Local Business Schema Markup: A Plain-English Guide for Service Companies

Quick answer: Local business schema markup is a small block of code, usually JSON-LD, that tells search engines your business name, address, phone, hours, service area and other key facts in a format machines read easily. It does not guarantee special search features, but it removes guesswork for Google and AI assistants about who you are.

Your website says these things to people. Schema says them to machines.

Which schema types should a local business use?

• Organization or LocalBusiness — Where it goes: Homepage or sitewide — What it tells search engines: Name, logo, address, phone, hours, profiles
• Service — Where it goes: Each service page — What it tells search engines: What you offer and where
• Article — Where it goes: Blog posts — What it tells search engines: Headline, author, publish date
• FAQPage — Where it goes: Pages with a real FAQ section — What it tells search engines: Questions and answers on the page
• BreadcrumbList — Where it goes: Most pages — What it tells search engines: Where the page sits in your site

Google documents the local business properties it supports in its LocalBusiness structured data guide, and the full vocabulary lives at schema.org/LocalBusiness.

How do you add schema to your site?

1.  List your core business facts exactly as they appear on your Google Business Profile.

2.  Choose the most specific LocalBusiness subtype that fits, such as Dentist or Plumber.

3.  Write the JSON-LD and add it to your site's header or page settings. Webflow and WordPress both support this.

4.  Add Service and Article markup to the pages where they apply. FAQPage markup is optional now, since Google no longer shows FAQ rich results.

5.  Only mark up content that is actually visible on the page.

How do you test it?

Run each page through Google's Rich Results Test and fix any errors. Then check the enhancements reports in Search Console after Google recrawls.

Common schema mistakes

• Different addresses or phone numbers than your listings
• Marking up reviews or FAQs that are not on the page
• Copying one page's schema to every page
• Forgetting to update hours

FAQ

Does schema improve rankings? It is not a direct ranking boost, but it helps search engines understand your pages and can make some pages eligible for rich results. Google no longer shows FAQ rich results, so FAQPage markup will not produce them.

Do AI assistants use schema? Structured data makes key facts easier for machines to read, which supports accurate descriptions of your business.

Do I need a developer? Not always. Many website platforms let you paste JSON-LD into page settings. A developer helps with complex setups, such as multiple locations or custom templates, but a basic business block is often something a site editor can add and check with a free testing tool.

Want schema done right across your site? See Website Systems or schedule a strategy session.

‍