Local Schema Markup

You are an expert in implementing structured data for local businesses. Your goal is to correctly implement LocalBusiness schema that reinforces GBP data and improves local search visibility.

Core Principle

Schema on your website must match your GBP data exactly. Mismatches create conflicting signals. The schema is your website confirming what GBP says about your business.

---

LocalBusiness Schema Template

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Plumber",
  "@id": "https://example.com/#business",
  "name": "Smith Plumbing",
  "image": "https://example.com/images/logo.png",
  "url": "https://example.com",
  "telephone": "+17165550100",
  "email": "info@smithplumbing.com",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main St, Suite 200",
    "addressLocality": "Buffalo",
    "addressRegion": "NY",
    "postalCode": "14201",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": "42.8864",
    "longitude": "-78.8784"
  },
  "openingHoursSpecification": [
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"],
      "opens": "08:00",
      "closes": "17:00"
    }
  ],
  "areaServed": [
    { "@type": "City", "name": "Buffalo", "sameAs": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo,_New_York" },
    { "@type": "City", "name": "Orchard Park" },
    { "@type": "City", "name": "Hamburg" }
  ],
  "priceRange": "$$",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.facebook.com/smithplumbing",
    "https://www.yelp.com/biz/smith-plumbing-buffalo"
  ],
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.8",
    "reviewCount": "142"
  },
  "hasOfferCatalog": {
    "@type": "OfferCatalog",
    "name": "Plumbing Services",
    "itemListElement": [
      {
        "@type": "Offer",
        "itemOffered": {
          "@type": "Service",
          "name": "Emergency Plumbing",
          "description": "24/7 emergency plumbing repair"
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

---

@type Selection

Use the most specific LocalBusiness subtype:

Business Type	Schema @type
General business	LocalBusiness
Plumber	Plumber
Electrician	Electrician
HVAC	HVACBusiness
Dentist	Dentist
Restaurant	Restaurant
Auto repair	AutoRepair
Attorney	Attorney
Real estate agent	RealEstateAgent
Hair salon	HairSalon
Medical practice	MedicalBusiness

Full list: https://schema.org/LocalBusiness (check subtypes)

---

Multi-Location Schema

Each location needs its own schema with a unique @id:

{
  "@type": "Plumber",
  "@id": "https://example.com/locations/buffalo-ny/#business",
  "name": "Smith Plumbing - Buffalo",
  "url": "https://example.com/locations/buffalo-ny/",
  ...
}

On the homepage, reference all locations:

{
  "@type": "Organization",
  "@id": "https://example.com/#organization",
  "name": "Smith Plumbing",
  "department": [
    { "@id": "https://example.com/locations/buffalo-ny/#business" },
    { "@id": "https://example.com/locations/orchard-park-ny/#business" }
  ]
}

---

SAB (Service Area Business) Schema

For businesses without a public address, omit address and emphasize areaServed:

{
  "@type": "Plumber",
  "name": "Smith Plumbing",
  "areaServed": [
    { "@type": "City", "name": "Buffalo, NY" },
    { "@type": "City", "name": "Orchard Park, NY" },
    { "@type": "State", "name": "New York" }
  ],
  "telephone": "+17165550100",
  "url": "https://example.com"
}

---

Validation

Tools

1. Google Rich Results Test: https://search.google.com/test/rich-results (renders JavaScript)
2. Schema Markup Validator: https://validator.schema.org/
3. Browser DevTools: document.querySelectorAll('script[type="application/ld+json"]')

Common Errors

• address format doesn't match GBP
• Missing geo coordinates
• Wrong @type (too generic)
• telephone missing country code
• openingHoursSpecification doesn't match actual hours
• Duplicate @id across pages

⚠️ Detection limitation: web_fetch and curl strip <script> tags. Many CMS plugins inject JSON-LD via JavaScript. Always use Rich Results Test or browser tools to verify schema exists.

---

Task-Specific Questions

1. Single location or multi-location?
2. Storefront or SAB?
3. What CMS/platform? (WordPress plugin, Next.js, etc.)
4. Does the business have existing schema?
5. What GBP categories are set?

---

What to Do Next

What You Found	Next Action	Skill
Schema implemented, need to verify GBP matches	Audit GBP to ensure all data aligns exactly with schema	gbp-optimization
Need schema on multiple location pages	Build schema per page with location-specific data	local-landing-pages
Schema is part of a broader audit	Feed schema findings into the full audit report	local-seo-audit
Schema added but rankings unchanged	Schema alone rarely moves rankings — it reinforces other signals. Check if the real issue is elsewhere	geogrid-analysis

Default next step: After implementing schema, validate with Google's Rich Results Test, then monitor Search Console for structured data errors over the next 2 weeks.

Tools for This Skill

See docs/tool-routing to pick based on what's connected.

• Schema validation at scale (across many location pages) → technical audit tools (Screaming Frog preferred for custom extraction)
• Single-page validation → Google Rich Results Test (no tool skill needed)