LocalBusiness schema is structured data that describes a physical business location, such as its name, address, phone number, opening hours and type of business, in a format search engines can read. A dental practice in Austin, for example, can add LocalBusiness markup (using the more specific Dentist type) to its location page to state its exact address, phone number, coordinates and Saturday hours.
For local businesses, this markup is a way to give search engines and AI tools a clear, consistent record of who you are and where you operate. It supports the same goal as your Google Business Profile and directory listings: making sure the details people see about your business are correct, wherever they find you.
What is LocalBusiness schema?
LocalBusiness is a type in schema.org, the shared vocabulary for structured data. Schema.org defines it as "a particular physical business or branch of an organization," such as a restaurant, bank branch, medical practice or club. It sits under both Organization and Place, because a local business is both a company and somewhere you can visit.
LocalBusiness has many more specific subtypes, such as Dentist, Store, FoodEstablishment, LodgingBusiness and MedicalBusiness, and some of these have further subtypes of their own. Google's documentation recommends using the most specific subtype that fits, such as Restaurant or DaySpa, and says a business with several types can list them together.
Like other schema markup, it is usually added as JSON-LD code on the page. Visitors don't see it, but search engines and other systems do.
Why LocalBusiness schema matters
It can support local search features. Google says LocalBusiness structured data can help it show business details in a knowledge panel, or show a carousel of businesses for searches like "best restaurants in New York." Google also notes that structured data doesn't guarantee these features will appear.
It reinforces consistent details. Local search depends heavily on NAP consistency: the same name, address and phone number everywhere. Markup on your own site states those details in a structured way that matches your Google Business Profile and local citations.
It helps AI tools describe you accurately. AI assistants answering "Which plumbers near me are open on Sunday?" draw on many sources. When your site states your hours, service area and business type clearly, both in text and in markup, you give these systems consistent facts to work with. Microsoft has said Bing uses schema markup to help its language models understand content. Markup isn't a shortcut to AI recommendations, but it supports clean entity data.
How LocalBusiness schema works
Required properties
Google's local business documentation lists two required properties: name and address. The address uses the PostalAddress type, and Google recommends filling in as many address fields as possible.
Recommended properties
Google recommends several more:
- geo: latitude and longitude, accurate to at least five decimal places.
- openingHoursSpecification: regular hours, with options for seasonal hours.
- telephone: including country and area code.
- url: the working, canonical URL for that specific location.
- priceRange: a short price indicator, under 100 characters.
- servesCuisine and menu: for restaurants.
- department: for businesses with separate departments that have their own details.
Schema.org also offers areaServed, which describes the geographic area a business serves. This is useful for a service area business that travels to customers.
Reviews and ratings
On September 16, 2019, Google announced it would no longer show review rich results for LocalBusiness and Organization when the reviews are self-serving, meaning reviews of a business placed on that business's own website. Google's documentation now recommends the aggregateRating and review properties only for sites that capture reviews about other local businesses.
How to add LocalBusiness schema
- Choose the most specific type. Use Dentist, Plumber, Restaurant or another fitting subtype instead of plain LocalBusiness where one exists.
- Match your Google Business Profile. Use exactly the same business name, address and phone number as your profile and main listings.
- Add one block per location. If you have several locations, put each location's markup on its own location page, with that page's URL.
- Include hours and coordinates. Add openingHoursSpecification and geo, and update hours when they change, including holidays where possible.
- Link to your profiles. Use the sameAs property to point to official profiles, such as social accounts, to connect your entity across the web.
- Skip self-serving review markup. Don't mark up reviews of your own business on your own site expecting stars in Google.
- Test it. Run your page through Google's Rich Results Test or the Schema Markup Validator to catch errors.
Common mistakes and misconceptions
- "LocalBusiness schema replaces Google Business Profile." It doesn't. Your profile is the main source for Google's local results. Schema supports it from your own site.
- "Markup on every page is better." Put each location's markup on the page about that location, usually the homepage for single-location businesses or individual location pages for multi-location ones.
- "Self-reviews will get us stars." Google stopped showing review stars for self-serving LocalBusiness and Organization reviews in 2019.
- "Details in the markup don't need to match." Conflicting phone numbers, names or hours across your site, profile and listings undermine trust in your data.
- "Set it and forget it." Hours, phone numbers and addresses change. Out-of-date markup sends the wrong signals.
LocalBusiness schema vs. Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is a listing you manage directly in Google. It powers your appearance in the local pack and Google Maps. LocalBusiness schema is code on your own website that describes the same business in a structured format that any search engine or system can read. The profile is essential for Google local results. Schema reinforces the same facts from your site and helps other platforms too. The two should always match.
How Butter approaches LocalBusiness schema
At Butter, LocalBusiness markup is a standard part of our schema markup guidance for clients with physical locations or service areas, and part of our wider local SEO work. We check that the business type is specific, that name, address and phone details match the Google Business Profile and key listings, and that each location has its own accurate markup.
We also review whether the same details are clear in the visible page text, since people and AI tools read that too. We can't guarantee a knowledge panel or AI recommendation, but consistent, accurate business data gives you a stronger foundation.
Frequently asked questions
What are the required properties for LocalBusiness schema?
Google lists name and address as required. It recommends adding geo coordinates, opening hours, telephone, URL and price range, plus menu and cuisine details for restaurants.
Does LocalBusiness schema help local rankings?
Google hasn't said it's a ranking factor. It helps Google understand your business details and can make pages eligible for features like knowledge panels, but your Google Business Profile matters more for local results.
Can I add review stars with LocalBusiness schema?
Not for reviews of your own business on your own site. Since 2019, Google hasn't shown review rich results for self-serving LocalBusiness and Organization reviews.
Which LocalBusiness type should I use?
Use the most specific type that fits, such as Dentist, Restaurant or Plumber. Google's documentation recommends specific subtypes over the general LocalBusiness type.