Where in the HTML should LocalBusiness schema go?

In the head section of your homepage, inside a script tag with type="application/ld+json". You can also put it in the body, but the head is convention. Only one LocalBusiness block per site, on the canonical homepage.

Do I need schema if I have a Google Business Profile?

Yes. Google Business Profile data is for Google Maps and the local pack. Schema markup is for organic search results, AI overviews, and other AI assistants like ChatGPT and Perplexity. They are separate signals.

How long until Google picks up new schema?

Once Google recrawls the page, which is usually within a few days for active sites. You can speed this up by submitting the URL through Google Search Console.

AEO and AI SearchApril 16, 2026

LocalBusiness Schema Markup Example for Service Businesses

LocalBusiness schema is structured data that tells Google, ChatGPT, and other AI assistants what a business is, where it is, and what it does. Without it, AI search engines have to guess. Here is a complete copy paste example for a service business, plus the fields that matter most for ranking and AI citation.

The minimum viable LocalBusiness schema

Drop this block of JSON LD into the head of your homepage. Update the values for your business. This is the floor. Anything less than this and AI assistants struggle to identify the business as a local entity.

Code example (paste into your site head)

<script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Plumber", "name": "Acme Plumbing", "image": "https://acmeplumbing.com/logo.png", "telephone": "+15125551234", "url": "https://acmeplumbing.com", "priceRange": "$$", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "123 Main St", "addressLocality": "Austin", "addressRegion": "TX", "postalCode": "78701", "addressCountry": "US" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": 30.2672, "longitude": -97.7431 }, "openingHoursSpecification": [ { "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification", "dayOfWeek": ["Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday"], "opens": "08:00", "closes": "18:00" } ], "areaServed": { "@type": "City", "name": "Austin" }, "aggregateRating": { "@type": "AggregateRating", "ratingValue": "4.8", "reviewCount": "127" } } </script>

Use the most specific @type, not just LocalBusiness

Schema.org has hundreds of LocalBusiness subtypes: Plumber, Dentist, Restaurant, Electrician, Attorney, AutoBodyShop, and many more. Always use the most specific type. AI assistants use the type to decide whether to cite the business for category specific queries. "Plumber" tells ChatGPT to consider this business when someone asks for plumbers. "LocalBusiness" alone is too generic.

Optional fields that boost AI search visibility

Add hasOfferCatalog with 3 to 5 services as Offer items. Add knowsAbout as an array of topics the business serves (for example "leak detection," "water heater repair"). Add slogan, description (2 to 3 sentences), and sameAs (links to Facebook, Yelp, Instagram). Each field gives AI more context. Businesses with rich schema get cited far more often in Google AI Overviews and Perplexity than businesses with minimal markup.

How to validate your schema before going live

Use the Schema Markup Validator at validator.schema.org and the Rich Results Test at search.google.com/test/rich-results. Both will catch syntax errors and missing required fields. If you skip validation, a single typo can invalidate the entire block, which means your site appears to have no schema at all to crawlers.