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All lessons in Local SEO Lesson 4.6 of 61

Module 1: Introduction to Local Search

  1. 1.1What is local search marketing?
  2. 1.2How does Google local search work?
  3. 1.3Google Search vs. Google Maps: what's the difference?
  4. 1.4How does Google determine local rankings?
  5. 1.5What is the local search customer journey?

Module 2: Google Business Profile

  1. 2.1How to set up a Google Business Profile
  2. 2.2How to verify a Google Business Profile
  3. 2.3How to choose the right business categories
  4. 2.4How to optimize business information and services
  5. 2.5How to add photos, videos, products, and updates
  6. 2.6How to manage multiple locations in Google Business Profile
  7. 2.7Service-area businesses vs. storefronts

Module 3: Local Keyword Research and Search Intent

  1. 3.1How to find local keywords
  2. 3.2City, neighborhood, and service-based keywords
  3. 3.3Understanding near me searches
  4. 3.4Transactional vs. informational local intent
  5. 3.5How to research local competitors and keywords
  6. 3.6How to map keywords to locations and services

Module 4: Local Landing Pages and Website Optimization

  1. 4.1How to create location landing pages
  2. 4.2How to optimize local service pages
  3. 4.3How to write location-relevant titles and content
  4. 4.4How to build location and service page architecture
  5. 4.5How to avoid duplicate and thin location pages
  6. 4.6Local business schema and structured data
  7. 4.7How to keep your website and Business Profile consistent

Module 5: Reviews and Reputation Management

  1. 5.1Why do reviews matter for local businesses?
  2. 5.2How to build a customer review generation process
  3. 5.3How to respond to positive and negative reviews
  4. 5.4How to handle fake or policy-violating reviews
  5. 5.5Review policies and ethical reputation management
  6. 5.6How to monitor review trends and customer sentiment

Module 6: Local Citations and Business Listings

  1. 6.1What are local citations?
  2. 6.2Name, address, and phone number consistency
  3. 6.3How to find relevant business directories
  4. 6.4How to create and update business listings
  5. 6.5How to identify duplicate and incorrect listings
  6. 6.6Industry-specific and local directory opportunities

Module 7: Local Authority and Competitive Visibility

  1. 7.1How to analyze local search competitors
  2. 7.2How to earn local links through community partnerships
  3. 7.3Local sponsorships, organizations, and media
  4. 7.4How to build local brand recognition
  5. 7.5How to evaluate competitor reviews and business profiles
  6. 7.6How to identify local visibility gaps

Module 8: Local Search Tracking and Reporting

  1. 8.1How to track local rankings across geographic areas
  2. 8.2Understanding Google Business Profile performance
  3. 8.3How to measure calls, website visits, and direction requests
  4. 8.4How to track local leads and conversions
  5. 8.5How to use Google Search Console and Analytics for local SEO
  6. 8.6How to create local search performance reports

Module 9: Local Search Strategy by Business Type

  1. 9.1Local search for restaurants and retail stores
  2. 9.2Local search for service-area businesses
  3. 9.3Local search for professional services
  4. 9.4Local search for healthcare and other regulated industries
  5. 9.5Local search for multi-location businesses
  6. 9.6Local search for new and small businesses

Module 10: Local Search Audits and Practical Projects

  1. 10.1How to conduct a local search audit
  2. 10.2How to audit a Google Business Profile
  3. 10.3How to check local landing pages and citations
  4. 10.4How to evaluate reviews and competitor visibility
  5. 10.5How to build a prioritized local search action plan
  6. 10.6How to create a 30-day local search improvement plan

Local business schema and structured data

Your roadmap for this lesson

  • What structured data and schema are
  • Which LocalBusiness properties to include
  • How to add JSON-LD to a page
  • How to test your markup

Short answer

LocalBusiness schema is structured data that describes your business in a format search engines read easily. Add it as JSON-LD on your homepage or each location page, with properties like name, address, telephone, opening hours, geo coordinates, and URL. Use the most specific type, such as Dentist or Restaurant, and test it with Google's Rich Results Test.

What structured data is

Structured data labels facts on your page so search engines read them clearly. The vocabulary comes from Schema.org. Google recommends the JSON-LD format.

For local businesses, the key type is LocalBusiness, or a more specific subtype like Dentist, Restaurant, or AutoRepair.

Properties to include

  • name
  • address, as a PostalAddress
  • telephone
  • url
  • openingHoursSpecification
  • geo, with latitude and longitude
  • image, priceRange, and sameAs links to your social profiles

Example for one location page

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Dentist",
  "name": "Smile Albay Dental Clinic",
  "url": "https://example.com/locations/legazpi/",
  "telephone": "+63 52 000 0000",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Rizal Street",
    "addressLocality": "Legazpi City",
    "addressRegion": "Albay",
    "postalCode": "4500",
    "addressCountry": "PH"
  },
  "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": 13.1391, "longitude": 123.7438 },
  "openingHoursSpecification": [{
    "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
    "dayOfWeek": ["Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday","Saturday"],
    "opens": "09:00", "closes": "18:00"
  }]
}

Place it inside a script tag with type application/ld+json. Replace every value with real data.

Test it

Paste your page URL into Google’s Rich Results Test or the Schema Markup Validator. Fix any errors before moving on.

Keep it matched

Schema should match your page text and your Google Business Profile exactly. Wrong schema data creates confusion, not rankings.

Quick quiz

1. Which format does Google recommend for structured data?
2. Which schema type fits a dental clinic best?
3. Which tool tests your structured data?

Common mistakes

  • Using a generic type. Pick the most specific subtype.
  • Copying schema across locations. Each location needs its own details.
  • Schema that does not match the page. Keep data identical everywhere.

Your action

Check the schema of your chosen business’s website. Your progress saves on this device.

Key terms

Structured data
Code that labels page information so machines understand it.
Schema.org
The shared vocabulary used for structured data.
JSON-LD
The format Google recommends for adding structured data.
LocalBusiness
The schema type for a physical business, with more specific subtypes.
Rich Results Test
Google's free tool for checking structured data.

Questions beginners ask

Does schema improve rankings directly?

It helps Google understand your details. It is not a shortcut to rank, but it supports consistency.

Should schema go on every page?

Put LocalBusiness schema on the homepage or the matching location page, not every page.

What if my data in schema differs from my profile?

Fix it. Schema, website, and profile details should match exactly.

Related lessons

Want someone to handle SEO for your business while you learn? The team at Remar Digital can help.