Schema Markup
Structured data code added to websites that helps search engines understand content in a machine-readable format.
What Is Schema Markup?
Schema markup is code added to a website's HTML that provides explicit, structured information about the page's content. Where standard HTML tells a browser how to display content, schema tells search engines what the content means — the difference between showing a date and telling Google "this is a publication date" or "this is an event date."
The vocabulary for schema markup comes from schema.org, a collaborative project founded by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Yandex. It provides a shared set of types and properties that search engines universally understand.
JSON-LD: The Recommended Format
Schema markup can be written in several formats, but Google's preferred and recommended format is JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data). JSON-LD is placed in a <script> tag in the page's <head> or <body> and does not require modifying the visible HTML. This makes it easier to implement and maintain than inline Microdata or RDFa.
A basic JSON-LD block for a local business looks like this:
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"name": "Acme Plumbing",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "123 Main St",
"addressLocality": "Austin",
"addressRegion": "TX",
"postalCode": "78701"
},
"telephone": "+15125550100"
}
Schema Types Relevant to Local Businesses
Several schema types are particularly valuable for businesses targeting local search:
LocalBusiness (and subtypes) — The foundational type for any physical business. Subtypes like Restaurant, Plumber, MedicalBusiness, and LegalService provide more specific classification. Implementing this type with complete NAP, hours, and URL data reinforces the same signals that Google Business Profile sends.
FAQPage — Marks up a page's question-and-answer content so Google can display it as an expandable FAQ directly in search results. This is especially useful for service pages that answer common customer questions.
Review / AggregateRating — Enables star ratings to appear next to search results. This requires first-party review data and must be implemented carefully to avoid violating Google's guidelines.
Event — For businesses that run classes, workshops, or other scheduled events, Event schema can surface those directly in search results.
BreadcrumbList — Helps Google understand site structure and can display a breadcrumb trail in the search snippet.
How Schema Enables Rich Results
When schema markup is present, validated, and correctly implemented, Google may use it to generate rich results — enhanced search snippets that display ratings, hours, FAQs, prices, or other information directly on the results page without requiring a click. Rich results occupy more visual space and draw significantly more attention than standard blue-link results.
Local businesses that implement LocalBusiness schema alongside their Google Business Profile send consistent signals from two separate sources — the website and the profile — reinforcing their location and category data for Google's algorithms.
Auditing your website's structured data is part of a complete local SEO health check. dilypse.localscan.io evaluates schema implementation alongside citation consistency and listing accuracy to give a full picture of your local search presence.
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