Schema Markup FAQ
Straight answers on LocalBusiness schema, JSON-LD, Google rich results, and whether any of this matters for getting cited by AI. No fake ranking claims.
Schema basics
What is LocalBusiness schema?
LocalBusiness schema is a schema.org vocabulary you add to your site's HTML (usually as JSON-LD) that spells out your business name, address, phone number, hours, and price range in a format machines can parse. A human reads "Call us at 555-1234" fine. Google and AI crawlers need it labeled as a telephone property to be sure that's what it is.
Does schema markup improve my Google ranking?
No, and we're not going to pretend otherwise to sell you a tool. Google has stated directly that structured data is not a ranking factor. What it does is make you eligible for rich results (star ratings, FAQ dropdowns, business details in the listing itself), which can improve your click-through rate on the ranking you already have. Rich results and rankings are different things.
If it doesn't help rankings, why bother?
Three reasons. First, rich results genuinely do increase clicks on the position you already hold. Second, Google Maps, the Local Pack, and "near me" results are built from structured business data — if yours is missing or inconsistent, Google has less to work with. Third, AI answer engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews) read structured data when they summarize a business, and that channel is only growing. Schema is plumbing, not marketing, but it's plumbing your site is currently missing.
What's the difference between LocalBusiness and Organization schema?
LocalBusiness is for a business with a physical location or service area that customers visit or are served in — a dentist, a plumber, a coffee shop. Organization is broader and fits a company that isn't tied to a physical storefront. If you have an address customers can visit or a service area you work in, use LocalBusiness or one of its subtypes (Restaurant, Store, ProfessionalService, and dozens more).
AI & answer engines
Do AI assistants like ChatGPT actually read schema markup?
They read structured data when it's present and can access the page. It's one of several signals — alongside plain-text content, headings, and page structure — that answer engines use to figure out what a business is and does. It does not guarantee a citation, but a page with no structured data and inconsistent NAP details gives an AI crawler nothing solid to extract. See our free AI Visibility Checker to see whether your site is even reachable by the major AI crawlers in the first place.
Using the extension
Do I need to know how to code to add schema markup?
No. That's the entire point of Local Schema Helper. Click the extension on your site, it auto-detects your business name, phone, address, and hours, you fill in anything it missed, and it generates valid JSON-LD you copy and paste into your site's <head>. No JSON syntax to learn. Prefer to try it without installing anything first? Use the free web-based Schema Generator.
Where exactly do I paste the generated code?
Inside your page's <head> section, anywhere between <head> and </head>. If you're on WordPress, most SEO plugins (Yoast, Rank Math) have a custom code or header scripts field that does this without editing theme files. If you're on Squarespace or Wix, look for "Code Injection" or "Custom Code" in your site settings.
Does adding schema markup let me fake my star ratings or reviews?
No, and don't try. Google's rich results guidelines explicitly prohibit self-serving or fabricated review markup, and sites caught doing it lose rich result eligibility entirely, sometimes with a manual action attached. Local Schema Helper doesn't generate AggregateRating or Review schema for exactly this reason — only fields you can back up with real data.
Will invalid schema markup hurt my site?
Invalid JSON-LD is usually just ignored by Google rather than penalized, but ignored means you get none of the benefit you added it for. Every schema Local Schema Helper generates is validated before you're shown the copy button, so you're not pasting something broken.
Pricing & agencies
Is Local Schema Helper actually free, or is that a trial?
It's free forever, not a trial. LocalBusiness schema generation, FAQ schema generation, auto-detection, manual overrides, built-in validation, and unlimited sites are all in the free tier permanently. If you're looking after one or two sites, the free tier is the whole tool.
What does the Pro plan add?
Pro ($9/month or $69/year) is built for freelancers and agencies working across many client sites: bulk scanning up to 100 URLs per run with CSV export, Restaurant/Product/Service schema in addition to LocalBusiness and FAQ, saved per-client templates so you're not retyping NAP details, and printable scan reports you can hand to a client.
I run an agency — can I use this across client sites?
Yes, that's what Pro is for. Bulk scan a client's sitemap to see which pages have schema and which don't, save that client's business data as a reusable template, and export a scan report you can attach to an invoice or send as a deliverable.
Privacy & technical
Does this extension collect or sell my business data?
No. The free tier makes zero network requests — everything runs in your browser and your data is stored locally, not on our servers. Pro touches the network in exactly two places: bulk scan fetches the URLs you paste in to audit them, and subscription status is checked against our payment provider, ExtensionPay. That's the entire list. Full detail on the privacy page.
What schema types does Local Schema Helper support?
Free: LocalBusiness (and its common subtypes) and FAQPage. Pro adds Restaurant, Product, and Service schema. If you need a schema type outside that list, email hello@dahvio.com — what gets built next is driven by what people actually ask for.
Still have a schema question specific to your site?
Try the free web generator, no install required, or grab the extension for auto-detection.
Try the Free Schema Generator