Schema markup, also called structured data, is a small piece of code that describes your business in a format search engines can read without guessing. It tells Google and AI tools facts like your business name, address, hours, services, and reviews, clearly and consistently.
Visitors never see it. But it helps machines understand your pages, and that matters more now that AI tools are summarizing businesses instead of just listing links.
What schema markup does
- Removes guesswork. Instead of inferring your phone number from page text, search engines read it from a labeled field.
- Can unlock rich results. Some types of structured data make you eligible for enhanced listings, like review stars, FAQs, or event dates, though Google decides when to show them.
- Supports AI search. Clear, structured facts make it easier for AI tools to describe your business accurately.
The schema types that matter most for small businesses
- LocalBusiness (or a more specific type like Dentist or Plumber): name, address, phone, hours, service area, and website.
- Organization or Person: who's behind the site, with your logo and links to your social profiles.
- Service: describes the services you offer.
- Article: for blog posts, including the author and publish date.
- FAQPage: for pages with genuine questions and answers.
- BreadcrumbList: shows how a page fits into your site's structure.
Your schema has to match what's visible on the page. Marking up reviews, prices, or details that visitors can't see goes against Google's guidelines.
How to add schema to a WordPress site
Most WordPress SEO plugins, like Yoast, add basic schema automatically: your site, pages, articles, and breadcrumbs. Check its settings so it correctly says whether your site represents a person or a business, with your logo and social profiles filled in.
For local businesses, you'll usually want to add LocalBusiness details on top of that. That can be done with a plugin add-on or a small block of code in JSON-LD format, the format Google recommends.
How to check your schema
Paste any page into Google's Rich Results Test or the Schema Markup Validator (validator.schema.org). They show which structured data Google finds and flag errors. Google Search Console also reports problems with structured data across your site.
Structured data is one of the details I set up and check as part of SEO and AI search optimization, so search engines and AI tools get your business details right.
