Structured Data for Local Businesses: A Plain-Language Guide

What Is Structured Data (In Plain Language)?

Structured data is code you add to your website that tells search engines exactly what your content means - not just what it says. Think of it as labels on the back of your website that search engines can read to understand your business.

Without structured data, Google reads your website the same way you would read a book - scanning text and trying to figure out what it is about. With structured data, you are handing Google a perfectly organized index card: "This is a local business. It is located at this address. It offers these services. It has this many reviews with this average rating."

This clarity helps Google display your business more prominently in search results, and it helps AI search engines recommend your business with confidence.

Why Structured Data Matters for Local Businesses

Rich Results in Google Search

Structured data enables "rich results" - enhanced search listings that display additional information like star ratings, prices, business hours, and FAQ answers directly in the search results.

A rich result stands out visually from regular search listings, which means higher click-through rates. Studies show that rich results can increase clicks by 20 to 30 percent compared to standard listings.

Better AI Search Performance

AI tools like Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT rely heavily on structured data to understand businesses. When your website has clear schema markup, AI tools can accurately identify:

• What services you provide
• Where you are located
• What your customers say about you
• What questions your content answers

This makes your business more likely to be recommended in AI-generated responses.

Improved Local Search Rankings

While Google has stated that structured data is not a direct ranking factor, the indirect benefits are significant:

• Rich results increase clicks, which sends positive ranking signals
• Better understanding of your content leads to more relevant ranking
• Enhanced visibility in search results improves overall performance

Types of Structured Data for Local Businesses

LocalBusiness Schema

The foundation of local business structured data. This tells Google exactly what your business is:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Plumber",
  "name": "Your Business Name",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main Street",
    "addressLocality": "Boise",
    "addressRegion": "ID",
    "postalCode": "83702",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "telephone": "+1-208-555-0100",
  "url": "https://yourbusiness.com",
  "openingHoursSpecification": {
    "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
    "dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"],
    "opens": "08:00",
    "closes": "17:00"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": 43.6150,
    "longitude": -116.2023
  },
  "areaServed": {
    "@type": "City",
    "name": "Boise"
  }
}

Use the most specific business type available: "Plumber," "Electrician," "RoofingContractor," "HVACBusiness" - not just "LocalBusiness."

Service Schema

Describes the specific services your business offers:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Service",
  "name": "Emergency Plumbing Repair",
  "provider": {
    "@type": "Plumber",
    "name": "Your Business Name"
  },
  "description": "24/7 emergency plumbing repair services in Boise, Idaho.",
  "areaServed": {
    "@type": "City",
    "name": "Boise"
  }
}

FAQPage Schema

Marks up question-and-answer content for rich results and voice search:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How much does a water heater replacement cost?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "A water heater replacement typically costs between $800 and $2,500, depending on the type and size."
      }
    }
  ]
}

BlogPosting Schema

For blog content, tells Google this is an article with specific metadata:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "BlogPosting",
  "headline": "How Much Does a Water Heater Replacement Cost?",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Your Business Name"
  },
  "datePublished": "2025-01-15",
  "description": "A complete guide to water heater replacement costs..."
}

BreadcrumbList Schema

Helps Google understand your site structure and can display breadcrumb navigation in search results:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
  "itemListElement": [
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 1,
      "name": "Home",
      "item": "https://yourbusiness.com"
    },
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 2,
      "name": "Blog",
      "item": "https://yourbusiness.com/blog"
    },
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 3,
      "name": "Water Heater Costs",
      "item": "https://yourbusiness.com/blog/water-heater-costs"
    }
  ]
}

Review and AggregateRating Schema

Displays star ratings in search results (note: must reflect genuine reviews):

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "AggregateRating",
  "ratingValue": "4.8",
  "reviewCount": "127",
  "bestRating": "5"
}

Implementation Best Practices

Use JSON-LD Format

Google recommends JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) as the preferred format for structured data. It is placed in a <script> tag and does not affect your page's visible content.

Validate Your Markup

Use Google's Rich Results Test (search.google.com/test/rich-results) to validate your structured data. This tool shows you whether your markup is valid and which rich results it qualifies for.

Keep It Accurate

Structured data must accurately reflect your page content. Do not add review schema for reviews that do not exist on the page. Do not mark up services you do not actually offer. Inaccurate structured data can result in manual penalties from Google.

Implement on Every Page

Different pages need different schema types:

• Homepage: Organization, LocalBusiness, WebSite
• Service pages: Service, LocalBusiness, BreadcrumbList
• Blog posts: BlogPosting, FAQPage, BreadcrumbList
• FAQ page: FAQPage, BreadcrumbList
• Contact page: LocalBusiness, BreadcrumbList

The complete online presence package from webIQ includes comprehensive structured data implementation across every page - LocalBusiness, Service, FAQPage, BlogPosting, BreadcrumbList, and Organization schema. This gives your business the best possible visibility in both traditional and AI-powered search.

Get started with a fully optimized website that includes all the structured data your business needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need technical knowledge to implement structured data?

Implementing structured data correctly requires understanding of JSON-LD syntax and schema.org vocabulary. While non-technical business owners can use schema generators, proper implementation - especially across an entire website - is typically handled by web developers. The webIQ package includes complete schema implementation.

How long does it take for structured data to show up in search results?

After implementing structured data, it typically takes one to four weeks for Google to process the markup and begin showing rich results. Not all structured data qualifies for rich results, but even without visual enhancements, the markup helps Google understand your content better.

Can structured data hurt my rankings?

Correctly implemented structured data will not hurt your rankings. However, inaccurate or misleading structured data (like fake reviews or services you do not offer) can result in manual actions from Google. Always ensure your markup accurately represents your content.

Is structured data the same as meta tags?

No. Meta tags (title tags, meta descriptions) are HTML elements that describe your page to search engines. Structured data is a separate layer of machine-readable code that describes the entities and relationships on your page in a way that search engines and AI tools can process programmatically.