Connecting with Your Audience: Schema Markup for Arts Engagement
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA — This week, we launched a new tool to boost the online visibility of the incredible creative output from our artists and arts organizations: a schema management tool. Our goal is to ensure that the diverse range of work we produce – from photography and music to digital installations, performances, and even curated exhibitions – is accurately understood and discovered by a wider audience through search engines like Google.
So, let’s break down what we’ve implemented and why it matters for recognizing the breadth of our artistic and creative work. We’ve integrated a home-grown system that automatically adds structured data, known as schema markup, to our websites. Think of these as detailed, behind-the-scenes labels that provide context to search engines. Instead of just seeing text and images, Google can understand the type of content it’s encountering.
It’s worth noting that while the benefits of schema markup are significant, many individual artists and even arts organizations often don’t take advantage of it. In many cases, implementing schemas often requires technical expertise or relying on third-party plugins and services, which can come with a considerable cost – sometimes reaching hundreds of dollars annually. Recognizing this barrier within our own weekly sessions, we decided to take a different approach. We pooled our collective knowledge and resources to develop our own in-house schema management tool, specifically tailored to the needs of our needs. This little upgrade (which only took a few hours) allows us to provide this crucial functionality without the financial burden that often prevents wider adoption, ensuring that everyone in our network has the opportunity to enhance their online visibility. The system does this work for us now.
How it works
When we publish news updates, events or virtual exhibits, whether it’s an artist announcing a new media art installation, an organization detailing a performance piece, or information about a collaborative community art project, this function applies what’s known as a “NewsArticle” schema.
This goes beyond simply saying “news.” It provides essential details like the compelling title, a representative image, the date of publication, the creator (artist or organization), and our identifying information. It also includes a summary, the main content explaining the project or event, the relevant category (like “New Media,” “Performance Art,” “Community Engagement”), and keywords that someone interested in this type of work might use in their search. This detailed information increases the likelihood of this information appearing in relevant Google searches and Google News feeds, connecting us with individuals specifically interested in the innovative and diverse art forms our community creates.
When an artist showcases a digital art portfolio, or an organization presents documentation of a durational performance or a participatory art project, the plugin uses what’s called a “CreativeWork” schema. This is important because it signals to search engines that this content is a form of creative expression. It includes core information like the title of the piece or project, its online location, the name of the artist or collective involved, and when it was published. Importantly, this schema is flexible. For artists working in less traditional mediums, they can specify the “art medium” (for example, “interactive installation,” “sound art,” “video performance” and so on). For documenting more complex art projects, we can provide context about the type of creative work involved and the artists’ intentions. We can even use a “subject of” property to link to related concepts or artistic movements, further helping search engines like Google understand the nature and significance of the work.
Why is this approach so important for us? The art world is constantly evolving, and what constitutes “art” is increasingly diverse. We need tools that can recognize and categorize this broad spectrum of creative activity online. Using the “CreativeWork” schema and its adaptable properties, we’re not just labeling something as “art”; we’re providing the necessary context for search engines to understand its specific nature and connect it with the right audience.
This means that when someone searches for “interactive art in Manitoba,” or “community-based performance projects,” content has a better chance of appearing, even if it doesn’t fit neatly into traditional categories like “painting” or “sculpture.” This enhanced discoverability validates the diverse forms of creative expression within our community, helps us reach individuals and organizations specifically interested in the approaches we’re using, and ultimately supports the growth and recognition of the artists and arts organizations in our network. Simply put: our goal was to ensure that the richness and variety of our creative work are accurately represented and celebrated online.