itemtype="https://schema.org/Person">
  <span itemprop="name">John Doe</span>
</div>


<!-- Correct -->
<div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person">
  <span itemprop="name">John Doe</span>
</div>

Using Relative URLs

Section titled “Using Relative URLs”

The itemtype value must be an absolute URL:

<!-- Wrong - relative URL -->
<div itemscope itemtype="/schema/Person">


<!-- Correct - absolute URL -->
<div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person">

Inconsistent Property Names

Section titled “Inconsistent Property Names”

Use the exact property names defined in the vocabulary:

<!-- Wrong - "fullName" is not a valid Person property -->
<div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person">
  <span itemprop="fullName">John Doe</span>
</div>


<!-- Correct - "name" is the valid property -->
<div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person">
  <span itemprop="name">John Doe</span>
</div>

Specifications

Section titled “Specifications”

Schema.org

The most widely used vocabulary for structured data

schema.org