Guide · 6-min read
Schema markup is the language you use to tell search engines exactly what your business is, where it is located, and what you offer. Here is how to use it.
Run a free audit60%
Local audits missing schema
1.3x
Click-through rate with schema
vs without
7
Schema types for local
<30 min
Time to add it
You do not need all of them, but the first three are essential. The rest are optional improvements.
The foundation. Tells search engines your name, address, phone number, opening hours, and business type. This is the minimum for local pack visibility.
Describes what you offer (plumbing, dental care, legal advice). Links to your LocalBusiness so search engines connect your services to your location.
Defines the geographic area you serve. Essential for mobile businesses (plumbers, electricians) who travel to customers.
Shows your average review score and total review count. Can trigger star snippets in search results, which increase click-through rates.
Marks up your FAQ section so search engines can display it as a rich result. Takes up more space in search results, which means more clicks.
Describes your navigation structure. Helps search engines understand how your pages relate to each other. Shown as breadcrumb links in results.
For blog posts and guides. Includes headline, author, publish date, and description. Helps your content appear in news and discover feeds.
Why schema matters
Without schema, search engines have to guess what your site is about. You could be a plumbing company, a review site, or a directory listing. With LocalBusiness schema, you explicitly say: I am a plumbing company in Belfast, open 9 to 5, average rating 4.8. That clarity wins you the local pack.
LocalBusiness for most businesses. If you are a specific type (Dentist, Restaurant, Plumber), use the more specific sub-type.
JSON-LD is a script tag you add to your HTML. Most CMS platforms (WordPress, Squarespace, Wix) have plugins that generate it for you.
Name, address, phone, business type, opening hours, and geographic coordinates. The more complete, the better.
Search for 'Rich Results Test' and paste your URL. It shows exactly what schema it finds and flags any errors.
Our audit checks for schema markup in the Structured Data category. After adding schema, re-audit to confirm it is detected.
No. Schema helps search engines understand your site, which improves your chances of appearing in relevant results. It is one factor among many.
Yes. They stack. A homepage might have LocalBusiness, Organization, and BreadcrumbList all at once.
Not always. WordPress plugins like Yoast or Rank Math add LocalBusiness schema through a settings panel. For custom sites, you may need a developer.
Check for missing required fields (name, address, phone). Fix those first. Warnings about optional fields can wait.
Run a free Flatline audit. We check for LocalBusiness, Organization, and Article schema and tell you exactly what is missing.