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How to Add Schema Markup for Local Businesses

Schema markup is structured data you add to your website to help search engines understand your business. When done right, it enables rich results in Google — star ratings, business hours, FAQ answers, and more appearing directly in search results. Sites with schema markup see up to 30% higher click-through rates. This guide shows you exactly how to set it up for your local business.

Why Schema Markup Matters

Without schema markup, Google has to guess what your website is about. With it, you're telling Google exactly what your business does, where it's located, what hours you're open, and what customers think of you. This information can appear directly in search results as rich snippets.

What schema markup can show in Google:

  • ★Star ratings and review counts below your listing
  • ★Business hours, phone number, and address in the Knowledge Panel
  • ★FAQ answers expanded directly in search results
  • ★Breadcrumb navigation showing your site structure
  • ★Service types and price ranges for your offerings

How to Check If You Have Schema Markup

The easiest way is to run a free FreeSiteAudit. We check for LocalBusiness schema, breadcrumb schema, and review schema. You can also paste your URL into Google's Rich Results Test to see what structured data Google can detect on your page.

Schema Types for Local Businesses

LocalBusiness (Required)

The foundation for any local business. Includes your name, address, phone, hours, and website URL.

Industry-specific types: Use a more specific type when available — Google prefers specificity:

  • Plumbers: Plumber
  • Dentists: Dentist
  • HVAC: HVACBusiness
  • Restaurants: Restaurant
  • Lawyers: Attorney
  • Auto repair: AutoRepair

Example: LocalBusiness JSON-LD

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Plumber",
  "name": "Joe's Plumbing",
  "image": "https://example.com/logo.png",
  "telephone": "+1-555-123-4567",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main St",
    "addressLocality": "Austin",
    "addressRegion": "TX",
    "postalCode": "78701"
  },
  "openingHoursSpecification": {
    "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
    "dayOfWeek": ["Monday","Tuesday",
      "Wednesday","Thursday","Friday"],
    "opens": "08:00",
    "closes": "18:00"
  },
  "url": "https://joesplumbing.com",
  "priceRange": "$$"
}
</script>

AggregateRating

Shows star ratings in search results. Include your average rating, rating count, and best/worst rating values.

FAQPage

Shows FAQ answers expanded in search results. Add your most common customer questions and answers.

BreadcrumbList

Shows breadcrumb navigation in search results instead of the raw URL. Helps users understand your site structure.

Service

Lists specific services you offer with descriptions and price ranges. Helps Google match you to service-specific searches.

How to Add Schema to Your Website

WordPress

The easiest approach is using a plugin:

  • Yoast SEO (free): Go to SEO → Search Appearance → Organization/Person. Fill in your business details.
  • RankMath (free): Go to Rank Math → Titles & Meta → Local SEO. Add your business info.
  • Schema Pro (paid): More advanced — lets you add any schema type with a visual builder.

Wix & Squarespace

Both platforms have built-in structured data features, but they're limited. For complete LocalBusiness schema:

  1. 1. Generate your JSON-LD using Google's Structured Data Markup Helper
  2. 2. In Wix: Settings → Custom Code → Head. In Squarespace: Settings → Advanced → Code Injection → Header.
  3. 3. Paste the script tag and save

Custom HTML

Add the JSON-LD script tag (like the example above) to the <head> section of your HTML. It works on every page it's included on.

How to Test Your Schema

  • •Google Rich Results Test — paste your URL to see if your schema qualifies for rich results
  • •Schema.org Validator — validates the technical correctness of your JSON-LD
  • •FreeSiteAudit — checks for missing LocalBusiness, breadcrumb, and review schema

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Missing required fields

LocalBusiness schema requires at minimum: name, address, and telephone. Missing any of these means Google won't show rich results.

Invalid JSON-LD syntax

A single missing comma or bracket breaks the entire schema. Always validate with the Schema.org Validator before publishing.

Schema that doesn't match page content

Google compares your schema to visible page content. If your schema says "5 star rating" but your page shows no reviews, Google may ignore or penalize it.

Using Microdata instead of JSON-LD

JSON-LD is the format Google recommends. Microdata (inline HTML attributes) is harder to maintain and more error-prone. Stick with JSON-LD.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is schema markup?

Schema markup is structured data code that helps search engines understand your content. It uses the Schema.org vocabulary in JSON-LD format to describe your business, services, reviews, and more.

Does schema markup improve SEO?

Schema doesn't directly improve rankings, but it enables rich results (star ratings, business hours, FAQs in search results) that can increase click-through rates by 20-30%.

Do I need a developer to add schema?

Not necessarily. WordPress plugins like Yoast and RankMath add schema automatically. For other platforms, you can generate JSON-LD with Google's Markup Helper and paste it into your site settings.

Check your schema markup for free

Run a free audit to see if your website has the right structured data — LocalBusiness, breadcrumbs, reviews, and more.

Run Free Audit
Related guides:Local SEONAP ConsistencyMeta Titles