Schema doesn't rank, but rich results do

Structured data is not a ranking factor. Rich results are a CTR factor. CTR is a ranking factor. Therefore: structured data matters to ranking — indirectly.

This is why 'schema doesn't rank' both is true and misleading. The mechanism: schema → rich result eligibility → higher CTR → algorithmic interpretation of CTR → rank stability.

Ship schema on every PDP, article, FAQ, and local-business page. Stop measuring its impact by 'did rankings move on the test page'. Measure SERP feature win-rate and CTR delta.