Schema markup is the structured data language Google, Bing, and AI search engines use to understand your website. For local businesses, implementing it correctly is a significant ranking advantage.

What Is Schema Markup?

Schema markup is code (JSON-LD format) that you add to your website to tell search engines exactly what your business does, where it's located, and what it offers. Unlike regular website text, schema is machine-readable — it's written for algorithms, not humans.

When Google sees LocalBusiness schema markup, it directly feeds your business data into the Knowledge Graph, the Local Pack, and AI search results.

The Most Important Schema Types for Local Businesses

1. LocalBusiness Schema

The foundation for all local businesses. Includes:

  • Business name, address, phone
  • Business type (Plumber, Restaurant, Dentist, etc.)
  • Website URL
  • Geographic coordinates
  • Aggregate rating and review count
  • Business hours

2. Article Schema

For every blog post or local content page. Includes:

  • Article headline and description
  • Author and publisher
  • Date published and modified
  • About the business (links back to LocalBusiness schema)

3. FAQ Schema

Adds collapsible Q&A directly in search results. Google shows FAQ content as expandable results beneath your listing — dramatically increasing your search result footprint.

4. Service Schema

Describes specific services you offer with pricing ranges. Directly feeds Google's service-matching algorithm.

How to Add Schema to Your Website

Method 1: JSON-LD in the page head (recommended) Add a script tag with type="application/ld+json" to your homepage and every service page. This is the cleanest implementation.

Method 2: Google Tag Manager If you don't have developer access, GTM can inject schema into your pages without code changes.

Method 3: WordPress plugin Rank Math and Yoast SEO both generate LocalBusiness schema automatically from your business settings.

What Your LocalBusiness Schema Should Look Like

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Plumber",
  "name": "Houston Plumbing Pros",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main St",
    "addressLocality": "Houston",
    "addressRegion": "TX",
    "postalCode": "77001"
  },
  "telephone": "+17135550123",
  "url": "https://houstonplumbingpros.com",
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.8",
    "reviewCount": "127"
  }
}

A Searchmetrics study found that pages with schema markup rank on average 4 positions higher than equivalent pages without it.

Bottom line: Schema markup takes about an hour to implement correctly and provides lasting ranking benefits. For AI search optimization specifically, LocalBusiness and Article schema are non-negotiable.

GravyBlock automatically injects schema markup into every article it publishes to your website →