Google’s main purpose is to perfectly satisfy the user’s intent.
And Google doesn’t want to send its users to spammy websites.
That’s why they have an algorithm that can distinguish a fake spammy site from a real business.
And local business schema can help you pass that checkpoint and validate your website in the eyes of Google.
What Is a Local Business Schema?
If your website represents a real business, you should have your business name, phone number, local address, and logo prominently displayed on your website.
And that’s how Google can tell apart a real business. Fake websites just don’t have a local address or a phone number that visitors can contact them with.
Once you have your business information on your website, you should mark it up with a schema to help Google’s algorithm understand what is your phone number, address, etc.
A schema markup, also known as structured data, is just a code that helps search engines understand that, for example, those ten digits in your header are your phone number, and “1997 Timberbrook Lane, Denver, CO 80202” in your footer is the address of your office.
Without the schema, the phone number in your header is just a few random digits, and Google would have a hard time trying to make sense of it.
There are different kinds of schemas used for different purposes. The local business schema is just one of them, used specifically to mark up data on a local business’ website.
It’s important to understand that schema markup is solely used for search engines, and your website visitors will not see it on your page.
The Benefits of Schema Markup for Local SEO.
The presence of schema markup on your website is not a ranking factor.
So, it’s not like you add a local business schema on your homepage, and the next day you are on page one.
But it is a necessary step that you have to take to prove to Google that you are a real business.
By doing it, Google will be more confident with sending traffic to your website. But only if you nail other aspects of SEO perfectly.
Should You Add Local Business Schema for SEO?
The answer is a resounding yes.
The local business schema is usually placed on the homepage, “About Us” page, and sometimes on the “Contact Us” page.
Final Words.
As we mentioned, a local business schema is just one type of schema.
There’re many others, like article schema, FAQ, person, how-to, product, etc., that you also should use on your website.
It shouldn’t be your top priority, though.
If you don’t have any content on your website and you’re wondering whether you should add schema or publish content, you should publish more content.