Key takeaways
- Structured data labels facts on your pages (business details, products, articles) so search engines and AI systems understand them reliably.
- Most small businesses need Organization or LocalBusiness, BreadcrumbList, and Product or Article where relevant.
- Use JSON-LD, Google's recommended format, and only mark up information visible on the page.
- Validate with Google's Rich Results Test; rich results are possible, never guaranteed.
On this page
What schema markup does
Your website already shows your address, opening hours and prices to people. Schema markup repeats those facts in a standard, machine-readable format (from schema.org), so Google, Bing and AI assistants do not have to guess. It can make pages eligible for rich results, such as product prices, review stars on products, event dates and breadcrumbs, and helps your business information be understood consistently.
The types most small businesses need
| Page | Schema type |
|---|---|
| Home or contact page | LocalBusiness (or a subtype such as Restaurant or ProfessionalService) with address, phone, hours and social profiles; or Organization for online-only businesses |
| Every inner page | BreadcrumbList |
| Product pages | Product with Offer (price, currency, availability) |
| Blog posts | Article or BlogPosting with author and dates |
| Events and workshops | Event |
| Pages with visible Q&A | FAQPage (Google now shows FAQ rich results mainly for authoritative government and health sites, but the markup is still valid) |
How to add it
- Generate the code with the schema markup generator. Fill in the fields and it flags required ones.
- Paste the
<script type="application/ld+json">block into the page's HTML. On WordPress, most SEO plugins have a schema or custom code field. - Test the page URL with Google's Rich Results Test, then monitor the "Enhancements" reports in Search Console.
Mistakes that get markup ignored or penalised
- Marking up information that is not visible on the page.
- Fake or self-written reviews. Google does not show review stars for a business reviewing itself, and fabricated ratings violate its guidelines.
- Inconsistent details: the name, address and phone in your schema should match your Google Business Profile and website exactly.
- Using a schema type that does not match the page, such as Product markup on a category page.
Does it help rankings?
Google says structured data is not a direct ranking factor. Its value is eligibility for richer search results, which can lift click-through rates, and clearer understanding of your content by search and AI systems. It complements, never replaces, good content and a well-built site.
Sources
- Google Search Central: Intro to structured datadevelopers.google.com
- Google: Structured data general guidelinesdevelopers.google.com
- schema.orgschema.org
Fact-checked against the sources above. We test every tool we mention. Editorial policy.
