LocalBusiness Schema Markup Explained for Beginners
Local business schema markup is a block of structured data that describes your business to search engines in a standard format. For most UK small firms, it uses the LocalBusiness type from Schema.org, written as JSON-LD. It can help search engines confirm your details, but it does not guarantee rich results or a higher position, and it must match what visitors can see.
Key takeaways
- Schema markup describes your business in a standard format, and JSON-LD is the format Google recommends for local business data.
- Use LocalBusiness, or a more specific subtype such as Plumber or Electrician, when one fits your trade.
- Every detail in the markup, including the address, phone number and opening hours, must match what visitors see on the page.
- Test each page with Google's Rich Results Test and fix errors before you rely on the markup.
- Never mark up reviews or ratings that are not visible on the page, or that you wrote yourself.
- Markup supports your other local work, and it does not replace an accurate Google Business Profile.
What is schema markup, and what does LocalBusiness mean?
Schema markup is extra code that labels the parts of a page, so a computer can tell a phone number from a price, or an address from a product name. Schema.org is the shared vocabulary that defines these labels. LocalBusiness is the label for a business that serves customers at a physical location or within a defined area.
Schema.org includes more specific subtypes under LocalBusiness, such as Plumber, Electrician, Locksmith and RoofingContractor, which describe particular trades. Using a subtype that matches your work is usually clearer than using the general type. If none of them fits, the general LocalBusiness type is still valid. To see how firms in your trade describe their work, the electricians category on UKListingz is one place to compare wording, although your markup should follow your own verified details.
Markup does not change how your page looks. Visitors see the same words and images as before, and the labels sit in the background. That is one reason the rules focus on consistency: the markup should describe the page, not add content that visitors cannot see.
Which LocalBusiness properties should a UK small business include?
Include the properties that describe where you are, how customers can contact you and when you are open. Add the rest only when you have accurate information for them, because an incomplete but correct block is better than a full one with guesses in it.
| Property | What to include | Note |
|---|---|---|
| name | Your trading name, as customers know it | Must match your visible website and profile |
| url | The full web address of the page | Use the address customers actually visit |
| telephone | Your main public phone number | Use the same format as your other listings |
| address | A PostalAddress with street, town, postcode and country | Use the real premises, not a mailbox |
| openingHoursSpecification | Days and opening times | Update it for bank holidays and seasonal changes |
| areaServed | Towns or areas you genuinely cover | Only include areas you actually serve |
Property names are case-sensitive and must be typed exactly as Schema.org writes them, because a small typing error can cause a property to be ignored. Two further properties are worth adding when they are accurate. The sameAs property lists the official profiles you control, such as your Google Business Profile or social accounts. The geo property gives the coordinates of your premises, and you should add it only if you are sure of them.
Opening hours need a little care. Each set of days and times is written as its own entry, with the days listed and the opening and closing times in 24-hour format. Nine in the morning is written as 09:00, and half past five in the afternoon as 17:30. If you close for lunch, you can add a second entry for the same days, or keep it simple and list the main hours. Whatever you choose, the markup should match the hours on your website and your profile.
Two more properties can help a little. An image property points to a representative photo of the business, which should be a real picture of the premises or the work. A logo property points to your logo file. Both should be pictures you have the right to use, and both should sit on your own website. Do not use a stock image as your business picture, because it does not show the place customers will visit.
How do you add LocalBusiness markup to a website?
Write the markup as a JSON-LD block inside the page, and keep one LocalBusiness block for the business on your homepage or contact page. If you have several genuine locations, give each location's page its own block with that location's details. Most website platforms let you add the markup through a settings field, a plugin or a developer.
- Collect your official details, and write them down in the exact format you use on your site.
- Choose the most specific LocalBusiness subtype that matches your trade.
- Write the JSON-LD block, filling in only the properties you can verify.
- Add the block to the page that describes the business, usually the homepage or contact page.
- Check that the visible page shows the same details, word for word where it matters.
- Save the page, then test the live version using the tools described below.
The block has a simple shape. It opens with a context setting that points to Schema.org, then a type setting that names the subtype you chose. Inside it, the address is a nested object with its own type, and each part of the address sits in a named field. Opening hours sit in a list of their own. Reading the structure once, before you copy an example, makes it much easier to spot which field a mistake belongs to.
If you are not comfortable editing code, a web designer can add it for you. Ask them to show you the finished block and to check it against the visible page. You can browse the web design category to find firms that offer this kind of work, and ask them to explain what they have added.
How do you test your markup?
Use Google's Rich Results Test to check whether a page's structured data can be read and whether it contains errors. Search Console's enhancement reports show issues across the whole site over time, so you can catch problems that appear after a site change.
Test the live page rather than a draft, because the tool reads what is published. Errors stop the markup from being read, so fix those first. Warnings are less urgent, but read them, because they often point to a missing property that would make your details clearer. A passing test confirms only that the markup is readable. It does not mean Google will show any special result for the page.
When you change the markup, test the page again straight away, then leave it for a while and check the enhancement reports. Some issues only appear once Google has revisited the page, so a clean test is a good start rather than the end of the job.
What mistakes do beginners make with schema markup?
Most mistakes are about accuracy rather than technical skill. The following are the ones that cause the most trouble.
- Marking up an address, phone number or opening hours that do not appear on the page
- Adding reviews or ratings that are not visible to visitors, or writing them yourself
- Leaving an old address or old opening hours in the markup after a change
- Adding several conflicting LocalBusiness blocks for one business
- Copying another firm's markup, which contains their details rather than yours
- Marking up a trade you do not carry out, simply to appear in more searches
Google's structured data guidelines expect markup to match the visible page. Breaking that rule can mean the markup is ignored, and in serious cases it can lead to a manual action against the site. Keep the markup honest, and it will be far easier to maintain.
A common quiet mistake is a block that is correct on the day it is written and wrong a year later. A closed phone line, a changed trading name or a new showroom address can all leave the markup behind. Assign someone to check the block whenever the business's details change, even if that person is only you.
What can schema markup not do?
Schema markup cannot guarantee a higher position in search results, a place in the map results, or any special display such as star ratings. Google decides what to show, and it may use the markup or ignore it. Anyone who promises otherwise is selling something you do not need.
It also cannot make a business more trustworthy than it is. A block that says you are accredited does not prove it, and markup does not verify your business. The people who check your details are your customers, and the official registers are the places to confirm your credentials.
Think of the markup as a clear label for facts you already publish. It helps a machine read those facts correctly, which supports your Google Business Profile, your citations and your website working together.
If you run more than one location, each location needs its own accurate block, and the blocks should not repeat one another's details by mistake. Give each location page its own address and hours, and link the pages from a clear location list so visitors and search engines can see how the locations relate.
A useful test is to ask whether a customer could confirm every fact in the markup by looking at your website. If the answer is yes, the markup is doing its job. If the answer is no, the detail should either be added to the page or removed from the block.
How do you keep your markup accurate over time?
Schema goes out of date as quickly as the details it describes. Treat the markup as part of your website content, and update it at the same time as the visible page. A quick check after every change prevents the most common errors.
- Opening hours, including bank holiday and seasonal changes
- Phone numbers and email addresses
- Your address, if you move or add a second location
- Areas served, when you take on or drop a town
- Services, if your subtype or description changes
- Links to official profiles, when accounts are closed or renamed
Keep a copy of the details you used when you last checked the markup. A short note with the date, the phone number and the opening hours saves time when you come back to it, and it gives you something to compare against if a problem appears later.
What should you do next?
Start with the details, then add the markup that describes them. The steps below are sensible for a single-site business, and they can be repeated after any change.
- Check the visible details on your website, and make sure they match your Google Business Profile.
- Add LocalBusiness markup to your homepage or contact page, using the properties in the table above.
- Test the live page with the Rich Results Test, and fix any errors it reports.
- Watch the enhancement reports in Search Console for issues across the site.
- Keep your UKListingz business page, your Google Business Profile and your markup in step by updating them together, through My Account where relevant.
Set a reminder to review the markup each time you change your opening hours, move premises or add a service area, and at least once a year as a routine check.
For more on keeping your details consistent, read the guide on NAP consistency. The small business website checklist covers the other pages a local firm needs. If you want a qualified person to set this up, browse all categories and look for a web design or marketing firm that explains its work in plain terms.
Frequently asked questions
Does schema markup improve my position on Google?
Not directly. Schema markup helps search engines read your business details accurately, and that can support your wider local presence. It is not a ranking switch, and Google does not guarantee any specific result from adding it. Accurate content, a complete Google Business Profile and genuine reviews matter more for most local searches. Treat markup as a clear label for information you already publish.
Is JSON-LD the same as microdata?
They are two ways of writing the same kind of markup. JSON-LD is a separate script block that does not sit inside the visible HTML, and Google recommends it for most sites. Microdata and RDFa place the labels inside the HTML tags themselves, which can be harder to maintain. If you are starting from scratch, JSON-LD is usually the easier choice, because you can update it without touching the page layout.
Do I need a developer to add schema markup?
Not always. Many website platforms offer a settings field or a plugin where you enter your business details, and the platform generates the markup for you. If you need to write the block yourself, the property names are standard and easy to follow once you know the pattern. A developer or web designer is worth asking when you need custom markup, or when you are not confident the output matches the page.
Can I copy schema markup from a competitor's website?
No, and you should not try. The markup contains that business's details, not yours, so copying it would publish false information about your firm. It may also include properties or reviews that do not match what is visible on your own site. Read the official documentation to understand each property, then write markup for your business using details you have checked.
What happens if my schema markup contains errors?
Errors usually mean that search engines cannot read that part of the markup, so it may be ignored. Some errors stop the whole block from being used. The Rich Results Test shows errors and warnings, so fix errors first and review warnings next. Keep an eye on Search Console, because errors can appear after a site change. Fixing them promptly keeps the markup working as intended.
Do I still need schema markup if I have a Google Business Profile?
Your profile is the most important local asset, and schema markup does not replace it. Markup on your website helps search engines connect your site to the same business described in your profile, which supports consistency. It is a useful addition for firms with a proper website, but it works best when the profile is complete and accurate. Set up the profile first, then add markup that matches it.
Sources and further reading
- Schema.org LocalBusiness – the full list of LocalBusiness types and properties.
- Google local business structured data – Google's guidance on marking up a local business.
- Google Rich Results Test – check whether a live page's markup can be read.
- Google Search Console – monitor structured data issues across your whole site.
This article is general information, not legal, financial or professional advice. Rules and prices change, so check the official sources above before you act.