Search for apartments in your city right now. Notice how some properties show up with star ratings, pricing, photos, and detailed information while others are just plain blue links? That difference comes down to two things: Schema markup and JSON-LD. And if those terms sound like tech jargon that only developers understand, you’re about to discover they’re actually quite simple and absolutely essential for getting your multifamily properties found in today’s changing AI world.

What Is Schema? A Simple Approach

Schema markup is behind-the-scenes code you add to your website that tells search engines, AI engines, and answer platforms exactly what your content is.

It’s invisible to visitors but speaks directly to the systems that decide whether your property shows up when someone searches “pet-friendly apartments near me” or asks ChatGPT for recommendations.

Think of it like barcodes in a store: visitors see the product, but the barcode tells the system exactly what it is, how much it costs, and what’s in stock.

The Shared Vocabulary

Schema is a shared vocabulary that Google, Bing, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other platforms all agreed to use.

Before Schema:

• Google called it a “property listing”
• Bing called it a “rental unit”
• Yahoo called it a “housing complex”

After Schema: Everyone uses the same dictionary (Schema.org):

• Apartment Complex = residential building with rental units
• Offer = something for rent with a price
• Postal Address = physical location

Schema Example

Your website says: “We have 2-bedroom apartments for $1,800/month”

Schema adds invisible tags:

[APARTMENT COMPLEX]
Name: Sunset Apartments
Type: 2-bedroom
Price: $1,800
Currency: USD
Available: Yes

Without Schema: Systems guess what “The Reserve” means (Restaurant? Book? Apartment?)

With Schema: You explicitly say: “The Reserve is an apartment complex at 123 Main Street with 200 units, a pool, and rents starting at $1,500/month.”

Why “Vocabulary” Matters

Just like English has words with agreed-upon meanings, Schema is a standardized set of terms for describing things on the web.

When you use Schema’s vocabulary, you’re speaking a language that all search engines understand the exact same way—no confusion, no misinterpretation.

It’s like using metric measurements. If everyone agrees a “meter” is 100 centimeters, there’s no confusion. Schema.org is that agreed-upon measurement system for web content.

Bottom line: Schema turns your content from vague text into structured, searchable data that search engines love.

What Is JSON-LD?

JSON-LD is the format you use to write Schema, like a labeled filing system.

Schema = What you want to say (apartment info)
JSON-LD = How you organize it (the format)

Think of it like writing a letter:

• The message = “Happy Birthday, John!”
• The format = Whether you write it as a text, email, or formal letter, same message, different formats.

Another way to think about it:

Imagine you’re organizing files in a filing cabinet:

• Schema = The information itself (apartment details, pricing, address)
• JSON-LD = The labeled folders and dividers that keep everything organized and easy to find

What It Looks Like

Here’s an example of JSON-LD code for an apartment property:

<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “ApartmentComplex”,
“name”: “Sunset Apartments”,
“address”: {
“@type”: “PostalAddress”,
“streetAddress”: “123 Main Street”,
“addressLocality”: “Atlanta”,
“addressRegion”: “GA”
}
}
</script>

Breaking It Down (No Tech Degree Required):

• { } = Container holding your information
• : = Connects labels to information
• ” “ = Tells computers this is text, not code
• @type = Category (apartment complex, business, review)
• @context = Points to Schema.org’s dictionary

You don’t write this yourself. Depending on your website setup, you can use:

• Free generators like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper
• WordPress plugins like Rank Math or Yoast SEO (if you use WordPress)
• Your website platform’s built-in tools (Wix, Squarespace, etc.)
• Your property management software (Entrata, RealPage, Knock, etc.—many include schema features)

You just fill in the blanks with your property information the tool handles the technical formatting.

Why Understanding Shema and JSON-LD Matters (Even If Tools Do the Work)

The Empowerment Factor

By knowing the basics, you can:

1. Spot errors before they go live (wrong address, outdated pricing)
2. Communicate with your team (“Is our JSON-LD current?”)
3. Verify work using Google’s Rich Results Test
4. Troubleshoot issues when updates break Schema
5. Maximize investment by prioritizing the right Schema types

In the multifamily industry, you’re competing for qualified renters in a crowded market. Understanding how Schema works means:

• You’re not blindly trusting that “someone handled it”
• You can advocate for proper implementation with your web team
• You can quality-check the work being done on your behalf
• You maintain control over your property’s online presence

Bottom line: You don’t need to become a developer, but understanding the “what” and “why” behind JSON-LD puts you in the driver’s seat of your visibility strategy instead of the passenger seat.

Why JSON-LD Specifically?

At the risk of confusing you, technically, there are actually three ways to write Schema markup:

1. JSON-LD Google’s preferred format (cleanest, easiest)
2. Microdata (embedded directly in your HTML tags)
3. RDFa (another embedded format)

But we are going to focus on JSON-LD because:

• It’s separate from your visible content – You add it as a standalone script that doesn’t interfere with your webpage’s design or text
• Easy to manage – You can add, edit, or remove it without touching the HTML that creates your actual webpage
• Search engines prefer it – Google specifically recommends JSON-LD over other formats
• One place, all the info – All your structured data lives in one neat block of code instead of scattered throughout your page

Think of it like this:

Your website has two layers:

1. What visitors see – The pretty apartment photos, descriptions, and amenities on your webpage
2. What search engines read – The JSON-LD code tucked behind the scenes that helps them understand and categorize everything

Schema is the what (the apartment information), and JSON-LD is the organized filing system that packages and delivers that information to search engines in a format they love.

 

SEO vs. GEO vs. AEO: How They Use Schema

System	What It Reads	Focus	Example
Search Engines (SEO)	JSON-LD Schema	Structured facts	“Sunset Apartments, 2 bedrooms for $1,800”
AI Engines (GEO)	Context, relationships, authority	Meaning & recommendations	“Affordable apartments near downtown with parking and pet-friendly options”
Answer Engines (AEO)	Both structured data and conversational content	Best-fit responses	“Which apartments in Atlanta have 2 bedrooms under $2,000?”, Your property is the answer

 

What AI Engines (GEO) Read

AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity don’t just read code, they interpret context. They use the structured data (Schema) as one signal, but they also analyze how your content connects across the web. This includes:

• Relationships between entities (your property, your location, nearby landmarks)
• Clarity and consistency across all your digital profiles (website, Google Business, social)
• Natural language cues that match how people ask questions, not just how search engines index pages

Where traditional SEO relied on keywords and Schema to feed Google’s index, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) relies on semantics and authority which is the story your data and content tell together.

And What About AEO?

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) bridges both worlds. It’s about shaping your content, so AI systems select it as the best possible answer.

That means:

• Using conversational, question-based content (e.g., “What apartments near me allow pets?”)
• Structuring your content with FAQ Schema (so both AI and Google can extract it easily)
• Including entities, context, and intent not just raw data

Do We Still Need JSON-LD for GEO and AEO?

Yes, because it’s the foundation.

JSON-LD = The Facts

• Tells systems what you are with precision
• Provides factual anchors AI engines trust
• Without it, AI might guess wrong

GEO = The Context

• AI engines (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity) interpret meaning
• They need entity consistency across your website, Google Business, reviews
• JSON-LD gives them confidence and grounding

AEO = The Answer

• Being selected as the answer requires structured data + natural language content
• FAQ Schema, Local Business Schema, and Review Schema increase your odds

Summary Table:

Layer	Purpose	Needs JSON-LD?	Why
SEO	Helps search engines index data	Yes	Core requirement
GEO	Helps AI interpret and recommend	Strongly Recommended	Adds confidence and factual grounding
AEO	Helps AI select your content as the answer	Strongly Recommended	Enables better answer extraction

Bottom line: You can optimize without JSON-LD, but you’re running without headlights. JSON-LD makes your property machine-readable, reliable, and recommendable.

Your Schema Takeaway: Why This Matters for Your Multifamily Property’s Bottom Line

Let’s be honest: you’re not learning about Schema for fun. You’re doing it to lease apartments.

Here’s how Schema connects to your business goals:

Better Search Visibility  –  More people see your properties
Rich Results with Pricing & Ratings  –  More qualified clicks
Clear Property Information  –  Less time wasted on unqualified leads
Competitive Advantage  –  Most of your competitors aren’t doing this right

You now understand the “what” and “why” behind Schema markup:

Schema = The shared vocabulary that describes your content
JSON-LD = The format that organizes the vocabulary for search engines
The result = Better visibility in search results and more qualified traffic to your properties

Understanding these basics means you can:

• Have informed conversations with your web team or SEO consultant
• Spot when Schema is missing or broken on your site
• Make strategic decisions about implementation priorities
• Verify the work being done on your behalf
• Stay competitive in local search results

Schema isn’t just technical jargon, it’s a practical tool that helps your multifamily properties get found by the right renters at the right time. That foundation puts you ahead of most multifamily marketers who are still wondering why their properties don’t show up in local searches.

Coming up next in our Demystifying GEO series: Page Speed & Mobile, because even the best Schema won’t help if your site loads too slowly for searchers to stick around.