For local businesses, appearing in Google’s local pack and Maps is crucial. Local Business schema markup is your secret weapon for dominating local search results and providing rich information directly to potential customers.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to implement Local Business schema to maximize your local SEO impact.

What is Local Business Schema?

Local Business schema is structured data that tells search engines about your physical business location. It includes essential information like:

  • Business name and type
  • Physical address
  • Phone number
  • Operating hours
  • Geographic coordinates
  • Accepted payment methods
  • Price range

This information helps Google verify your business details and can enhance your appearance in local search results.

Why Local Business Schema Matters

1. Local Pack Visibility

The local 3-pack is prime real estate in search results. Proper schema markup helps Google trust your business information.

2. Knowledge Panel Enhancement

Schema contributes to the knowledge panel that appears when people search for your business name.

3. Voice Search Optimization

When someone asks “What time does [business] close?”, Google uses your schema data to answer.

4. Google Maps Integration

Consistent schema data helps Google connect your website to your Maps listing.

5. Rich Results

Display business hours, ratings, and other information directly in search results.

Required Properties

At minimum, your Local Business schema should include:

  • @type - The specific business type
  • name - Your business name
  • address - Complete postal address
  • telephone - Phone number

For best results, also include:

  • openingHoursSpecification - Business hours
  • geo - Latitude and longitude
  • image - Business photos
  • priceRange - Price indication ($, $$, $$$)
  • url - Website URL
  • sameAs - Social media profiles
  • paymentAccepted - Payment methods
  • areaServed - Service area

Choosing the Right Business Type

Schema.org has specific types for different businesses. Use the most specific type that applies:

Food & Beverage

  • Restaurant
  • CafeOrCoffeeShop
  • Bakery
  • BarOrPub
  • FastFoodRestaurant

Health & Medical

  • Dentist
  • Physician
  • MedicalClinic
  • Hospital
  • Pharmacy

Professional Services

  • Attorney
  • Accountant
  • FinancialService
  • RealEstateAgent
  • InsuranceAgency

Retail

  • Store
  • ClothingStore
  • ElectronicsStore
  • HardwareStore
  • JewelryStore

Automotive

  • AutoDealer
  • AutoRepair
  • AutoBodyShop
  • GasStation

Personal Care

  • HairSalon
  • BeautySalon
  • DaySpa
  • HealthClub

Complete Schema Example

Here’s a comprehensive Local Business schema for a restaurant:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Restaurant",
  "name": "The Italian Kitchen",
  "image": [
    "https://example.com/photos/restaurant-front.jpg",
    "https://example.com/photos/interior.jpg"
  ],
  "url": "https://example.com",
  "telephone": "+1-555-123-4567",
  "priceRange": "$$",
  "servesCuisine": "Italian",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main Street",
    "addressLocality": "New York",
    "addressRegion": "NY",
    "postalCode": "10001",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": 40.7128,
    "longitude": -74.0060
  },
  "openingHoursSpecification": [
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday"],
      "opens": "11:00",
      "closes": "22:00"
    },
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": ["Friday", "Saturday"],
      "opens": "11:00",
      "closes": "23:00"
    },
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": "Sunday",
      "opens": "12:00",
      "closes": "21:00"
    }
  ],
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.facebook.com/italiankitchen",
    "https://www.instagram.com/italiankitchen",
    "https://www.yelp.com/biz/italian-kitchen-new-york"
  ],
  "paymentAccepted": "Cash, Credit Card, Apple Pay",
  "menu": "https://example.com/menu"
}

Implementation Steps

Step 1: Gather Your Information

Before generating schema, collect:

  • Exact business name (as registered)
  • Complete address
  • Phone number
  • Business hours for each day
  • Coordinates (use Google Maps)
  • Social media URLs

Step 2: Generate Schema

Use our Local Business Schema Generator to create your markup. Enter your business details and get valid JSON-LD instantly.

Step 3: Add to Your Website

Place the schema on your homepage and any location-specific pages:

<script type="application/ld+json">
  // Your Local Business schema here
</script>

Step 4: Validate

Test your markup with Google Rich Results Test.

Step 5: Align with Google Business Profile

Ensure your schema matches your Google Business Profile exactly:

  • Same business name
  • Same address format
  • Same phone number
  • Same business hours

Multi-Location Businesses

If you have multiple locations, create separate schema for each:

Option 1: Individual Pages

Create a page for each location with its own Local Business schema.

Option 2: Nested Schema

On a locations overview page, nest multiple LocalBusiness objects within an array.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Pizza Chain",
  "location": [
    {
      "@type": "Restaurant",
      "name": "Pizza Chain - Downtown",
      "address": { ... }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Restaurant",
      "name": "Pizza Chain - Uptown",
      "address": { ... }
    }
  ]
}

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Inconsistent NAP

Name, Address, and Phone must match across your website, schema, and Google Business Profile exactly.

2. Wrong Business Type

Using generic “LocalBusiness” when a more specific type applies. Be specific!

3. Missing Hours

Operating hours are crucial for voice search and appearing in “open now” searches.

4. No Geographic Coordinates

Include latitude and longitude for precise location identification.

5. Outdated Information

Keep schema current when hours, phone, or address changes.

Combining with Other Schema

Enhance Local Business schema with:

FAQ Schema

Answer common questions about your business.

Review Schema

Display aggregate ratings (follow Google guidelines carefully).

Event Schema

For businesses that host events.

Product Schema

For retail businesses with specific products.

Measuring Local SEO Impact

Track these metrics after implementation:

Google Business Profile Insights

  • Profile views
  • Direction requests
  • Phone call clicks
  • Website visits

Search Console

  • Branded search impressions
  • Local keyword rankings
  • Rich result appearances

Analytics

  • Organic traffic from local searches
  • Conversion rates by location

Generate Your Local Business Schema

Ready to improve your local search visibility? Use our free Local Business Schema Generator to create valid markup in seconds.

Enter your:

  • Business name and type
  • Complete address
  • Phone number
  • Operating hours
  • Geographic coordinates

The generator creates properly formatted JSON-LD that’s ready to add to your website.

Conclusion

Local Business schema is essential for any business with a physical location. It helps Google understand and trust your business information, potentially leading to better visibility in local search results.

Combined with a well-optimized Google Business Profile and consistent NAP citations, Local Business schema forms the foundation of effective local SEO.

Start by implementing schema on your homepage, then expand to location pages. Keep your information accurate and consistent, and monitor your local search performance for improvements.

Need help with your local SEO strategy? I can help you implement Local Business schema and optimize your entire local presence. Contact me for a consultation.