Schema markup is one of the most underutilized tools in local SEO. While most businesses focus on content and backlinks, structured data quietly gives search engines a machine-readable layer of information about your business that can earn rich results, improve click-through rates, and strengthen your entity signals. Our on-page SEO services include full schema implementation because we see firsthand how structured data separates local businesses that dominate SERPs from those that merely appear in them.
This guide covers the specific schema types that matter most for local businesses, provides implementation code you can adapt, and explains how to validate and maintain your structured data over time.
What Schema Markup Does for Local Businesses
Schema markup is a standardized vocabulary (defined at schema.org) that you add to your website’s HTML to help search engines understand your content at a deeper level. Instead of just reading your text, search engines can parse structured data to understand specific facts: your business name, address, hours, services, reviews, and more.
For local businesses, schema markup delivers three primary benefits:
Rich results in SERPs. Schema can trigger enhanced search listings with star ratings, FAQ dropdowns, breadcrumbs, business hours, and price ranges. These expanded listings capture more visual real estate and earn significantly higher click-through rates than standard blue links.
Entity establishment. Structured data helps Google build its Knowledge Graph entry for your business. A well-defined entity has stronger associations with your service categories, location, and industry, which benefits your overall search visibility.
Reduced ambiguity. Schema removes guesswork for search engines. Instead of inferring that “555-0123” is a phone number from context, your markup explicitly declares it as the telephone number of your LocalBusiness entity.
Essential Schema Types for Local Businesses
Not every schema type is relevant to local businesses. The following six types deliver the most value and should be prioritized in your implementation.
1. LocalBusiness Schema (and Subtypes)
This is the foundational schema type for any local business. It establishes your business entity with name, address, phone number, hours, and other core details.
Google’s Knowledge Graph heavily references LocalBusiness schema when populating business information panels. Use the most specific subtype available for your industry, as specificity strengthens your entity signals.
Common LocalBusiness subtypes:
- `Dentist`, `Physician`, `MedicalClinic` for healthcare
- `Plumber`, `Electrician`, `HVACBusiness` for trades
- `LegalService`, `Attorney` for law firms
- `Restaurant`, `BarOrPub`, `CafeOrCoffeeShop` for food service
- `AutoRepair`, `AutoDealer` for automotive
- `RealEstateAgent` for real estate
- `BeautySalon`, `HairSalon`, `DaySpa` for beauty services
Implementation example (JSON-LD):
“`json
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “Plumber”,
“name”: “ABC Plumbing Services”,
“image”: “https://www.abcplumbing.com/images/logo.png”,
“url”: “https://www.abcplumbing.com”,
“telephone”: “+1-555-555-0123”,
“email”: “info@abcplumbing.com”,
“address”: {
“@type”: “PostalAddress”,
“streetAddress”: “123 Main Street”,
“addressLocality”: “Austin”,
“addressRegion”: “TX”,
“postalCode”: “78701”,
“addressCountry”: “US”
},
“geo”: {
“@type”: “GeoCoordinates”,
“latitude”: 30.2672,
“longitude”: -97.7431
},
“openingHoursSpecification”: [
{
“@type”: “OpeningHoursSpecification”,
“dayOfWeek”: [“Monday”, “Tuesday”, “Wednesday”, “Thursday”, “Friday”],
“opens”: “07:00”,
“closes”: “18:00”
},
{
“@type”: “OpeningHoursSpecification”,
“dayOfWeek”: “Saturday”,
“opens”: “08:00”,
“closes”: “14:00”
}
],
“priceRange”: “$$”,
“areaServed”: {
“@type”: “City”,
“name”: “Austin”,
“sameAs”: “https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin,_Texas”
},
“sameAs”: [
“https://www.facebook.com/abcplumbing”,
“https://www.yelp.com/biz/abc-plumbing-austin”
]
}
“`
Key implementation notes:
- Place this on your homepage and contact page at minimum.
- The `@type` should use the most specific subtype for your business. Use `Plumber` instead of generic `LocalBusiness` when applicable.
- Include `geo` coordinates for precise location association.
- The `areaServed` property defines your service territory.
- `sameAs` links connect your entity to verified social profiles.
2. Service Schema
Service schema defines the specific services your business offers. This helps search engines understand the connection between your business entity and the service queries people search for.
Implementation example:
“`json
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “Service”,
“serviceType”: “Emergency Plumbing Repair”,
“provider”: {
“@type”: “Plumber”,
“name”: “ABC Plumbing Services”,
“url”: “https://www.abcplumbing.com”
},
“areaServed”: {
“@type”: “City”,
“name”: “Austin”
},
“description”: “24/7 emergency plumbing repair service for residential and commercial properties in Austin, TX.”,
“offers”: {
“@type”: “Offer”,
“price”: “99.00”,
“priceCurrency”: “USD”,
“priceSpecification”: {
“@type”: “UnitPriceSpecification”,
“price”: “99.00”,
“priceCurrency”: “USD”,
“unitText”: “service call”
}
}
}
“`
Key implementation notes:
- Create separate Service schema for each distinct service you offer.
- Place each Service schema on its corresponding service page.
- Link back to your main business entity using the `provider` property.
- Include pricing information where applicable using the `offers` property.
3. FAQPage Schema
FAQ schema can trigger rich results that display expandable question-and-answer pairs directly in search results. This is particularly valuable because it dramatically expands your SERP listing and provides immediate value to searchers.
Implementation example:
“`json
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “FAQPage”,
“mainEntity”: [
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How much does emergency plumbing repair cost in Austin?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Emergency plumbing repair in Austin typically costs between $150 and $500 depending on the severity of the issue and time of service. Our standard emergency service call starts at $99, which includes diagnosis and a detailed repair estimate.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Do you offer 24/7 plumbing services?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Yes, we provide 24/7 emergency plumbing services throughout the Austin metro area. Our on-call technicians typically arrive within 45 minutes of your call.”
}
}
]
}
“`
Key implementation notes:
- Only use FAQ schema on pages that actually contain FAQ content visible to users.
- Each question-and-answer pair must appear in the on-page content. Schema that does not match visible content can result in manual actions.
- Google limits FAQ rich results to a maximum of two questions displayed, but implementing more increases the chance of being selected.
- Target questions that match real search queries to maximize the SEO value of your FAQ content.
4. Review and AggregateRating Schema
Review schema displays star ratings in search results, which is one of the most powerful click-through rate multipliers available. A listing with 4.8 stars and 200+ reviews stands out dramatically from unrated competitors.
Implementation example:
“`json
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “Plumber”,
“name”: “ABC Plumbing Services”,
“aggregateRating”: {
“@type”: “AggregateRating”,
“ratingValue”: “4.8”,
“reviewCount”: “247”,
“bestRating”: “5”,
“worstRating”: “1”
},
“review”: [
{
“@type”: “Review”,
“author”: {
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “John D.”
},
“datePublished”: “2026-01-15”,
“reviewBody”: “Fast response time and fair pricing. Fixed our burst pipe within an hour of calling.”,
“reviewRating”: {
“@type”: “Rating”,
“ratingValue”: “5”,
“bestRating”: “5”
}
}
]
}
“`
Key implementation notes:
- Google has strict guidelines about self-serving review schema. Reviews must be from real customers, and the reviews must appear on the page where the schema is implemented.
- Do not markup reviews that are not visible on the page.
- AggregateRating is safer and more commonly supported for local businesses than individual review markup.
- Nest AggregateRating within your LocalBusiness schema for the cleanest implementation.
For businesses focused on building their review profile, our managed SEO service combines review generation strategy with proper schema implementation.
5. BreadcrumbList Schema
Breadcrumb schema replaces raw URLs in search results with a clean navigation path (e.g., “Home > Services > Plumbing Repair”). This improves SERP appearance and helps users understand the page’s position within your site structure.
Implementation example:
“`json
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “BreadcrumbList”,
“itemListElement”: [
{
“@type”: “ListItem”,
“position”: 1,
“name”: “Home”,
“item”: “https://www.abcplumbing.com/”
},
{
“@type”: “ListItem”,
“position”: 2,
“name”: “Services”,
“item”: “https://www.abcplumbing.com/services/”
},
{
“@type”: “ListItem”,
“position”: 3,
“name”: “Emergency Plumbing Repair”,
“item”: “https://www.abcplumbing.com/services/emergency-plumbing/”
}
]
}
“`
Key implementation notes:
- Implement on every page except the homepage.
- The breadcrumb path must match your actual site navigation hierarchy.
- Use clear, descriptive names for each breadcrumb level.
6. Article and BlogPosting Schema
For your blog and educational content, Article or BlogPosting schema enables rich results like author information, publication dates, and featured image displays.
Implementation example:
“`json
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “BlogPosting”,
“headline”: “How to Prevent Frozen Pipes in Austin Winters”,
“image”: “https://www.abcplumbing.com/learn/images/frozen-pipes-prevention.jpg”,
“datePublished”: “2026-01-20”,
“dateModified”: “2026-02-01”,
“author”: {
“@type”: “Organization”,
“name”: “ABC Plumbing Services”
},
“publisher”: {
“@type”: “Organization”,
“name”: “ABC Plumbing Services”,
“logo”: {
“@type”: “ImageObject”,
“url”: “https://www.abcplumbing.com/images/logo.png”
}
},
“description”: “Learn how to protect your Austin home’s plumbing from winter freezing with these proven prevention strategies.”
}
“`
Implementation Methods
There are three formats for implementing schema markup. JSON-LD is the method recommended by Google and the one you should use.
JSON-LD (Recommended)
JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) is a script-based format that sits in the `
` or `` of your HTML within a `