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Structured data for a service business: what to mark up in 2026
A few invisible lines of code tell search engines who you are, where you are and what you offer. They only help if they're accurate.
A service business should publish a LocalBusiness block in JSON-LD with at least its name and address, then its hours, phone number, website and services. Structured data never ensures a rich result, FAQ markup no longer produces one on Google, and no special markup is required for AI search.
In short
- Google generally recommends the JSON-LD format.
- LocalBusiness requires name and address; everything else is recommended.
- Since May 2026, FAQ markup no longer earns a rich result on Google.
- Test with Google's Rich Results Test and the schema.org validator.
What does structured data do for a small business?
It describes your business in a standard format that engines read without guessing: name, address, phone, hours, services. It makes some pages eligible for rich results, with no promise attached.
The vocabulary comes from schema.org, a project shared by the major search engines. Google generally recommends JSON-LD, a block of code placed in the page, because it sits apart from the visible text and is easy to maintain [1]. Google also says that correct structured data does not ensure a rich result will be shown [1].
For a service business, the main payoff is consistency: the name, address and phone number on your site match your Google profile and your directory listings. Three different addresses across three sources means three versions of you for an engine to choose from.
Which LocalBusiness properties does Google ask for?
Two are required, name and address. Several more are recommended, including hours, phone number, URL and geographic coordinates.
| Property | Status | What goes in it | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| name | Required | The business's real name | Stuffing keywords into the name |
| address | Required | Full postal address (PostalAddress) | Address that differs from the Google profile |
| telephone | Recommended | Main number with country and area codes | A tracking number that keeps changing |
| url | Recommended | Full URL of the location's page | Link to a page that no longer loads |
| openingHoursSpecification | Recommended | dayOfWeek, opens, closes; validFrom and validThrough for seasonal closures | Site hours that contradict the profile |
| geo | Recommended | latitude and longitude, at least 5 decimal places | Rounded coordinates |
| priceRange | Recommended | A short range, under 100 characters | An expired promo price |
| department | Recommended | A department with its own listing | Duplicating the main business |
| Average rating and reviews (rating properties) | Narrow case | Only for sites that collect reviews about other businesses | Marking up your own reviews |
Source: Google's LocalBusiness documentation [2]. You can use a more specific type (for example Plumber or HVACBusiness); schema.org lists many LocalBusiness subtypes [3].
How do you describe services with the Service type?
Schema.org's Service type describes an offering: its name, the provider (your LocalBusiness), the area served (areaServed) and, where useful, an offer [4]. For a business that travels to customers, areaServed often says more than a street address: "Laval, North Shore, Montréal-Nord".
One Service block per service page is enough. There's no point marking up twenty variations of the same service; the visible text should say what the markup says, no more and no less.
Which markup no longer does anything on Google?
FAQ markup has produced no Google rich result since May 7, 2026, and the HowTo rich result was retired in 2023. There is no such thing as "AI markup".
Google's documentation changelog says so: the FAQ rich result stopped appearing on May 7, 2026, and its documentation came down on June 15, 2026. The HowTo rich result had already gone in September 2023 [5].
For generative AI search, Google is explicit: structured data isn't required and there's no special schema.org markup to add. It remains useful for ordinary rich result eligibility [6]. If someone sells you "schema for AI", ask to see the official documentation that mentions it.
How do you add and test structured data?
- 1
Take inventory
Write down the exact name, address, phone, hours and service area as they appear on your Google profile. Those are your reference values.
- 2
Pick the type
Use the most specific LocalBusiness subtype that fits your trade, or plain LocalBusiness if none does.
- 3
Write the JSON-LD
Draft the block for your home or contact page, then one Service block per service page. The schema generator tool gives you a first draft to review.
- 4
- 5
Match the visible text
Check that each marked-up value also appears on the page. Markup claiming things the page doesn't say is to be avoided.
- 6
Keep it current
Update the markup the day your hours, number or address change, at the same time as your Google profile.
What does a complete LocalBusiness block look like?
How does structured data work alongside your Google profile?
Both must say the same thing. Your Google profile is often the first thing Google shows for a local search; the markup confirms that information on your own site. The guide to completing your Google Business Profile covers the profile, and local SEO in Quebec explains how the two work together for city searches.
To see where structured data fits overall (technical SEO, direct answers, AI crawlers), read the pillar on getting found on Google and cited by AI and the guide to showing up in ChatGPT and AI answers.
What does Pilotiko do for structured data?
The site Pilotiko builds and hosts for you (website) generates structured data for the business and its pages, along with the sitemap, robots.txt and llms.txt. Pilotiko can also audit the markup on your current site (SEO, AEO and GEO).
Frequently asked questions
Does structured data improve my rankings?
Google doesn't describe it as a ranking factor; it says markup makes a page eligible for certain rich results, with no promise. For a small business, the real benefit is clear, consistent information.
JSON-LD, Microdata or RDFa: which should I use?
Google generally recommends JSON-LD when your site allows it. It's a block kept separate from the visible text, which makes it simpler to maintain and fix.
Can I mark up my Google reviews on my own site?
Google's LocalBusiness documentation reserves the average-rating and review properties for sites that collect reviews about other local businesses. Marking up your own reviews to get stars isn't part of the plan.
Should I still use FAQPage?
FAQ markup has produced no Google rich result since May 7, 2026. It can stay if it exactly matches the visible text, but it's no longer a priority.
Is there special schema for getting cited by AI?
Not according to Google: structured data isn't required for generative AI search and no particular markup is needed. Accurate, useful content matters more.
How do I know if my markup has errors?
Run the page through Google's Rich Results Test and the schema.org validator. The first checks eligibility for Google features; the second checks the vocabulary itself.
Sources
- Google Search Central, Introduction to structured data markup (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- Google Search Central, Local business (LocalBusiness) structured data (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- Schema.org, LocalBusiness (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- Schema.org, Service (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- Google Search Central, Latest Google Search documentation updates (FAQ rich results removed, llms.txt clarification) (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- Google Search Central, Optimizing for generative AI search (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- Google, Rich Results Test (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- Schema.org, Schema Markup Validator (accessed on October 15, 2026).
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