Schema markup is structured data that helps Google understand a page. A local service business needs LocalBusiness markup on its core pages and Service markup on its service pages, added as JSON-LD. Two common recommendations no longer pay off: FAQ rich results are now shown only for well-known, authoritative government and health websites, and a business’s own reviews of itself cannot earn star snippets.
- Format: JSON-LD is the preferred method.
- Core types: LocalBusiness and Service; FAQ and self-review stars are not available to trade sites.
- Effect: better understanding and rich results, not a direct ranking boost.
Schema markup is structured data that tells Google what a page is about in a format it can read precisely. For a local service business it clarifies the business identity, the services offered, and the FAQs, which supports local visibility and rich results in search. This guide covers the schema types that matter, what to mark up on each page, copy-ready JSON-LD examples, and how to validate them. We handle technical SEO including schema as part of our local SEO service. We go further into this in Local Citations and NAP Consistency for UK Trades.
What Schema Markup Is
Schema markup is structured data added to a page so search engines can understand its content explicitly. The preferred format is JSON-LD, a small block of code placed in the page that describes the business, service, or FAQ in a standard vocabulary. It does not change what visitors see; it changes how clearly Google understands the page, which can unlock rich results. It sits alongside the Google Business Profile rather than replacing it: the profile, not the markup, is what appears in the local pack. Keep the name, address and phone number in your markup identical to the profile and every directory citation, the NAP consistency covered in Google Business Profile optimisation.
The Schema Types That Matter for Local
LocalBusiness
Core identity: name, address, phone, areaServed, and opening hours.
Service
Each service offered, with the provider and the area served.
FAQPage
Describes FAQ blocks, but Google has shown FAQ rich results only for well-known, authoritative government and health websites since 14 September 2023. Do not add it expecting a rich result.
Review / AggregateRating
Not for your own reviews: a business that controls the reviews about itself is ineligible for star snippets under LocalBusiness or Organization markup.
What to Mark Up on Each Page Type
Match the schema to the page. The money page uses LocalBusiness and Service; service-area pages use Service with areaServed for the town; supporting articles like this one use Article markup. Do not duplicate a full LocalBusiness block on every page; keep it on the core pages and use the right type elsewhere.
JSON-LD Examples
Adapt these copy-ready snippets, replacing the placeholders with real details. Each goes in the page head or body. Google’s documentation lists two required properties for LocalBusiness, address and name, and asks for the fullest address you can give; a service-area business that does not publish its street can leave streetAddress out and keep the town, postcode and country. Hours use openingHoursSpecification, the property Google documents. The FAQPage example still describes a FAQ correctly, but it will not produce a rich result on a business site.
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"name": "Your Business Name",
"image": "https://example.co.uk/logo.jpg",
"telephone": "+44 113 000 0000",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "1 Example Street",
"addressLocality": "Leeds",
"postalCode": "LS1 1AA",
"addressCountry": "GB"
},
"areaServed": ["Leeds", "Bradford", "Wakefield"],
"url": "https://example.co.uk/",
"openingHoursSpecification": {
"@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
"dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"],
"opens": "08:00",
"closes": "18:00"
}
}
</script>
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Service",
"serviceType": "Boiler Repair",
"provider": { "@type": "LocalBusiness", "name": "Your Business Name" },
"areaServed": { "@type": "City", "name": "Leeds" }
}
</script>
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "FAQPage",
"mainEntity": [{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How much does boiler repair cost?",
"acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Most boiler repairs fall within a typical range depending on the fault." }
}]
}
</script>
How to Validate
After adding schema, test it with Google Rich Results Test and watch the structured data reports in Search Console, which show errors and warnings across every marked-up page. Re-check that report after any change to a page template, since one template edit can break the markup on every page that uses it. Common errors to avoid are missing required fields, marking up content that is not visible on the page, and inventing ratings that do not exist. Fix any errors flagged before relying on the markup. There is more on this in How to Get and Manage Google Reviews to Lift Local Rankings.
Last Thoughts on Schema
The right structured data helps Google understand and feature a local business, and it is a standard part of technical local SEO rather than an optional extra. Mark up the business, the services, and the FAQs accurately, validate it, and keep it honest, and the page becomes easier for search engines to interpret and surface.
- Schema is structured data, best added as JSON-LD.
- Core types: LocalBusiness and Service; FAQ rich results and self-review stars are off the table.
- Match the schema to the page type; do not duplicate everywhere.
- Use the copy-ready snippets and replace the placeholders.
- Validate with the Rich Results Test and never fake data.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does schema improve rankings directly?
Not directly. It helps Google understand the page and can unlock rich results, which improves visibility and click-through rather than acting as a direct ranking factor.
Do I need a plugin to add schema?
No. A plugin or manual JSON-LD both work. Many SEO plugins output LocalBusiness and FAQ schema; manual JSON-LD gives the most control.
Which schema helps the Map Pack?
None directly. The local pack draws on the Google Business Profile; LocalBusiness markup describes the same business on your site, so keep the two consistent. The mechanics are in the Google Map Pack guide.
What is JSON-LD?
A script-based format for structured data, recommended by Google. It sits in the page code as a block and does not affect the visible layout.
Can I mark up reviews?
Not your own. Google’s documentation says that if the entity being reviewed controls the reviews about itself, its pages using LocalBusiness or Organization markup are ineligible for star review snippets. Never invent ratings or mark up content not shown on the page.
Where does the schema code go?
In the page head or body. Placement does not matter much for JSON-LD; what matters is that it accurately describes the visible content.
What is areaServed?
A property that states the towns or regions a business or service covers, which is especially useful for service-area businesses with no single address.
How do I check my schema is valid?
Run the page through Google Rich Results Test and review the Enhancements section of Search Console for warnings or errors.
Will schema show stars in search?
Not from your own reviews of your own business, which Google rules ineligible. Stars on your Google Business Profile come from the reviews customers leave there, which is where to put the effort; see Google reviews strategy.
Do supporting articles need schema?
Article markup describes them accurately. FAQPage markup can stay where it is already in place, but since 14 September 2023 FAQ rich results are shown only for well-known, authoritative government and health websites, so it is not worth adding for a rich result.
Does FAQ schema still get rich results?
Not for business sites. Google’s FAQPage documentation says the feature is only shown for well-known, authoritative government and health websites, a change dated 14 September 2023.
Which LocalBusiness properties are required?
Two: address and name. Google recommends adding telephone, url, geo, openingHoursSpecification and priceRange, and the fullest address you can give.
- Google Search Central, local business structured data, for the required and recommended properties.
- Google Search Central, review snippet structured data, for the rule on self-serving reviews.
- Google Search Central, FAQ structured data, for which sites FAQ rich results are shown for, and the 14 September 2023 change.
