What Schema Markup Actually Is
Schema markup is code that tells search engines and AI systems what your website is about, in a language they can read directly rather than having to infer. It describes facts about your business: your name, location, services, contact details, opening hours. It does not change anything visible on the page. It is purely for machines.
Search systems can interpret ordinary text. Structured data adds explicit labels for relevant facts; it works alongside clear content rather than replacing it.
Schema.org provides a vocabulary for describing page information. JSON-LD is one supported format, alongside Microdata and RDFa. Different consumers support different types and features.
What a Schema Markup Block Actually Looks Like
Illustrative JSON-LD. Replace all example values with accurate information visible on the page. Place the object inside a script element with type application/ld+json.
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"@id": "https://example.com/#business",
"name": "Example Business \u2014 replace this value",
"url": "https://example.com/",
"description": "Replace with your actual service and coverage",
"areaServed": {
"@type": "Place",
"name": "Replace with your genuine service area"
}
}Accurate structured data can clarify your business details. Helpful content, crawlability and independent evidence also matter; schema alone does not guarantee a citation.
What Happens With and Without Schema Markup
Visible content still matters
Search systems can read useful business information in page text. Clear names, services, contact details and evidence help readers understand the business.
Facts gain explicit labels
Structured data describes the same visible information in a standard vocabulary. It must be kept accurate and does not independently verify a business or predict an AI response.
The Main Schema Types a Small Business Needs
Schema.org defines over 800 types. For a UK small business improving AI visibility, these are the ones that matter.
| Schema Type | What It Does | Where to Use It | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organisation | Establishes your verified business identity: name, URL, logo, contact, social profiles. The foundation everything builds on. | Every page | Essential |
| LocalBusiness | Extends Organisation with physical location: address, coordinates, opening hours, service area. | Homepage, Contact | Essential |
| FAQPage | Describes visible questions and answers; does not guarantee a search feature. | Relevant Q&A content | Optional |
| Article | Identifies content as editorial with headline, author, and publish date. Helps content get cited as a source. | Blog posts, guides | Important |
| BreadcrumbList | Describes the page's position in your site hierarchy. Helps AI systems understand content structure. | All interior pages | Important |
| Service | Describes a specific service: name, description, provider, area served, price range. | Service pages | Important |
| Person | Identifies the business owner: name, role, credentials. Supports E-E-A-T signals. | About, Author bios | Useful |
Choose types that fit the actual page. Business identity, services and editorial content have different requirements. FAQPage is optional and does not guarantee a supported search feature.
Want to Know What Schema You Currently Have?
The free AI Visibility Snapshot checks your homepage schema against seven criteria and tells you exactly what is present, what is missing, and what to fix first.
What schema can and cannot do
AI products use different sources and methods. A useful website presents clear answers, accessible content and business information that can be checked against reliable sources.
Business information should be accurate and supported by visible content. Markup is a declaration of facts, not independent verification of those facts. Search systems can also interpret ordinary page text.
Structured data can help describe content and support eligibility for relevant search features. It does not guarantee rankings, Knowledge Panels or AI citations.
The Single Most Important Thing to Take From This
Accurate structured data can clarify your business details. Helpful content, crawlability and independent evidence also matter; schema alone does not guarantee a citation.
Adding schema on WordPress
Check what your theme and existing plugins already output before adding another block. Reuse the same business identifiers and resolve duplicate or conflicting entities. Validate the rendered page after plugin or theme changes.
DIY or done for you?
| Approach | Time and responsibility | Validation |
|---|---|---|
| DIY | You choose relevant types, maintain details and recheck changes. | Check syntax, vocabulary and relevant search-feature requirements. |
| Done for you | We agree a scope, implement changes or hand over instructions. | Receive validation findings and handover notes. |
Start with the free homepage check or compare schema repair.