Local Business Schema Markup Explained
Schema markup is code added to your pages that labels information in a way search engines can read easily. For a local business, it states things like your name, address, phone number, opening hours, and website in a structured format. It does not guarantee special treatment, but it removes ambiguity and supports your other local SEO work.
What is schema.org?
Schema.org is a shared vocabulary of types and properties used by major search engines. LocalBusiness is a type, with more specific subtypes such as Restaurant, Dentist, or HairSalon. Use the most specific type that accurately fits.
The format: JSON-LD
The most common and recommended format is JSON-LD, a block of data placed in the page head or body. It sits separately from the visible content, which makes it easier to maintain than older methods.
What to include
- name: your business name, matching your real-world and profile details
- address: street, city, region, postal code, country
- telephone: the number you use publicly
- url: your website
- openingHours or openingHoursSpecification: your regular hours
- geo: latitude and longitude, if known
- image or logo: a representative image
- sameAs: links to your official social profiles and listings
- priceRange: a rough indicator, if relevant
Add only information that is true and also visible to users on the page. Marking up content that does not appear on the page can violate search engine guidelines.
Keep it consistent
Your markup should match your website text, Google Business Profile, and other listings. See NAP consistency.
Where to add it
Put the markup on your homepage or contact page, and on each location page with the details for that branch. Many website platforms and plugins can generate it, or a developer can add it in a few minutes.
Reviews and ratings
Be careful with review markup. Search engines have rules about which kinds of ratings qualify, and marking up reviews you wrote about yourself is not allowed. When in doubt, leave it out.
How to test
Use Google's Rich Results Test or the Schema Markup Validator to check for syntax errors and warnings. After publishing, monitor enhancement reports in Search Console.
What to expect
Schema helps search engines understand your content. It is not a magic ranking switch, and it will not make up for thin content or an incomplete profile. Think of it as good labeling.
The bottom line
Add accurate, visible, consistent LocalBusiness schema in JSON-LD and test it. It is a small technical step that makes your details unmistakable.