Your website tells people what your business does in words and pictures. Schema markup tells search engines the same thing in a format they can read perfectly: a small block of code that says "this is a plumbing business, here's the address, here's the phone number, here are the opening hours, here's the star rating."
It's invisible to visitors. But it's how you get those richer-looking search results — the ones with star ratings, hours, and prices shown directly under your link.
Why It Matters More in 2026
Search results are getting richer
Google's AI Overviews, plus AI search tools like ChatGPT Search and Perplexity, all lean on structured data to understand and quote businesses. A page that spells out its facts in schema is far easier for these systems to feature correctly.
It supports local ranking
LocalBusiness schema reinforces your name, address, and phone number for Google — the same signals that power your map pack position. It's not a magic ranking boost, but it removes ambiguity, and ambiguity costs you.
What It Actually Looks Like
The recommended format is JSON-LD — a script placed in your page's code that doesn't affect how the page looks. A simple version for a local business:
<script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Plumber", "name": "Bright Spark Plumbing", "telephone": "+44 115 000 0000", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "12 High Street", "addressLocality": "Nottingham", "postalCode": "NG1 1AA" }, "openingHours": "Mo-Fr 08:00-18:00", "areaServed": "Nottingham", "url": "https://brightsparkplumbing.co.uk" } </script>
You don't write this by hand for every page — a well-built site generates it from your business details.
The Schema Types a Local Business Should Have
- LocalBusiness (or a specific subtype like
Plumber,Dentist,Restaurant) — on your homepage and contact page. - Service — on each service page, describing what that service is.
- FAQPage — on pages with a genuine Q&A section; can earn expandable questions in search results.
- BreadcrumbList — shows your site structure in the result instead of a raw URL.
- Review / AggregateRating — only if the ratings are genuine and shown on the page. Faking these violates Google's guidelines.
How to Check If Your Site Has It
1. Google Rich Results Test
Go to search.google.com/test/rich-results, paste your homepage URL. It tells you which rich results your page is eligible for, or that no structured data was found.
2. Schema.org Validator
validator.schema.org checks the syntax and lists every type it detects, with any errors or warnings.
3. Search Console
Under "Enhancements", Google Search Console reports the structured data types it has found across your site and flags issues.
If all three come back empty, your site has no schema — which is common on DIY builds and older sites, and worth fixing.
Common Mistakes
- Schema that doesn't match the visible page — e.g. a rating in the code that isn't shown to visitors. Google penalises this.
- Wrong or vague type — using generic
LocalBusinesswhen a specific subtype exists for your trade. - Inconsistent NAP — the address in your schema must match your website, Google Business Profile, and directories exactly.
- Marking up things that aren't there — don't add FAQ schema to a page with no FAQ.
Schema, Built In
Every website we build at LocalPageHQ ships with correct structured data as standard — LocalBusiness on the homepage, Service schema on service pages, FAQ and breadcrumb markup where they apply — generated from your real business details and validated before launch.
We'll build a free preview of your site using your real business details, so you can run it through the Rich Results Test yourself.
Request your free mockup here →
