genre

genre · Not mentioned by Google

Appears in

Book

What is it?

The genre property categorizes a book (or other creative work) by its literary or subject category. Values like "Literary Fiction," "Science Fiction," or "Biography" help readers and search systems classify the work.

Why this matters for AEO

When a user asks "recommend a science fiction book about AI," AI answer engines use genre to filter and match books to genre-specific queries. Structured genre data lets the AI categorize works without parsing descriptions or reviews for genre signals.

What the specs say

Schema.org:DefinedTerm, Text, URL. Genre of the creative work, broadcast channel or group.

Google: Not mentioned. Field not listed in Google's structured data documentation for Book. Source

How to find your value

• Publisher metadata — BISAC or BIC subject codes
• Library catalogs — Subject headings (LCSH)
• Bookseller listings — Category or genre tags
• Author website — Book description or category page

Format and code

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Book",
  "name": "The Catcher in the Rye",
  "author": {"@type": "Person", "name": "J.D. Salinger"},
  "genre": "Literary Fiction"
}

Multiple genres:

{
  "genre": ["Science Fiction", "Dystopian"]
}

Using a URL (e.g., a controlled vocabulary):

{
  "genre": "https://vocab.example.com/genres/literary-fiction"
}

Webflow implementation

Static pages

Add genre as a text string inside your Book JSON-LD block in Page Settings > Custom Code > Footer Code.

CMS template pages

Map a CMS text or option field for genre. Reference it in a custom code embed to populate the genre property.

In Schema HQ

The genre field does not currently generate Book markup. Add genre data manually through Webflow custom code.

Real examples

From Schema.org Book Example:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Book",
  "name": "Holt Physical Science",
  "genre": "Educational Materials",
  "isbn": "9780030426599",
  "numberOfPages": "598"
}

From JSONld.com:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Book",
  "name": "The Catcher in the Rye",
  "genre": "Literary Fiction",
  "isbn": "0316769487",
  "numberOfPages": "224"
}

Related fields

• isbn
• bookFormat
• author
• name

FAQ

Should genre use standardized values or free text?

Free text is the most common approach and works fine for most sites. For large catalogs, consider BISAC subject codes or Library of Congress Subject Headings as DefinedTerm or URL values for better interoperability.

Can a book have multiple genres?

Yes. Pass an array of strings: "genre": ["Mystery", "Thriller"]. This is common for books that cross genre boundaries.