Key takeaways
- Google requires only name and address; the recommended properties do the real work.
- Use the most specific subtype: Dentist, Restaurant or Plumber, not just LocalBusiness.
- One location, one page, one schema block.
- Schema must match what the page and the Business Profile say.
What is LocalBusiness schema?
It is structured data, usually JSON-LD in the page code, that describes a local business in a format search engines read reliably: its name, address, phone, hours, location and more. It does not replace good content or a Business Profile, but it removes guesswork about the basic facts of the business.
Required and recommended properties
According to Google's LocalBusiness documentation, only two properties are required. The recommended ones are where most of the value is:
| Property | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| name | Required | The real business name, exactly as on the Business Profile |
| address | Required | A PostalAddress object |
| telephone | Recommended | The main customer number |
| url | Recommended | The page for this specific location |
| geo | Recommended | Latitude and longitude with at least five decimals |
| openingHoursSpecification | Recommended | Regular hours; update for holidays |
| priceRange | Recommended | Short, under 100 characters |
Which schema type should a local business use?
The most specific subtype available, as Google recommends: Dentist, Restaurant, HVACBusiness, Plumber, AccountingService and so on, instead of the generic LocalBusiness. If a business has more than one purpose, you can list several types in an array. The type should match the primary category the client uses on its Business Profile.
How do you add schema for several locations?
Give each real location its own page with its own schema block: its address, phone, hours and coordinates. Link every location back to the parent organization. Do not put all locations in one block on the home page, and never create schema for places where the business has no real, staffed presence.
That mirrors Google's rules for profiles, which allow one profile per real location, per the Business Profile guidelines.
Mistakes to avoid
- Hours in the schema that differ from the page or the profile.
- Review markup with ratings the page does not show.
- A different business name in schema than on signage.
- Copying one location's block to every page.
Schema checks are part of the technical SEO audit checklist and the Business Profile audit. Local work under your brand is in white label local SEO, and the partner model on the white label SEO services page.
Frequently asked questions
Does schema improve rankings?
It helps Google understand the business; it is not a ranking guarantee.
Which format should we use?
JSON-LD in the page is the most common and easiest to maintain.
Can one page have several locations?
Better to give each real location its own page and its own schema block.
Should schema include reviews?
Only reviews that are shown on the page, following Google's structured data rules.
Do you add schema for our clients?
Yes, as part of technical and local SEO, under your agency's brand.
About the author
Juan José Giraldo is a senior SEO specialist with 5+ years of experience. He works on technical and local SEO for 600+ US car dealerships and supervises the SEO of 18 US e-commerce stores. He runs White Label SEO LATAM from Medellín, Colombia, and delivers white label SEO for agencies in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Read more · LinkedIn.