What is Schema?

Schema markup is code you add to your website that helps search engines understand your content. For local businesses, it reinforces your NAP and business details.

Schema Basics

What is Structured Data?

Structured data is a standardized format for providing information about a page. It helps search engines:

Understand page content
Display rich results
Connect related information

What is Schema.org?

Schema.org is a collaborative vocabulary for structured data. It's supported by:

Google
Bing
Yahoo
Yandex

How It Works

You add code to your website that explicitly tells search engines:

What type of entity this is (business, product, event)
Properties of that entity (name, address, hours)
Relationships between entities

Benefits of Schema Markup

Rich Results

Schema can enable enhanced search features:

Star ratings in search results
Business hours
Price ranges
Event dates

Improved Understanding

Search engines better understand:

What your business does
Where you're located
When you're open
How to contact you

Voice Search

Schema helps voice assistants answer queries:

"What time does [business] close?"
"What's the phone number for [business]?"

Competitive Edge

Only ~12% of websites use schema markup. Implementation gives you an advantage.

Schema Formats

JSON-LD (Recommended)

JavaScript notation added to page <head> or <body>:

Preferred by Google
Easier to implement
Doesn't mix with HTML
Easier to maintain

Microdata

Inline HTML attributes:

Older format
Mixed with HTML
More complex
Still supported

RDFa

HTML5 extension:

Complex implementation
Less common
Still supported

Recommendation: Use JSON-LD for all new implementations.

Schema for Local SEO

LocalBusiness Type

The core schema type for local businesses includes:

Business name
Address
Phone number
Hours
Geo-coordinates
Reviews

Supporting GBP

Schema should match your GBP exactly:

Same business name
Same address format
Same phone number
Same hours

Not a Ranking Factor (Directly)

Google has stated schema isn't a direct ranking factor. However, it:

Improves click-through rates
Enables rich results
Supports voice search
Helps search engines understand your site

Basic JSON-LD Structure

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "Business Name",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main Street",
    "addressLocality": "City",
    "addressRegion": "State",
    "postalCode": "12345",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "telephone": "+1-555-123-4567"
}