On June 10, 2025, Google released a subtle but potentially game-changing update—one that might have flown under the radar for most, but certainly not for SEO experts, e-commerce retailers, and digital marketers. Without any flashy interface changes or major algorithm announcements, Google introduced support for loyalty program markup via structured data.
Source: https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2025/06/loyalty-program
In plain terms, websites can now highlight loyalty perks—like member-only pricing, exclusive rewards, or points systems—right inside the search results.
At first glance, it may not seem like much. There’s no colorful badge or dramatic change in how Google looks. But this enhancement signals something deeper: a shift in how Google wants users to interact with brands before they even click.
So, what does this mean for businesses? If you’re offering any kind of loyalty or rewards program, you now have the opportunity to bring it front and center on the SERP itself. No more hiding your best offers behind paywalls, email signups, or buried landing pages. Instead, the value you offer your repeat customers can now be seen by anyone searching your brand or products.
Let’s dive deeper into why this update is significant, how it works, where it’s available, and what kind of real-world advantages it can offer—especially when implemented strategically.
Why This Update Deserves Your Attention: A New Era for Loyalty Marketing
Loyalty programs have always been a cornerstone of customer retention. Whether it’s a points-based system at your local coffee shop or tiered memberships at a major online retailer, these programs have long served as a way to reward and retain customers.
But here’s the catch—until now, these programs were mostly hidden behind the scenes. A customer typically had to be on your website, log into an account, or read a marketing email to even realize such perks existed.
That changes with this structured data update.
With Google now allowing loyalty benefits to show up directly in search listings, you can engage potential customers at the earliest touchpoint in their buying journey—the search result. Imagine a shopper browsing for wireless headphones. They see two nearly identical listings—same price, same specs. But one has a tag beneath it that says, “Gold Members Earn 2x Points + 10% Off.” Which one do you think they’ll click?
This is more than just a visibility boost—it’s a psychological nudge. It bridges the gap between search intent (the user looking for something) and conversion intent (the user making a purchase). Loyalty-based labels serve as subtle incentives, triggering curiosity or FOMO (fear of missing out) and encouraging users to learn more, click, and ideally—convert.
Loyalty, Now Embedded in the SERP
Traditionally, SEO has focused heavily on optimizing titles, meta descriptions, and snippets to improve CTR (click-through rate). With Google’s previous structured data innovations—like review stars, pricing, stock status, and FAQs—rich snippets became the holy grail of product visibility.
Now, loyalty perks are the next evolution.
By embedding structured data that describes your loyalty program, you can prompt Google to show your membership benefits right below your search result. This might include:
- Loyalty points per purchase
- Tier names like “Silver,” “Gold,” or “Platinum”
- Member-only discounts
- Eligibility requirements for tiers
- Links to loyalty program pages
Even better, this can all happen without needing a Google Merchant Center account—a big win for service-based businesses, local retailers, and non-eCommerce brands that still offer membership perks.
Where Can You Use It?
As of June 2025, the loyalty program structured data support is available in eight key markets:
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- Mexico
- United Kingdom
- United States
Whether your audience is browsing on desktop or mobile, the visibility opportunity is the same—provided you’ve added the proper markup to your site.
This global availability indicates that Google sees structured data not just as a technical tool but as a strategic communication channel between websites and users. By allowing loyalty perks to appear visually on the SERP, Google is nudging brands to be more transparent, more value-driven, and more proactive in engaging users.
Who Should Use It — And Why It Matters
When Google introduced support for Loyalty Program structured data, it wasn’t just another markup tweak for developers to figure out. It was a targeted opportunity—designed for businesses looking to make their loyalty offerings more visible and compelling right at the moment of search intent. But here’s the important question: Is it right for your business?
Let’s unpack that.
You Should Absolutely Use Loyalty Program Structured Data If…
- You Own a Brand Website and Want Loyalty Perks to Show Up in Google Search
This is the sweet spot. If your business has built a website around your brand—whether you’re selling skincare, apparel, electronics, or subscriptions—you likely have perks or loyalty programs tucked inside. But until now, these perks lived deep inside your user dashboards or product detail pages.
With Google’s new markup support, you can finally bring those perks into the spotlight. Imagine a user searching for your brand or products and seeing “Earn 10 points per dollar” or “Member Pricing Available” right under your website link in Google. That’s not just nice to have—it’s a direct trigger for better click-through and engagement.
- You Don’t Use Google Merchant Center But Still Offer Loyalty Benefits
Not every business uses Google Merchant Center—and that’s okay. Maybe you’re not a retailer in the traditional sense. Maybe you’re a direct-to-consumer brand that handles orders independently. Or perhaps you’re a services-based business with tiered memberships.
If that’s the case, you’re often excluded from certain enhanced search features that Merchant Center users enjoy. That changes with this update. Structured data gives you a backdoor into premium search real estate—without needing to go through Merchant Center’s ecosystem.
- You Already Offer Loyalty Tiers and Want More People to Discover Them
If you’ve invested time and effort into designing a great loyalty program—say, with Silver, Gold, and VIP tiers, or a points system—it deserves visibility. But too often, only returning users ever discover these benefits.
Now, with structured data, you can broadcast that value to first-time searchers. That’s a game-changer. It opens the door for new customers to see the value of sticking with your brand before they ever make their first purchase.
You Should Prefer Google Merchant Center If…
- You’re Already Managing Product Feeds Through Merchant Center
If you’ve already gone all-in on Google Merchant Center—especially for your product catalog—then it makes more sense to manage your loyalty data there as well. Merchant Center now supports loyalty programs directly, and using it ensures consistency across your Shopping ads, free listings, and organic results.
- You Want Google to Handle the Heavy Lifting
Let’s face it—structured data implementation can be technical, and not every business has a developer on standby. Merchant Center simplifies things. It automatically formats your loyalty program data in a way that’s compliant with Google’s guidelines and integrates it seamlessly into your listings.
So, what’s the official stance? Google recommends using Merchant Center as your primary method if you’re already active there. But for everyone else—especially smaller businesses or non-retail brands—structured data is now your new best friend.
Why This Update Deserves Your Attention
Structured Data Puts Loyalty Programs Front and Center
At its core, this update gives you a unique opportunity to connect loyalty strategy with search visibility. Here’s what structured data allows you to highlight:
- Loyalty Points Systems
Show users they can earn something back. Whether it’s 5 points per dollar or double points on weekends, it adds value at a glance. - Tiered Memberships
Let people know that you offer Silver, Gold, or Elite levels—with increasing rewards. It creates a natural sense of progression and exclusivity. - Exclusive Loyalty-Based Pricing
Everyone loves a deal. Show that members enjoy better prices, early access, or bundle savings. These benefits drive conversions from search traffic that might have otherwise bounced.
Visual Enhancements = More Clicks
Best of all, these loyalty elements don’t just live in the code—they get visually reflected in your search result snippet. You might see tags like:
- “Join and Save”
- “Member Price Available”
- “Earn Rewards on This Item”
This kind of visual differentiation can make a big difference. In a competitive SERP, even a small tag like “Member Perk” can tip the scales in your favor. Users love feeling like they’re unlocking something special, and this update lets you tap into that psychology right from Google’s results page.
How to Implement the Loyalty Program Structured Data
Implementing Google’s loyalty program support is more technical than just writing about your perks. You need to embed JSON-LD structured data into your site’s HTML. Let’s walk through a real example.
Step 1: Add MemberProgram to Your Organization Markup
Here’s a complete sample of a loyalty program using structured data for an organization:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang=”en”>
<head>
<meta charset=”UTF-8″>
<title>Membership Plus – Loyalty Program</title>
<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “MemberProgram”,
“name”: “Membership Plus”,
“description”: “For frequent shoppers, Membership Plus is our top-rated loyalty program offering exclusive benefits and rewards.”,
“url”: “https://www.example.com/membership-plus”,
“image”: “https://www.example.com/images/membership-plus-banner.png”,
“hasTiers”: [
{
“@type”: “MemberProgramTier”,
“@id”: “https://www.example.com/membership-plus#silver”,
“name”: “Silver”,
“description”: “Earn 5 points per dollar spent with our Silver tier.”,
“url”: “https://www.example.com/membership-plus-silver”,
“hasTierBenefit”: [
“https://schema.org/TierBenefitLoyaltyPoints”
],
“membershipPointsEarned”: {
“@type”: “QuantitativeValue”,
“value”: 5,
“unitText”: “points per dollar”
}
},
{
“@type”: “MemberProgramTier”,
“@id”: “https://www.example.com/membership-plus#gold”,
“name”: “Gold”,
“description”: “Gold members enjoy double benefits, exclusive pricing and 10 points per dollar spent.”,
“url”: “https://www.example.com/membership-plus-gold”,
“hasTierBenefit”: [
“https://schema.org/TierBenefitLoyaltyPrice”,
“https://schema.org/TierBenefitLoyaltyPoints”
],
“hasTierRequirement”: {
“@type”: “CreditCard”,
“name”: “Example Platinum Card Plus”
},
“membershipPointsEarned”: {
“@type”: “QuantitativeValue”,
“value”: 10,
“unitText”: “points per dollar”
}
}
]
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Membership Plus Loyalty Program</h1>
<p>Join Membership Plus and enjoy exclusive savings and loyalty rewards!</p>
</body>
</html>
Code Test:
Step 2: Add Program Details to Your Product Pages (Optional but Powerful)
You can also associate loyalty perks directly with Product schema. This is especially useful if you want to show “member price” in rich product snippets.
If you’re combining it with existing Product markup, just make sure it’s done compliantly and tested using Google’s tools.
Unlocking the Power of Loyalty Program Markup: Key Benefits, Real Impact, and Practical Tips
If you’re a brand owner, digital marketer, or SEO specialist, you already understand the value of standing out on the search engine results page (SERP). With Google’s June 2025 rollout of loyalty program structured data, there’s now a new and powerful way to distinguish your offering—by showcasing loyalty perks directly in search results. This change isn’t just technical; it’s a strategic opportunity to convert search visibility into brand affinity and long-term customer value.
So, what exactly does this markup bring to the table? Let’s explore the practical benefits, backed by real use cases and tested strategies.
1. Enhanced Visibility in Search
Over the years, SERP enhancements—such as star ratings, review snippets, and product availability—have been game changers in increasing click-through rates. Now, loyalty-related rich snippets enter the scene as the next big differentiator.
Imagine your listing showing “Gold Member Price Available” or “Earn Points on Purchase” right under the link. This isn’t just window dressing; it speaks directly to value-conscious, loyalty-driven customers. The message is immediate: this brand rewards me. For users skimming dozens of listings, this could be the deciding factor in clicking your site over a competitor’s.
Whether it’s for skincare, books, electronics, or niche services, these tags draw attention—especially from users who prioritize long-term brand relationships and member perks.
2. Boosted Conversion Funnel
Think of structured data as planting the seed of retention before a user even clicks. When someone sees “Earn 10 points per $1 spent” next to your brand, they’re not just thinking about a single transaction—they’re thinking about cumulative value.
It introduces the psychology of future benefit right at the top of the funnel. That’s a huge win.
You’re essentially extending your loyalty program’s influence beyond your site—into the search discovery phase. And for users who are actively weighing options, this subtle nudge toward long-term value can tilt the conversion in your favor. You’re not just optimizing for one sale—you’re setting the stage for repeat engagement.
3. Loyalty Visibility Without Merchant Center
For many smaller or mid-sized brands, Google Merchant Center has always felt slightly out of reach. The technical requirements, integration complexity, and ongoing maintenance can be intimidating. That’s where structured data comes in as the great equalizer.
Now, even if you’re not plugged into Merchant Center, you can showcase loyalty perks with just a few lines of JSON-LD. This levels the playing field. Local businesses, niche e-commerce brands, and emerging D2C players can all benefit from SERP-based loyalty promotion—no ad budget or Merchant setup required.
It’s grassroots SEO empowerment. And it’s exactly what many businesses need in today’s competitive landscape.
4. Customizable and Tiered Loyalty Display
Loyalty is rarely one-size-fits-all. Most effective programs use tiers—Silver, Gold, Platinum, etc.—to offer progressive benefits and deeper brand connection. Google’s new markup supports this beautifully.
You can now define and display detailed tiers within your structured data. This gives users a snapshot of what they could earn or save based on their status. Whether it’s points per dollar, exclusive pricing, or VIP-only perks, these can all be surfaced right in the search result.
This flexibility is ideal for brands with gamified or status-based rewards systems. It mirrors the structure of real-world loyalty programs and brings that hierarchy into view for searchers, potentially sparking aspirational interest.
How to Make the Most of Loyalty Schema Markup
It’s not just about implementing the code—it’s about strategically optimizing it. Here are tried-and-true tips that ensure your loyalty data performs at its peak:
- Clearly Define Program Tiers
Avoid generic labels like “Level 1” or “Tier A.” These mean nothing to users and get ignored. Instead, give each tier a unique name that reflects brand tone and customer aspiration—like “Silver Shopper,” “Glow Insider,” or “Gold Elite.” Pair this with tangible benefits so users know exactly what’s in it for them.
- Link to Real, Crawlable Pages
Every tier or benefit mentioned in your structured data should point to an actual page on your website. Google doesn’t index promises—it indexes content. Avoid placeholder URLs or 404s. Make sure users and search bots can reach detailed information on each membership tier.
- Use Branded Images or Banners
Visual data matters. Including an image—like a loyalty banner, badge, or reward card—can make your SERP listing visually distinctive. Use high-quality, brand-consistent visuals that reflect the feel of your loyalty program.
- Keep Your Markup Fresh
If your loyalty program changes (and it probably will), your markup needs to reflect that. Update tier names, benefits, and point values as soon as changes go live. Structured data isn’t set-it-and-forget-it—it’s dynamic and should evolve alongside your actual offering.
- Test Often Using Google’s Rich Results Tool
Every time you update your schema, run it through Google’s Rich Results Test. This ensures that everything renders correctly and that you remain eligible for enhanced display. Schema mistakes—like missing fields or syntax errors—can nullify your entire effort.
Loyalty Schema vs. Merchant Center: What’s Best for You?
| Criteria | Structured Data Markup | Google Merchant Center |
| Requires Merchant Account | ❌ | ✅ |
| Good for Organizations | ✅ | ✅ |
| Good for Product-Specific Perks | ✅ | ✅ |
| Automated Updates | ❌ | ✅ |
| Rich SERP Snippets | ✅ | ✅ |
| Best For | Websites without Merchant Center | Sites with e-commerce integrations |
In short: use Merchant Center if you’re already integrated and selling via Google Shopping. But if you’re running your own platform or want custom control over how your loyalty program appears in search—structured data is your best bet.
A Real-World Example in Action
Let’s say you run a boutique skincare company with a loyalty program called Glow Rewards. You’ve got two tiers:
- Silver Tier: Earn 5 points for every dollar spent
- Gold Tier: Get exclusive pricing + 10 points per dollar spent
You’ve implemented the correct structured data and linked it to detailed tier pages. Now, when someone Googles “organic facial serum”, your result might look like this:
GlowSerum | $29.99 | Gold Member Price Available | Earn Points
That’s a compelling proposition—especially compared to a competitor’s bland product listing. It signals trust, value, and reward before the user even lands on your site.
Final Thoughts: SEO and Loyalty Finally Converge
Google’s Loyalty Program structured data support is more than a schema update—it’s a signpost for where search is heading. A more user-centric, benefit-driven, and brand-experience-rich environment.
If your business has any kind of loyalty system in place, now is the time to bring it into your SEO strategy. You’re not just optimizing for traffic anymore. You’re optimizing for trust, engagement, and lifetime value.
And with just a little markup magic, you’re giving your users a reason to return—before they’ve even clicked.
TL;DR: Summary of Google’s Loyalty Program Structured Data Update
- Announced: June 10, 2025
- Purpose: Let websites highlight loyalty perks (like points, pricing tiers) in Google Search results.
- Availability: Desktop + Mobile in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, UK, US
- Implementation: Use MemberProgram schema in JSON-LD; support for tiers, points, benefits
- Best For: Businesses without Merchant Center or those wanting granular loyalty visibility
- Tools: Validate using Rich Results Test
If you’re not leveraging this update yet, you’re missing a chance to turn searchers into loyal buyers—before they even click through to your site. So start marking up your loyalty program today, and give your brand the rich visibility it deserves.
Thatware | Founder & CEO
Tuhin is recognized across the globe for his vision to revolutionize digital transformation industry with the help of cutting-edge technology. He won bronze for India at the Stevie Awards USA as well as winning the India Business Awards, India Technology Award, Top 100 influential tech leaders from Analytics Insights, Clutch Global Front runner in digital marketing, founder of the fastest growing company in Asia by The CEO Magazine and is a TEDx speaker and BrightonSEO speaker.
