What Is Schema Markup?

Schema markup (also called structured data) is a standardized vocabulary of code — typically implemented in JSON-LD format — that you add to your web pages to help search engines understand the context and meaning of your content. While search engines can read your page text, schema markup explicitly tells them what that text represents: this is a business address, this is a product price, this is a FAQ answer, this is a review rating. This structured understanding enables search engines to display enhanced results — called rich results or rich snippets — that stand out in search listings.

Common schema types that benefit local service businesses include: LocalBusiness (your business name, address, phone, hours, and reviews displayed directly in search), FAQPage (expandable FAQ sections in search results that increase your listing's visual footprint), Service (detailed service descriptions with area served and provider information), BreadcrumbList (navigation path shown in search results), and Article (publication date, author, and description for blog posts). Implementing these schemas correctly can significantly increase your click-through rate from search results.

Schema markup is one of the most impactful SEO investments that most small businesses haven't made. It doesn't directly improve rankings, but it dramatically improves how your listings appear in search results — and richer, more informative listings earn more clicks. Implementing schema requires adding JSON-LD script blocks to your page HTML. For businesses using content management systems, many SEO plugins can generate schema automatically, though manual implementation often produces more accurate and comprehensive markup.