What is schema markup?

A small block of hidden code that labels the facts on your page, like your business name, address, phone and hours, so search engines and AI tools can read them without guessing.

Do I need schema if I have a Google Business Profile?

Yes. They do different jobs. Your profile is your listing on Google. Schema labels the facts on your own website. The two should say the same thing.

Will schema get me ranked higher?

We can't promise that, and Google says it doesn't guarantee structured data will show up in results. What it does is help search engines and AI tools read your details correctly.

Can schema put review stars next to my business in Google?

Not for reviews about your own business on your own site. In 2019 Google said it no longer shows review stars for these "self-serving" reviews from local businesses and organizations.

How do I check if my site has schema?

Run your page through Google's Rich Results Test. It shows any structured data it finds and any errors.

Schema for local businesses, in plain English

Short answer: Schema (also called structured data) is a small block of code on your website that visitors never see. It spells out the basic facts about your business, like your name, address, phone and hours, so search engines and AI tools can read them without guessing. It won't fix a weak site, and it doesn't guarantee anything shows up in search. It's a basic step, and plenty of local business sites are missing it or have it wrong.

What schema is

Your website already lists your phone number somewhere. A person sees it and knows what it is. A search engine has to work it out. Schema takes out the guesswork by labeling it: this is the business name, this is the phone number, these are the hours.

The labels come from a shared list at schema.org. For a local business, the main label is "LocalBusiness," plus a more specific type when one fits, like Electrician, Plumber, Dentist or Restaurant. Google says to "use the most specific LocalBusiness sub-type possible."

What it should include

Google's guide to local business structured data lists two required fields and several recommended ones. For most local businesses, that means:

Name. Your real business name, the same one that's on your sign and your Google Business Profile.
Address. Street, city, state, ZIP and country. If you're a service-area business that hides its address on Google, talk with whoever builds your site about what to show. Your site and your profile shouldn't contradict each other.
Phone. Your main customer number, with the area code and country code.
Website address. A link to your site that works.
Hours. Include special hours, like days you're closed or seasonal hours.
Business type. The most specific type that fits. If you do more than one thing, Google accepts more than one type.
Map location (optional). Latitude and longitude, if your address is public.

The facts in your schema should match your page and your Google Business Profile. If your schema says one thing and your page says another, it doesn't help anyone. There's more on that in why your business info needs to match everywhere.

The review-stars trap

In September 2019, Google said it would stop showing review stars in search results for "self-serving" reviews: when a local business or organization marks up reviews about itself on its own site, including reviews pulled in by a third-party widget. (Google Search Central Blog, "Making Review Rich Results more helpful," Sept 16, 2019)

Real reviews on your pages are still worth having, because people read them. Just don't pay extra for stars in search results, and be careful with anyone who promises them.

Why it matters for AI search

When someone asks ChatGPT, Perplexity or Google about a business like yours, the tool builds an answer from what it can find and read. Clear, labeled facts on your own site leave it less to guess. We can't promise any AI tool will name you, and nobody honestly can. Schema just takes away one reason it might get your details wrong.

How to check your own site

1Run Google's Rich Results Test on your home page and your contact page (search "Rich Results Test"). It shows the structured data Google finds and flags any errors.
2Read what it found. Is your business name right? Your current phone and address? Your hours? A business type that fits?
3Compare it with your Google Business Profile. Anything that doesn't match is worth fixing on the site, the profile, or both.

If the test finds nothing, your site has no schema. That's common, and it's one of the easier things to fix.

How to fix it

If you built the site yourself, most website builders and plugins have a setting for business info or schema. Fill it in with the same facts as your Google Business Profile.
If someone else runs your site, ask them to add LocalBusiness schema with your name, address, phone, hours and business type, then run the test again.
If you move, get a new phone number or change your hours, update the schema along with the page.

What we do

Every Care and Grow site gets LocalBusiness schema at launch. It also gets an llms.txt file (a short, plain summary of your business for AI tools) and settings that let the main AI crawlers read your site. Want to know where your site stands now? Your free site review includes an AI-mention check: we ask 3 AI tools your top local questions and show you who they named.

Get my free site review

What is llms.txt Why your business info needs to match everywhere

FAQs

What is schema markup?: A small block of hidden code that labels the facts on your page, like your business name, address, phone and hours, so search engines and AI tools can read them without guessing.
Do I need schema if I have a Google Business Profile?: Yes. They do different jobs. Your profile is your listing on Google. Schema labels the facts on your own website. The two should say the same thing.
Will schema get me ranked higher?: We can't promise that, and Google says it doesn't guarantee structured data will show up in results. What it does is help search engines and AI tools read your details correctly.
Can schema put review stars next to my business in Google?: Not for reviews about your own business on your own site. In 2019 Google said it no longer shows review stars for these "self-serving" reviews from local businesses and organizations.
How do I check if my site has schema?: Run your page through Google's Rich Results Test. It shows any structured data it finds and any errors.