The UK's most complete AI search visibility framework
48% of UK SME Websites Have No Structured Social Profile Links: The sameAs Gap
12 out of 25 UK SME websites (48%) had no sameAs links in their structured data. Even sites with visible social media icons often had not included them in schema markup.
Last updated: March 2026
We checked 30 UK small business websites for sameAs links in their structured data — the markup that connects a business entity to its verified social media profiles. Nearly half had none.
TL;DR
- 12 out of 25 accessible UK SME websites (48%) had no sameAs links in their structured data
- sameAs links connect a business to its social profiles in a machine-readable way
- Even among sites with visible social links, many had not included them in structured data
- Law firms, dentists, estate agents and restaurants had the weakest adoption
What are sameAs links?
sameAs is a Schema.org property that tells machines: “This entity is the same as the entity found at these other URLs.” It connects a business to its LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and other profiles.
What we found
| Measure | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Has sameAs links in schema | 13 / 25 | 52% |
| No sameAs links | 12 / 25 | 48% |
| Has Organisation schema + sameAs | 10 / 25 | 40% |
By industry
| Industry | Sites | Has sameAs | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountancy | 9 | 6 | 67% |
| Personal Trainer | 3 | 2 | 67% |
| Marketing Agency | 4 | 2 | 50% |
| Plumber | 3 | 1 | 33% |
| Dentist | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Legal | 3 | 0 | 0% |
How to check and add sameAs links
- Check your page source for “sameAs” within a JSON-LD block
- In WordPress with Yoast, go to SEO → Social and enter your URLs
- Verify the URLs are correct and active
Methodology
- Sample: 30 UK SME websites (25 accessible)
- Date: 12 March 2026
FAQ
What are sameAs links in structured data?
sameAs is a Schema.org property that connects an entity on one platform to the same entity on other platforms.
Are sameAs links the same as social media icons?
No. Social media icons are visible HTML links. sameAs links are structured data markup for machines.
Does having sameAs links help with AI visibility?
No confirmed direct causal link, but they help machines verify cross-platform presence.
This research was conducted by Rank4AI as part of our ongoing work understanding how UK businesses appear in AI-powered search platforms.
Want to understand how these trends affect your business?
Start Your AI Visibility ReviewTrust, Legal and Governance
Rank4AI is a UK based AI search agency operated by Rank4AI Ltd. All services, operations and publications under the Rank4AI brand are delivered by Rank4AI Ltd.
Legal and Registration
- Rank4AI Ltd registered in England and Wales. Company number 16584507.
- Organisation DUNS number 233980021.
- Registered supplier on UK Government procurement platforms including Contracts Finder.
- Company registration details publicly available via Companies House and OpenCorporates.
- Registered with the UK Information Commissioner's Office. ICO registration number ZC095410.
Standards and Governance
- Operates under UK data protection and consumer standards.
- Aligns internal processes with UK GDPR principles.
- Aligns internal processes with ISO 27001 information security principles.
- Aligns internal processes with ISO 9001 quality management principles.
- Working towards Cyber Essentials certification.
Domain Continuity
- Primary domain www.rank4ai.co.uk.
- Previously operated at www.rank4ai.online.
- Business ownership, entity and services remain unchanged following domain transition.
Reviewed quarterly. Last reviewed 27 March 2026.