Schema/structured data — NOT a ranking factor; eligibility for rich results

Claim: John Mueller (Google): "Structured data won't improve your site's ranking. It's utilized for enabling the search features..."; you are "unlikely to notice any visible impact on Google Search."

Google documents ~30 supported types out of 800+ schema.org types. Adding schema makes a page ELIGIBLE for rich results, never guaranteed: "Using structured data enables a feature to be present, it does not guarantee that it will be present" (Google Search Central).

Source: Google Search Central; John Mueller. Verified.

Confidence: Verified.

Why this matters for Candid: Schema is table stakes for eligibility, not a competitive lever. Implement the relevant ~30 types (LocalBusiness, Product, Review, FAQ, Article) and stop. The widget should NOT recommend schema as a "ranking boost."