Adding Custom Schema In Genesis For Your Specific Niche

Read a useful post on Ryan Fmeier’s blog today about adding custom microdata in Genesis child themes which I highly recommend you check out.

In this post, i’ll provide you with some working code snippets based on modifying Ryans code, which you can simply copy and paste into your child themes functions.php file.

Firstly, here’s a video conversation which includes some of the Genesis Developers discussing the latest framework update. It includes discussion about some of the new features as well as the benefits of using Genesis to output your HTML 5 markup as microdata.

The Discussion about how you can add custom schema in your child theme starts at the 20:35 mark with Nathan Rice.

If you watch this discussion on video, you can also get some insight into how the Genesis Developers work together.

Genesis 2.0 Round Table Video Discussion

Default Genesis 2.0 Schema

Here’s some real examples of the schema added to different elements already included in Genesis 2.0.

Schema	HTML Elements Attributed To
http://schema.org/WebPage	Add attributes for body element
http://schema.org/WPHeader	Add attributes for site header element.
http://schema.org/SiteNavigationElement	Add attributes for primary navigation & secondary navigation element
http://schema.org/Blog	Add attributes for main content element
http://schema.org/SearchResultsPage	Add attributes for main content element
http://schema.org/CreativeWork	Add attributes for entry element
http://schema.org/BlogPosting	Add attributes for entry element
http://schema.org/Person	Add attributes for author element for an entry
http://schema.org/UserComments	Add attributes for single comment element
http://schema.org/Person	Add attributes for comment author element
http://schema.org/WPSideBar	Add attributes for primary & secondary sidebar element
http://schema.org/WPFooter	Add attributes for site footer element

Add Custom Schema

This code includes the page i.d’s which you can change to your own. You could also use the page name or page slug in place of the page or post i.d.

Here’s a full list of all schema’s you can choose from based on your niche and the content you publish on your website.

How This Helps You

One of the greatest benefits of micro data, is the ability to create or customize a theme using schema specific to your niche. Custom schema will be included in future child themes StudioPress release. They have also developed niche specific child themes which include custom schema that they plan on releasing shortly after Genesis 2.0 is released.

An example of this would be a theme focused on food or the real estate market.

Genesis child themes can now output your HTML 5 markup as microdata which has several benefits. By adding niche specific schema, the content added to your theme should be better understood by the search engines.

Plugin for Non Genesis Theme Users

If your theme doesn’t support HTML 5 and include schema, you could install a plugin.

• 32 Code Snippets To Remove or Modify All Schema Microdata in Genesis
• Here’s a review of one plugin you can use to Add schema for specific micro data on your site.
• Learn more about Schema and the benefits of outputting your HTML 5 markup as micro data.