Schema markup, also called structured data, is a small block of code on a web page that states facts in a form machines can read: who you are, where you are, what you offer and who runs the business. Google says it uses this markup to help it understand the content of a page. It does not guarantee special search results, but it removes guesswork for search engines and AI tools alike.
What it does, and what it does not
Google’s own introduction says it uses structured data that it finds on the web “to understand the content of the page” (Google Search Central). The same page is careful with its promises: markup can make a page eligible for richer results, and pages that break Google’s guidelines may not be shown that way at all.
Some advice you will still hear is out of date. In August 2023 Google announced that FAQ rich results, the expandable questions that used to appear under some results, would be shown only for well known, authoritative government and health websites. It also said there was no need to remove existing FAQ markup (Google Search Central Blog). So if someone promises that FAQ markup will get your questions shown in Google, they are a few years behind.
Why bother, then? Because it is one of the most reliable ways to state the facts about your business in the same form every time, and both search engines and AI tools that read the web benefit from that.
The types most small businesses need
Start with your business itself. LocalBusiness, or a more specific type such as ProfessionalService, carries your name, website, contact details, the area you serve and, if customers visit you, your address. Google publishes guidance on local business markup that is worth following closely.
Add Person markup for the founder or owner, linked to the business and to their professional profiles. It connects the expertise in your content to a named person, which matters more now that AI tools are weighing up who to trust.
Then Service markup on each service page, BreadcrumbList so search engines can see how pages fit together, BlogPosting on articles with the author and dates, and FAQPage where a page genuinely answers questions. The full vocabulary is at Schema.org, but most small businesses never need more than this.
Where it goes wrong
The commonest problem I find is markup that says something the page does not, such as opening hours, prices or reviews that visitors cannot see. That can do more harm than good. Close behind are conflicting facts, where the markup has a different address or business name from the page or the Google Business Profile, and duplicate blocks, where two plugins each add their own version of the business with slightly different details.
The other one is time. Markup added at launch quietly goes out of date, and three years later it still lists an old phone number or a service you stopped offering.
How to check yours
Two free tools cover almost everything. Google’s Rich Results Test shows which markup Google can read on a page and flags errors. The Schema Markup Validator checks the markup against the full Schema.org vocabulary.
Run your home page, one service page and one article through both. If you see errors, or no business markup at all, that is one of the quicker fixes you can make to a website.
The free website health check tells you whether your home page has structured data at all, and the £150 website audit checks it page by page. For how this fits into being recommended by AI tools, see how small businesses get recommended by AI search tools.
