Schema Markup for Local Businesses: A Practical Guide
By Mike Martin • More Leads Local
Schema markup (also called structured data) is code you add to your website that helps search engines understand your content better. For local businesses, implementing the right schema can enhance how your business appears in search results and provide Google with clear, machine-readable information about your business.
What Is Schema Markup?
Schema markup is a vocabulary of tags you can add to your HTML to improve how search engines read and represent your page in search results. It's like giving Google a structured summary of your business rather than making it figure everything out from your content.
LocalBusiness Schema: The Essential Markup
For local businesses, the most important schema type is LocalBusiness (or its more specific subtypes like Plumber, Restaurant, Dentist, etc.). This should include:
- Business name — matching your NAP exactly
- Address — using PostalAddress schema
- Phone number
- Opening hours — using OpeningHoursSpecification
- Geographic coordinates
- Service area — particularly important for service area businesses
- Price range
- Reviews/ratings — using AggregateRating
Service Schema
Beyond the basic business markup, adding Service schema for each service you offer helps Google understand exactly what you do. This is particularly valuable when combined with location-specific pages.
FAQ Schema
If your pages include frequently asked questions (as our city pages do), FAQPage schema can help these appear as rich results in Google, potentially increasing your click-through rate.
How to Implement Schema
Schema markup is added as JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) in the <head> section of your HTML. It's invisible to visitors but readable by search engines. Most modern CMS platforms have plugins that make implementation straightforward.
Testing Your Schema
Use Google's Rich Results Test and Schema Markup Validator to check your implementation. Errors in your schema can prevent it from being read correctly.
Schema markup is a technical foundation that supports all your other local SEO efforts. It's not a magic bullet, but it removes friction between your content and Google's understanding of your business.