Schema markup is code that tells search engines what a page is about in a format they can read without guessing. This article covers schema markup for local business websites: what to add first, where it goes, how to check it, and what to leave alone.

What structured data is

Structured data is a standard way to label the facts on a page. Your page might say “Open Monday to Friday, 515 area code, serving Urbandale and Waukee.” A person reads that easily. A machine has to infer it. Schema markup states it outright: this is a business, this is its phone number, these are its hours.

The shared vocabulary comes from schema.org, a project that publishes types such as LocalBusiness, Service and FAQPage. Google, Bing and other search engines read it.

Schema markup for local business: what to add first

Add these in order. Each one builds on the one before it.

1. LocalBusiness, or a more specific subtype

Start with one block on your home page that describes the business. In schema.org, LocalBusiness has more specific subtypes, including Plumber, Electrician, RoofingContractor, HVACBusiness and HomeAndConstructionBusiness. Use the most specific type that honestly fits. If none fits your trade, such as snow removal or lawn care, use the closest parent type rather than a wrong specific one.

Include the basics: name, URL, phone, address, the areas you serve, hours and a link to your Google Business Profile and other official profiles through the sameAs property. Keep every value identical to what appears on your site and your profiles.

2. Organization

In schema.org, LocalBusiness is a subtype of Organization, so a LocalBusiness block already describes an organization. A separate Organization block matters mainly for nonprofits and for businesses that are not a physical storefront. Add a logo and your official profile links. Do not mark up the same entity twice with conflicting details.

3. Service

Add Service markup to each service page: the type of work, the provider (your business) and the area served. One page per service, one Service block per page. This gives search engines a clean statement of what you do and where.

4. FAQPage

FAQPage markup labels questions and answers that are visibly on the page. It is the most commonly misunderstood type. Google limited FAQ rich results in August 2023 and, according to the updates in its Search Central documentation, retired the feature in May 2026, so FAQ dropdowns no longer appear in Google results. Keep that in mind before spending time on it. The markup is still valid, and it is harmless when the questions are real and on the page, but it is not the place to start.

5. Review and AggregateRating

Review markup is where businesses get into trouble. Per Google’s review snippet guidelines, a business cannot earn star ratings in search by marking up reviews of itself on its own site, which Google treats as self-serving for LocalBusiness and Organization. Only mark up reviews that are real, from actual customers, and visible on the page. Never write, buy or invent them.

Where it goes: JSON-LD

Google’s documentation recommends JSON-LD, a block of code that sits in the page’s head or body and does not change how the page looks. The alternatives, Microdata and RDFa, weave the labels into your visible HTML. JSON-LD is easier to maintain because it lives in one place.

What Google does and does not do with it

Google uses structured data to understand a page and, for some types, to make the page eligible for rich results such as review stars or product details. Eligible does not mean guaranteed, and Google’s guidelines say valid markup does not promise a rich result. Schema markup is not a substitute for a complete Google Business Profile, accurate listings or a fast, useful website.

A worked example (fictional business)

This is an example only. The business, address and phone number are made up.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "HomeAndConstructionBusiness",
  "name": "Prairie Line Pressure Washing",
  "url": "https://www.example.com/",
  "telephone": "+1-515-555-0100",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "100 Example Street",
    "addressLocality": "Urbandale",
    "addressRegion": "IA",
    "postalCode": "50322",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "areaServed": ["Urbandale", "Des Moines", "Waukee"],
  "openingHours": "Mo-Fr 08:00-17:00",
  "sameAs": ["https://www.facebook.com/example"]
}

For a service page, a Service block names the work and points back to the business as its provider.

How to test it

Use two free tools. Google’s Rich Results Test shows whether a page is eligible for Google’s rich result types. The Schema Markup Validator at validator.schema.org checks the code against the full schema.org vocabulary, including types Google does not use. Run both. A clean result in one does not guarantee the other. Re-test after any website redesign.

Common mistakes

Marking up content that is not on the page, such as a phone number or FAQ that visitors cannot see.
Self-written or purchased reviews in markup.
Using a specific subtype that does not match your trade.
Details that disagree with your Google Business Profile.
Duplicate blocks from a theme and a plugin both outputting schema.
Leaving old information in place after you move or change hours.

How this differs from our earlier articles

Our July article Why Your Search Rankings Move, explains what changes a local ranking. A second July piece, What AI Search Means for Your Business’s Online Visibility, covers AI search. This article is narrower: it covers the markup itself and the order to add it.

FAQ

Do I need schema markup to rank in local search?

No. Schema markup helps search engines read your pages, but a complete Google Business Profile, consistent listings and useful pages carry more weight. Add markup after those basics are in place.

Which schema type should a small service business add first?

Add a LocalBusiness block, or the most specific subtype that fits, to your home page. Then add Service markup to each service page.

Should I add FAQ schema?

You can, if the questions and answers are visible on the page. Google has retired FAQ rich results, so do not expect a dropdown in search for a service business. Verify the current status in Google Search Central before relying on it.

Can I mark up my own customer reviews?

Only real reviews that appear on the page. Do not expect star ratings in search from reviews of your own business on your own site, because Google treats those as self-serving.

For more on how local results work, see how local SEO rankings actually work and the Google Business Profile optimization guide.

This article was written by ARION, the digital presence and search platform from Intelligent Analytics and Data Management.