Schema markup (structured data) is the difference between your business showing as a plain blue link and appearing with star ratings, hours, prices, and FAQ dropdowns in Google results. Here's exactly what to add and how.
LocalBusiness Schema — The Foundation
Every local business should have LocalBusiness (or a subtype like ProfessionalService, Restaurant, or MedicalClinic) on their homepage. Include your business name, address, phone, email, opening hours, geo coordinates, and price range. This directly feeds Google's knowledge panel and Maps results.
Service Schema — Show What You Offer
If you offer specific services (web development, SEO, plumbing, consulting), add Service schema to each service page. Include the service name, description, provider, and area served. Google can display these as rich results, improving click-through rates.
FAQPage Schema — Own More SERP Space
FAQ schema on your homepage or service pages makes Google display your questions and answers as expandable dropdowns directly in search results. This takes up more screen real estate and positions you as an authority. Use it for your 5–10 most common customer questions.
Review and AggregateRating Schema
Star ratings in search results dramatically increase click-through rates. Add AggregateRating to your business schema with your average rating and review count. For individual testimonials, use Review schema with the reviewer's name and rating. Note: Google only displays ratings from first-party reviews, not aggregated third-party ratings.
How to Validate Your Schema
Use Google's Rich Results Test (search.google.com/test/rich-results) to validate your markup before going live. Fix all errors and warnings. After deployment, monitor the “Enhancements” section in Google Search Console for any issues Google detects during crawling.
Common Mistakes
- Using Organization schema instead of LocalBusiness (missing location data)
- Not including @id for entity linking between schemas
- Forgetting to update schema when business details change
- Adding fake reviews or ratings (Google will penalize you)