What is LocalBusiness Schema?

Definition

LocalBusiness is a Schema.org type (a subtype of Organization and Place) designed specifically for marking up local business information as structured data. It provides properties for all essential business details including name, address, telephone, opening hours, geographic coordinates, payment methods, price range, and more. LocalBusiness has numerous subtypes for specific business categories - such as Restaurant, Dentist, LegalService, AutoRepair, and hundreds more - allowing very precise categorization that helps search engines understand exactly what type of business you operate.

Why it matters

Using the correct LocalBusiness schema subtype tells search engines precisely what your business is, reinforcing the relevance signals from your GBP categories and website content. Specific subtypes can unlock type-specific rich results - for example, Restaurant schema can display menu information, while Dentist schema might show accepted insurance. This precision helps you compete more effectively in search results for your specific business type.

How to implement

Identify the most specific LocalBusiness subtype for your business on Schema.org. Implement it as JSON-LD on your homepage and all location pages. Include these essential properties: @type, name, address (PostalAddress), telephone, openingHoursSpecification, geo (GeoCoordinates), url, image, and priceRange. Add type-specific properties where available. For multi-location businesses, create separate schema for each location. Test with Google's Rich Results Test and Schema Markup Validator.

Common mistakes

• xUsing the parent LocalBusiness type when a more specific subtype like 'Plumber' or 'Restaurant' is available.
• xIncluding properties that aren't valid for your chosen schema type, causing validation errors.
• xNot updating schema markup when business hours, address, or phone number changes.

Examples

• -A pizza restaurant uses the 'PizzaPlace' schema subtype with properties for cuisineType, menu, acceptsReservations, and servesCuisine.
• -An accounting firm uses 'AccountingService' schema with properties for areaServed, hasOfferCatalog, and priceRange.

Related terms