What schema markup is and what it does for a local business
Schema markup is a hidden block of code that restates your business facts (type, name, address, phone, hours) in a format search engines read without guessing. It helps them understand your business and can qualify pages for some rich results, but Google guarantees nothing and ended FAQ rich results in May 2026.
In short
- Use JSON-LD with the most specific business type that fits, such as Plumber or Dentist.
- Mark up only facts visitors can see on the page, and match your Google Business Profile exactly.
- Google shows no review stars for reviews of your own business that you mark up on your own site.
- Schema is not required for Google's AI Overviews or AI Mode, but accurate markup still helps machines read your facts.
What schema markup is
Schema markup is a short block of labeled facts in your page's HTML. Visitors never see it. Search engines read it to confirm what the page is about without guessing from your layout.
Google recommends the JSON-LD format: a <script type="application/ld+json"> tag in the head or body of the page. The labels come from schema.org, a shared vocabulary started by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Yandex.
The one rule: markup must describe content that visitors can see on the same page. Google's structured data guidelines say not to mark up hidden, irrelevant or misleading content.
The fields that matter for a local business
Google's local business documentation requires only name and address. Add the recommended fields that are true and visible on your page.
| Field | What it tells machines | Get it right |
|---|---|---|
@type | What kind of business you are | Use the most specific subtype, such as Plumber or Dentist. List several types as an array if you offer several trades. |
name, address, telephone | Who and where you are | Match your Google Business Profile exactly. Include the country code in the phone number. |
url | The page for this location | Use a working, full URL. |
geo | Exact coordinates | Google asks for at least 5 decimal places. |
openingHoursSpecification | When you are open | Google documents this field, not the shorter openingHours text. Update it when your hours change. |
sameAs | Your other official profiles | Link real profiles only. Google says it can make general use of sameAs. |
Google also says a few complete, accurate fields are better than many incomplete or wrong ones.
What schema can and cannot get you in Google
Markup makes a page eligible for some search features. It does not guarantee them: Google's guidelines state that correct markup still may not show as a rich result.
Google has also retired many rich results. How-to results ended in September 2023. FAQ rich results were limited to government and health sites in August 2023 and, per Google's documentation updates, stopped showing for all sites on May 7, 2026.
Schema does not replace your Google Business Profile. Google's local ranking tips focus on the profile, so your markup should repeat the same facts.
Review stars for your own business
You cannot earn star ratings in Google by marking up reviews of your own business on your own site. Google calls these "self-serving" reviews and stopped showing them for LocalBusiness and Organization pages in September 2019.
- The rule also covers reviews you pull in with a third-party widget, such as a Google or Facebook reviews widget.
- You will not get a manual action just for this. The stars simply do not appear.
- Google's review snippet guidelines also say not to aggregate ratings from other sites. Since July 2026 they also say not to include fake or undisclosed incentivized reviews.
Show real testimonials for your visitors anyway. For how to earn more reviews the right way, read our reviews guide.
Schema and AI search
Schema is optional for AI answers. Google's guide to generative AI features (May 2026) says structured data is not required for AI Overviews or AI Mode, and no special markup exists for them.
Google still recommends structured data for rich results and asks that it match the visible text. Microsoft says in its October 2025 guidance that schema helps search engines and AI systems understand content. Clean, accurate markup is worth having for both.
How to check and fix your markup
Test every page you mark up, then fix the common errors below.
- Test: the Rich Results Test shows which Google rich results your markup supports and flags errors. The Schema Markup Validator checks any schema.org type.
- Monitor: Search Console's Unparsable structured data report lists markup Google could not read.
- Wrong subtype: a plumber marked up as a store tells machines something false.
- Mismatched facts: a different phone number, suite or business name than your Business Profile.
- Invisible facts: services, ratings or hours in the markup that appear nowhere on the page.
- Stale hours: you changed your hours but not the markup.
- Copied templates: another business's address, coordinates or profile links left in a theme or plugin.
If Google finds spammy markup, it can issue a manual action. The page then loses rich result eligibility, though Google says its ranking is not affected.
Frequently asked questions
Should I remove FAQ schema now that Google stopped showing FAQ rich results?
You do not have to. Google has said that unused structured data does not cause problems for Search, and other search engines may still read it. Keep the questions on the page if they help visitors.
Do I need schema to appear in Google AI Overviews or AI Mode?
No. Google says there is no special markup for AI features. A page needs to be indexed, eligible to show with a snippet, and not excluded through Search Console's Search generative AI control, which includes sites by default.
Does schema markup help my map pack ranking?
Google's local ranking help lists relevance, distance and prominence, and points you to your Business Profile, not to website markup. Schema supports those facts on your site. See how the map pack works.
Can a WordPress plugin handle schema for me?
Yes. Google notes a CMS plugin can be the easiest route. Check the output in the Rich Results Test anyway: confirm the business type, hours and address are yours and current.
Which page should carry LocalBusiness markup?
Google says you can add it to any page, but it fits best on a page about the business, such as your homepage, contact page or a location page. With several locations, give each location its own page and markup.
Want to know where your business actually stands?
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