Schema markup is code that tells Google and AI engines exactly what your business is, where it operates, and how customers rate it. For local businesses it is one of the highest-ROI SEO fixes available - LocalBusiness schema correlates with a ~45% higher AI citation rate - yet most sites we audit have little or none. Here is what you need and how to add it.
Schema (usually written as JSON-LD) is a small block of code in your page's head that labels your information for machines: this is the business name, this is the phone number, these are the towns it serves. People never see it, but Google and AI engines read it to understand and trust your page. Content matching that schema is more likely to earn rich results and AI citations.
Notice what is not on that list: self-serving AggregateRating. Marking up your own rating on your own LocalBusiness does not produce stars in search - Google treats it as self-serving and ignores it. Your local stars come from your Google Business Profile reviews, not site code.
See which structured data your pages already have, what is missing, and get the exact JSON-LD to add.
Check My Schema FreeHere's a minimal LocalBusiness block with the details that actually help engines place you. Replace the details with your own and paste it into your page's <head>:
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"name": "Acme Plumbing",
"telephone": "(555) 123-4567",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "123 Main St",
"addressLocality": "Allentown",
"addressRegion": "PA"
},
"areaServed": ["Allentown", "Bethlehem", "Easton"],
"url": "https://acmeplumbing.com"
}
</script>
If writing JSON-LD by hand isn't your idea of a good time, the schema markup checker shows what you have, what's missing, and generates the code filled in with your details.
Two mistakes, actually. Most local sites have no LocalBusiness or Service schema at all, so Google and AI engines have to guess what and where the business is. The other trap is the opposite: chasing self-serving AggregateRating markup to try to force star ratings into search - which Google ignores for a business rating itself. Skip the fake stars, get the foundational schema right, and earn your real stars where they count: your Google Business Profile.
Schema only helps when it matches what's visible on the page. Don't claim a 5.0 rating in markup if your site shows 4.7, and don't add FAQ schema for questions that aren't actually on the page - Google ignores or penalizes mismatches. Keep your structured data honest and in sync with your content, and link your Person and Organization schema together so engines understand who stands behind the business.
See which structured data your pages already have, what is missing, and get the exact JSON-LD to add.
Check My Schema Free