Schema markup, also called structured data, is code you add to a page that labels facts such as your business name, address, phone number, services and reviews so search engines can read them without guessing. For a small business, the markup worth adding is Organization or LocalBusiness on your home and contact pages, Article on blog posts, and breadcrumbs. Be realistic about the payoff: Google only displays some types as rich results, and since August 2023 it shows FAQ rich results mainly for well-known government and health websites.
This guide covers what each type does, what Google does and does not show in 2025, and a checklist for adding it correctly.
What is schema markup and why does it matter?
Schema.org is a shared vocabulary of labels. You add it to your pages, usually as a block of JSON-LD code, to state facts in a form software can read. Google’s own documentation uses JSON-LD in its examples.
There are two separate benefits, and it helps to keep them apart:
- Visible features: some markup can make your listing eligible for extra display in Google, such as review stars or business details. Only a limited set of types qualify.
- Clarity: markup also states plainly who you are, where you operate and what you offer. Even when nothing visible changes, it removes ambiguity about your business details.
Markup does not guarantee a rich result, and it should describe what is visible on the page, so keep it in step with your content.
Which schema types should a small business use?
LocalBusiness
If you serve customers at a location or in a service area, LocalBusiness (or a more specific subtype, such as a plumber, dentist or restaurant) describes you. Google’s documentation says this markup can help Search show a knowledge panel with details about a business that matches the query, and lets you share hours and departments. The required properties are name and address. Recommended ones include telephone, url, geo coordinates, opening hours and price range. Keep these identical to your Google Business Profile and the rest of your listings.
Organization
Organization markup describes the business behind the site: name, logo, website, contact details and links to official profiles. Put it on your home page and contact page. For a business without a storefront, it is the right choice instead of LocalBusiness.
Service
Service markup can describe what you offer and where. Be aware that Google’s structured data gallery does not list a Service feature, so you should not expect any visible change from it. It is still a clean way to state your services on each service page, and it is part of how we build local pages. Treat it as clarity, not as a ranking tactic.
Article
Article markup on blog posts helps Google understand the headline, author, images and publish date. It is eligible for an Article feature in Google’s gallery. It is simple to add and most WordPress SEO plugins do it automatically.
Breadcrumbs
Breadcrumb markup shows the path to a page, such as Home, Services, Pest Control, in search results. It is useful on sites with more than a few pages.
Reviews and ratings
This is where small businesses most often go wrong. Google’s review snippet guidelines say that if the reviewed business controls the reviews about itself, its pages using LocalBusiness or Organization markup are ineligible for the star review feature. That applies whether the reviews sit in your own markup or in an embedded third-party widget. Ratings must come directly from users, and editors may not create or curate them. The local business and Organization types qualify only for sites that collect reviews about other businesses.
The practical result: do not add star ratings for your own business to your LocalBusiness markup expecting stars in search. Product and other supported types follow different rules. You can still display your reviews on the page for visitors.
What about FAQ schema?
FAQ markup used to produce expandable questions beneath a listing. In August 2023, Google announced that FAQ rich results would only be shown for well-known, authoritative government and health websites. Most small business sites will generally not see them. Google also limited HowTo rich results to desktop that August, and in September 2023 said it no longer shows HowTo rich results on desktop either.
That does not make FAQ content pointless. A clear Frequently Asked Questions section helps real visitors and gives search engines and AI tools short, quotable answers. Write it for people. If you add the markup, do it because it accurately describes the page, not because you expect the display. Our GEO and AEO work builds question-led pages for this reason.
How do you add schema markup correctly?
A checklist you can follow:
- List your key page types: home, contact, each service, each location, blog posts.
- Choose the matching type for each: Organization or LocalBusiness on home and contact, Service on service pages, Article on posts, BreadcrumbList across the site.
- Match every value to what is visible on the page, including name, address and phone number (NAP).
- Match your Google Business Profile exactly. Mismatched details create confusion.
- Use JSON-LD. Do not mark up content that is not on the page.
- Skip self-serving review stars for your own business.
- Test each template with Google’s Rich Results Test and the Schema Markup Validator, then fix errors and warnings.
- Watch the Enhancements reports in Search Console after launch, and recheck after theme or plugin changes.
On WordPress, an SEO plugin can output much of this, but defaults often miss service area, services and consistent contact details, or output duplicate blocks from the theme and plugin. A quick test of a few pages catches this. Our Technical SEO service covers structured data, validated for rich results, and our Local SEO and Google Business Profile work includes LocalBusiness, Service and service-area markup. For pages that need better copy as well as code, see On-Page SEO and Content.
Frequently asked questions
Will schema markup improve my rankings?
Not directly. Structured data helps Google understand a page and can make it eligible for certain displays, but it is not presented as a ranking shortcut. Content, links, reviews and a strong Business Profile still carry the weight.
Do I need a developer to add schema?
Often not. Many SEO plugins add the basics. A developer helps when you need custom types, service area details or fixes for conflicts between a theme and a plugin.
Should I still add FAQ markup?
Only if it accurately describes a visible FAQ section. Expect no rich result unless you are a well-known government or health site, and write the content for visitors.
Can I add review stars for my own business?
Not for LocalBusiness or Organization pages where you control the reviews. Google treats those as self-serving and makes them ineligible for the star feature.
Want it set up and checked?
BERI Consulting can audit your structured data and add the markup that fits your business. Book a discovery call, or start with a free website scan.
