Citation markup & schema

There is no magic tag that makes an assistant cite you. “Citation markup” is shorthand for two ordinary things: content structured clearly enough for a reader to quote, and machine-readable context that states what the page is about. Both make meaning easier to extract. Neither one buys a citation.

Structured data is a standardized format that gives explicit clues about the meaning of a page. Google reads it to understand a page and to determine eligibility for certain rich results. JSON-LD is the format most teams use: a single script block, kept separate from your layout, easy to review and to version.

Four types cover most of what a marketing site publishes. Pick the one that describes what a visitor can actually see.

Only publish schema that matches visible page content. Marking up content that is not on the page goes against Google's structured data guidelines.

Copy this, replace every value with your own visible content, then validate before publishing.

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "DefinedTerm",
  "name": "Answer Engine Optimization",
  "description": "The practice of structuring content and evidence so answer engines can understand and quote it accurately.",
  "inDefinedTermSet": {
    "@type": "DefinedTermSet",
    "name": "Search & AI glossary",
    "url": "https://example.com/glossary"
  },
  "url": "https://example.com/glossary/answer-engine-optimization"
}
</script>

• It does not guarantee indexing, ranking, or a rich result.
• It does not guarantee a citation or a mention inside an AI answer.
• Google states there are no additional technical requirements and no special schema.org type for AI Overviews or AI Mode; structured data is not required for generative AI search.
• It never replaces content quality. Markup describes a page; it does not improve it.

Only capabilities that exist today, with deterministic and local tools kept separate from AI generation.

• Definition Opener — a local formatter that shapes a clean, quotable definition.
• Original Data block — attach your own numbers, sources and examples to a draft.
• Schema Builder — deterministic JSON-LD preview built from the fields you type, for Article, DefinedTerm, FAQPage and HowTo.
• Simul-Cast — a deterministic local heuristic score. It is not a live engine test and not a prediction of any engine's behaviour.
• Citation Stealer — opportunities derived from citation-check records already stored in your workspace.
• Local Market Activator — directional starter guidance for channels and schema per market, not market research.
• Content Studio — AI draft generation, the only step here that calls a model. Privacy Sandbox local-only mode keeps editing in your browser with no server generation and no persistence.

Deterministic and local tools run without any model call. AI drafting is the exception and is metered by your plan.

1. 1Define — write the plain-language definition or the core claim of the page.
2. 2Add evidence — attach your own data, sources and examples.
3. 3Choose matching schema — the type that describes what is visible.
4. 4Preview and validate — check the JSON-LD output before it ships.
5. 5Generate and review — draft with AI if useful, then edit it yourself.
6. 6Publish and test externally — validate the live URL and watch how answers change.