What Is Schema Markup?

What is schema markup?

Schema markup is code added to a web page that labels key facts, such as your business name, address, phone number and hours, in a standard format Google can read. It is also called structured data. Schema markup helps Google understand your page and can make it eligible for richer search results, but it does not guarantee them.

Google defines structured data as a standardized format for providing information about a page and classifying its content. The labels themselves come from schema.org, a shared vocabulary that Google and other search engines use. That is where the name "schema markup" comes from.

Here is the idea in plain terms. A person reading your contact page knows "(555) 010-4477" is a phone number. A computer sees a string of digits. Schema markup adds a label that says, in effect, "this is the telephone number for this business."

How does schema markup work?

Schema markup works by adding a small block of code to your page, usually in a format called JSON-LD. Google says it generally recommends JSON-LD if your site's setup allows it. Visitors never see the code. Google reads it when it crawls the page.

Here is an example for a made-up plumbing company. It uses the Plumber type, which is one of the specific business types under LocalBusiness:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Plumber",
  "name": "Smith Plumbing",
  "url": "https://www.smithplumbing.com/",
  "telephone": "+1-555-010-4477",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "100 Main St",
    "addressLocality": "Mesa",
    "addressRegion": "AZ",
    "postalCode": "85201",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "openingHoursSpecification": [{
    "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
    "dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"],
    "opens": "07:00",
    "closes": "18:00"
  }]
}

On a real page, this block sits inside a script tag in the page code. Google's local business documentation lists name and address as required, and recommends telephone, hours, the page URL and map coordinates. It also says to use the most specific business type possible, so a plumber should use Plumber rather than the general LocalBusiness.

What can schema markup do for a local business?

Schema markup does two useful things for a local business: it removes guesswork for Google, and it can make your pages eligible for special search features.

Google says it uses structured data it finds on the web to understand the content of a page. Its SEO Starter Guide adds that valid structured data makes pages eligible for many special features in Google Search results. Google's local business documentation says this markup can tell Google about your hours and departments, and that business details can appear in a knowledge panel.

For a dentist with two offices, or an HVAC company with different hours for sales and emergency service, clear structured data makes those details harder for Google to get wrong.

What can schema markup not do?

Schema markup has limits, and a lot of SEO advice oversells it. Here is what Google's own documentation says.

Google also warns against marking up content that is irrelevant or misleading, such as fake reviews. Spammy structured data can earn a manual action, which removes a page's eligibility for rich results.

The honest summary: schema markup is a good habit that makes your facts clear. It is not a shortcut to rankings, and it cannot make up for a thin page.

Which schema types does a local business need?

Most local businesses need only a few schema types. Google's gallery of supported structured data lists dozens, but these are the ones that usually apply.

Skip the rest unless you have a specific reason. A roofer does not need recipe markup, and piling on unrelated types does not help.

How do you add schema markup to your website?

Adding schema markup is a short process. Here is the order we follow.

1. Pick the most specific type for your business, such as Dentist or Plumber.
2. Write the markup using only details that are visible on the page and match your Google Business Profile exactly.
3. Add the JSON-LD block to the page, either directly in the code or through your website platform or SEO plugin.
4. Test the page with Google's Rich Results Test, which Google calls an easy and useful tool for validating structured data.
5. Watch Google Search Console for structured data errors after Google recrawls the page.
6. Update the markup whenever your hours, phone number or address change, at the same time you update your profile.

Step 2 is where most mistakes happen. If your schema says you close at 6 p.m. and your profile says 8 p.m., you are sending Google mixed signals.

How does schema markup fit with technical SEO and AI search?

Schema markup is usually grouped with technical SEO because it lives in your site's code. It only works if Google can crawl and index the page in the first place, which our guide to technical SEO covers.

For AI search, Google's guidance is clear: structured data is not required for generative AI search, but it is still part of good SEO. What matters most for AI answers is that your pages are indexed and that your business details are accurate and consistent everywhere. Our guide on how to show up in Google AI Overviews goes deeper, and our AI search optimization service handles it for you.

If review stars are what you are after, your Google Business Profile is where they count. See how to get more Google reviews.

Want schema done right the first time?

Larkpin is a local SEO, web design and AI automation agency for US local businesses. Every site we build through our web design service includes accurate schema markup that matches your Google Business Profile. If you are not sure how your business looks to Google today, the Free Missed-Lead Audit checks your map rankings and whether AI tools mention you.