Local businesses are invisible on Google without proper schema markup. A restaurant without LocalBusiness schema? Google has no idea it has hours, a phone number, or reviews. Here's how to fix it.

What Is LocalBusiness Schema?

LocalBusiness schema tells Google essential information about your physical location:

  • Business name and type
  • Address and phone
  • Hours of operation
  • Ratings and reviews
  • Website, social profiles
  • Images

With this data, Google can:

  • List you in Google Maps
  • Show you in the local pack (top 3 map results)
  • Display in Knowledge panels
  • Answer voice search queries ("Chinese restaurants near me")

LocalBusiness vs Organization Schema

LocalBusiness: Physical location with address, phone, hours. Use if you have a storefront.

Organization: Company information without physical location. Use for service areas, headquarters.

Basic LocalBusiness Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "Joe's Pizza",
  "image": "https://example.com/logo.jpg",
  "description": "New York-style pizza since 1985",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main St",
    "addressLocality": "Springfield",
    "addressRegion": "IL",
    "postalCode": "62701",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "telephone": "+1-217-555-0123",
  "url": "https://example.com",
  "priceRange": "$$",
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.5",
    "reviewCount": "328"
  }
}

Specific Business Types

Use more specific types if applicable:

  • Restaurant — Food business
  • MedicalBusiness — Doctors, dentists
  • AutomotiveRepair — Car shops
  • BarberShop — Hair services
  • HairSalon — Hair salon
  • Gym — Fitness center
  • HotelOrAccommodation — Hotels, B&Bs

Example: Restaurant

{
  "@type": "Restaurant",
  "name": "Joe's Pizza",
  "servesCuisine": "Italian",
  "menu": "https://example.com/menu.pdf",
  "openingHoursSpecification": {
    "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
    "dayOfWeek": "Monday",
    "opens": "11:00",
    "closes": "22:00"
  }
}

Hours of Operation

Specify for each day:

"openingHoursSpecification": [
  {
    "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
    "dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"],
    "opens": "09:00",
    "closes": "17:00"
  },
  {
    "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
    "dayOfWeek": "Saturday",
    "opens": "10:00",
    "closes": "14:00"
  },
  {
    "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
    "dayOfWeek": "Sunday",
    "opens": "closed"
  }
]

Ratings and Reviews

Display aggregate rating:

"aggregateRating": {
  "@type": "AggregateRating",
  "ratingValue": "4.7",
  "reviewCount": "412",
  "bestRating": "5",
  "worstRating": "1"
}

Or individual reviews:

"review": [
  {
    "@type": "Review",
    "reviewRating": {
      "@type": "Rating",
      "ratingValue": "5"
    },
    "author": {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Sarah"
    },
    "reviewBody": "Great service and delicious food!",
    "datePublished": "2026-01-15"
  }
]

Google Business Profile Integration

LocalBusiness schema should match your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business):

  • Business name must match exactly
  • Address must be identical
  • Phone number should match
  • Hours should sync
  • Category should be consistent

Discrepancies confuse Google and hurt rankings.

Testing and Validation

Use our Schema Tester to validate LocalBusiness markup:

  1. Paste your JSON-LD
  2. See validation results
  3. Fix any errors
  4. Check how Google renders it

Common Mistakes

1. Missing Required Fields

Google requires: name, address, phone. Missing any = no local pack eligibility.

2. Hours Don't Match Google Business Profile

Sync them. Confusion hurts rankings and user experience.

3. Fake Reviews

Don't add schema for reviews you didn't receive. Google can detect fake ratings.

4. Using Generic "LocalBusiness" Instead of Specific Type

"Restaurant" is better than "LocalBusiness". More specific = better results.

Local SEO Impact

Proper LocalBusiness schema typically improves:

  • Local pack visibility: +20-40%
  • Click-through rate: +15-25%
  • Map direction requests: +30-50%
  • Phone call conversions: +10-20%

Pro Tips

  • Keep schema updated whenever hours/phone change
  • Add to every page (not just homepage)
  • Include high-quality images
  • Encourage customer reviews
  • Maintain Google Business Profile religiously

Conclusion

LocalBusiness schema is non-negotiable for local businesses. It's the bridge between your website and Google's understanding of who you are, where you are, and what you do. Implement it correctly, and watch your local visibility soar.