Key takeaways
- LocalBusiness schema describes your business in a format search engines read without guessing.
- Google requires only two properties, name and address, but recommends several more, such as phone, hours, URL and coordinates.
- Use the most specific subtype that is true: Dentist, Plumber or Restaurant, not plain LocalBusiness.
- Mark up only what visitors can see on the page, and test every change before and after publishing.
What is LocalBusiness schema?
It is structured data, usually a JSON-LD block in the page code, that describes a local business: its name, address, phone, hours, website and location. Visitors do not see it. Search engines read it to understand the business without guessing, and Google uses it to support how the business appears in its results.
Google documents it on its page for local business structured data, and its introduction to structured data recommends JSON-LD when your site allows it, because it is the easiest format to add and maintain. It is one of the small technical pieces behind the method I describe on the SEO consultant home page.
Does schema help a small business rank?
Schema is not a ranking shortcut and it guarantees nothing. It helps Google understand your business and makes you eligible for richer displays when you meet its requirements. The real benefit for a small business is consistency: your website, your Business Profile and your markup all tell Google the same story.
Think of it as removing doubt. If your profile says one phone number, your footer another and your markup a third, Google has to choose. Clean, matching data is part of what I check in every SEO audit.
Which properties does Google require?
Google requires only two: name and address, with the address as a PostalAddress that includes street, city, region, postal code and country. It recommends telephone, url, geo coordinates, opening hours and price range, plus menu and cuisine for restaurants. Add every recommended property that is true and visible on your page.
| Property | Required by Google? | What to put |
|---|---|---|
| name | Yes | Your real business name, the same as on your Business Profile |
| address | Yes | PostalAddress: street, city, region, postal code, country |
| telephone | Recommended | Main number with country and area code |
| url | Recommended | The page for this location |
| geo | Recommended | Latitude and longitude with at least 5 decimal places |
| openingHoursSpecification | Recommended | Days, opening and closing times |
| priceRange | Recommended | A short relative price, such as $$ |
| menu, servesCuisine | Recommended for restaurants | Menu URL and type of food |
How do you pick the right subtype?
Use the most specific type that is true, as Google advises. A dental office should use Dentist, a plumber Plumber, an HVAC company HVACBusiness, a restaurant Restaurant, a car dealer AutoDealer. Plain LocalBusiness is the fallback only when nothing more specific fits. If you do two things, pick the main one.
The type tells Google what kind of business you are, much like the primary category on your Business Profile. Keep them aligned. If your profile's primary category is Dentist, your markup should not say MedicalClinic. For industry context, see how I handle HVAC SEO and dental SEO.
A JSON-LD example you can adapt
This is a fictional HVAC company. Replace every value with your own data, delete any line you cannot fill truthfully, and keep the format exactly as shown:
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "HVACBusiness",
"name": "Example Heating & Air",
"url": "https://www.example.com/",
"telephone": "+1-305-555-0142",
"priceRange": "$$",
"image": "https://www.example.com/images/storefront.jpg",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "1200 Example Ave, Suite 4",
"addressLocality": "Miami",
"addressRegion": "FL",
"postalCode": "33101",
"addressCountry": "US"
},
"geo": {
"@type": "GeoCoordinates",
"latitude": 25.77427,
"longitude": -80.19366
},
"openingHoursSpecification": [{
"@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
"dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"],
"opens": "08:00",
"closes": "18:00"
}],
"sameAs": ["https://www.facebook.com/example"]
}
</script>Three details matter more than they seem. The name must match your sign and your Business Profile. The coordinates should point to your actual door. And the hours must match what you publish on the page and on Google, following the same guidelines for representing your business.
Where should the code go?
Put the block on the page that represents the location. A business with one location usually adds it to the home page or the contact page. A business with several locations adds one block to each location page, each with its own name, address, phone and hours. Avoid repeating every location on every page.
On WordPress, many SEO plugins generate this markup. Check what they output before adding your own, so you do not end up with two blocks that disagree.
What are the most common mistakes?
The mistakes I fix most often are using plain LocalBusiness when a specific type exists, data that does not match the Business Profile, marking up information visitors cannot see, self-written star ratings on your own business, two plugins producing conflicting blocks, and hours or phone numbers that changed on the site but not in the code.
- Generic LocalBusiness type when Dentist, Plumber or Restaurant would fit.
- Name, phone or address different from the Business Profile.
- Markup describing things that are not visible on the page, which Google's structured data guidelines tell you not to do.
- Review stars added to your own business. Google's documentation describes review properties for sites that review other businesses.
- Duplicate blocks from a theme and a plugin, each with different data.
- Coordinates copied with too few decimals, or pointing to the city center.
- A service-area business marking up an address it hides everywhere else. Decide with your developer how much address the page shows, then mark up exactly that.
How do you test your schema?
Paste the page URL into Google's Rich Results Test to confirm the markup is read without errors. After publishing, use the URL Inspection tool in Search Console to see the live version Google has, and watch the Search Console reports for warnings. Test again whenever you change your theme, plugins or business data.
A quick routine: test the draft, publish, inspect the live URL, and set a reminder to recheck after any site update. Schema is one line on my technical SEO checklist and part of my technical SEO service. The profile side is covered in the Google Business Profile checklist.
If you would rather have it done for you, schema setup is included in the local SEO service. See the pricing or ask for a free diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to know how to code to add schema?
Not much. You copy a JSON-LD block, replace the values and paste it into the page, or use a plugin that generates it. Testing is the important part.
Is JSON-LD better than microdata?
Google recommends JSON-LD when your site allows it because it is the easiest to add and maintain. Both formats can work.
Can I add my Google reviews as star ratings?
Not for your own business. Google describes review markup for sites that review other businesses, and self-serving stars are a common mistake.
Will schema make my business appear in Maps?
No. Maps visibility comes mainly from your Business Profile. Schema helps your website support the same information.
How often should I check it?
After any change to your theme, plugins, hours, phone or address, and at least once or twice a year.
