Beginner's Guide

Recipe Structured Data vs Recipe Card Plugins: What's the Difference?

11 min read•February 1, 2024

Common confusion: "I installed a recipe plugin—doesn't that give me schema?" Not always. Here's what's actually happening behind the scenes and what you need for SEO success.

The Quick Answer

1
Recipe Card Plugins = Pretty formatting for recipes on your blog (what visitors see)
2
Recipe Structured Data (Schema) = Hidden code that tells Google what your recipe is about (what search engines see)
3
The Truth: Some plugins do both, some only do formatting. You need both for SEO success.

What Recipe Card Plugins Actually Do

Recipe card plugins make your recipes look professional and user-friendly. They handle the visual presentation.

Recipe Plugin Features (Visual/UX):
✓Formatted recipe cards
✓Print button
✓Ingredient checkboxes
✓Serving size adjuster
✓Timer integration
✓Star rating system
✓Nutrition calculator
✓Jump to recipe button
✓Video embed support
✓Custom styling options
User Benefit: Makes recipes easy to read, print, and follow on any device.

What Recipe Structured Data (Schema) Actually Does

Schema markup is invisible code that tells Google (and other search engines) exactly what your recipe contains. This is what gets you rich results in search.

Recipe Schema Properties (SEO/Technical):
⚙Recipe name
⚙Author information
⚙Prep/cook/total time
⚙Ingredient list
⚙Step-by-step instructions
⚙Recipe yield (servings)
⚙Recipe category/cuisine
⚙Image URLs
⚙Aggregate rating
⚙Review count
⚙Nutritional information
⚙Video object data
SEO Benefit: Enables rich results in Google (star ratings, cook time, calories) = 3x higher click-through rates.
What Schema Looks Like (Behind the Scenes)

This code is invisible to visitors but critical for Google. It's embedded in your page's HTML:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Recipe",
  "name": "Chocolate Chip Cookies",
  "image": "https://example.com/cookies.jpg",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Jane Baker"
  },
  "prepTime": "PT15M",
  "cookTime": "PT10M",
  "totalTime": "PT25M",
  "recipeYield": "48 cookies",
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.9",
    "reviewCount": "127"
  }
}
</script>

This JSON-LD format is what Google reads to create rich results. Without it, you're invisible in recipe search features.

The Critical Question: Does Your Plugin Include Schema?

Not all recipe plugins generate schema markup. Here's the breakdown:

✅ Plugins That Do BOTH (Visual + Schema)

These handle everything—formatting AND SEO. Best choice for most food bloggers.

  • • WP Recipe Maker (free + pro) - Most popular, excellent schema
  • • Tasty Recipes ($79/year) - Premium option with great support
  • • Create by Mediavine (requires Mediavine ads) - Comprehensive suite
  • • WP Tasty ($99/year) - Clean design, solid schema
  • • Yummly (varies) - Enterprise solution
⚠️ Plugins That Only Do Visual (NO Schema)

These make recipes look pretty but don't help SEO. You need separate schema solution.

  • • Many free theme-bundled recipe shortcodes
  • • Basic recipe formatters without SEO focus
  • • Some outdated recipe plugins (pre-2018)
ℹ️ Schema-Only Solutions (No Visual)

These add schema but don't format your recipes. You need separate visual solution.

  • • Yoast SEO (can add basic schema)
  • • Schema Pro (general schema plugin)
  • • Custom code (manual JSON-LD implementation)
  • • Schema generators (one-time code creation)

How to Check If You Have Schema

3-Minute Schema Audit:
  1. Go to any recipe post on your blog
  2. Right-click anywhere → "View Page Source" (or Ctrl+U / Cmd+Option+U)
  3. Press Ctrl+F / Cmd+F and search for: "application/ld+json"
  4. Look for a code block that contains "@type": "Recipe"
✅ If you find it: You have schema! Now validate it with Google Rich Results Test
❌ If you don't find it: You're missing schema. Your recipes won't appear in rich results.

Common Misconceptions (Debunked)

Myth #1: "My theme has recipe templates, so I have schema"

FALSE. Visual templates ≠ schema. Unless theme documentation explicitly mentions "schema markup" or "JSON-LD", you probably don't have it.

Myth #2: "I can just use a schema generator once and I'm done"

PARTIALLY TRUE. You can generate schema manually for each recipe, but it's tedious and error-prone. Plugins automate this for every recipe you publish.

Myth #3: "More schema plugins = better SEO"

FALSE. Multiple plugins generating schema = duplicate schema = Google gets confused and ignores it. Only use ONE schema source.

Myth #4: "Schema guarantees rich results"

FALSE. Valid schema is required but not sufficient. You also need quality content, good images, mobile-friendly design, and decent rankings.

Choosing the Right Solution for Your Blog

Scenario 1: Starting a New Food Blog

Best Choice: Install WP Recipe Maker (free version) from day one.

✓Handles both visual formatting and schema
✓Free version has everything you need initially
✓Upgrade to Pro later for advanced features
✓Works with any WordPress theme

Scenario 2: Existing Blog with No Plugin

Best Choice: Install Tasty Recipes or WP Recipe Maker Pro, then manually convert existing recipes.

1.Install plugin and configure settings
2.Convert top 20 recipes first (highest traffic)
3.Gradually convert remaining recipes over 2-3 months
4.Monitor Search Console for rich result improvements

Scenario 3: Developer/Custom Build

Best Choice: Custom schema implementation with manual JSON-LD.

→Create custom post type for recipes
→Use ACF or Meta Box for recipe data fields
→Write PHP function to output schema from custom fields
→Validate with Google Rich Results Test
Note: Only for experienced WordPress developers. Mistakes can hurt SEO.

Feature Comparison: Top Recipe Plugins

PluginSchema?Visual?PriceBest For
WP Recipe Maker✅✅Free + $59Beginners & budget-conscious
Tasty Recipes✅✅$79/yearEstablished blogs, premium features
Create (Mediavine)✅✅Free*Mediavine publishers only
Yoast SEO✅❌Free + $99Schema only, need visual plugin
Schema Pro✅❌$67/yearAdvanced users, multiple schema types

Do You Need Both a Plugin AND Manual Schema?

Short Answer: NO.

Using both a recipe plugin (that generates schema) AND manually adding schema = duplicate schema = Google confusion = bad for SEO.

✅ Correct Setup: ONE schema source (either plugin OR manual, not both)
❌ Wrong Setup: WP Recipe Maker + manual JSON-LD = duplicate schema

Quick Start Guide: Getting Schema in 15 Minutes

For Complete Beginners:
  1. Install WP Recipe Maker (Free)

    WordPress Dashboard → Plugins → Add New → Search "WP Recipe Maker" → Install → Activate

  2. Create Your First Recipe

    Posts → Add New → Look for "WPRM Recipe" block in editor → Fill in recipe details

  3. Publish and Test

    Publish post → Copy URL → Go to Google Rich Results Test → Paste URL → Click "Test URL"

  4. Verify Schema is Valid

    Look for green checkmark and "Recipe" badge. Fix any errors shown.

That's it! Your recipe now has both visual formatting and SEO-friendly schema markup.

Not Sure If Your Schema is Correct?

Generate fresh, validated recipe schema to ensure you're not missing critical SEO opportunities.

Generate Schema →