Technical SEO · 7 min read
Schema markup for UK small businesses: a practical guide
A practical guide to schema markup (JSON-LD) for UK small businesses — which types to use, how to implement them and how to test.
By Jack Frampton, Multi-Channel Marketer at Queen's College, Taunton · Published 15 June 2026
Schema markup tells Google and AI search engines exactly what your page is about. For small businesses, the right four or five schema types do 90% of the work.
The schemas that matter
LocalBusiness for the homepage, Service for service pages, Article for blog posts, FAQPage for question-led content, and BreadcrumbList for navigation. Stack as many as apply on one page.
Use JSON-LD, not microdata
JSON-LD goes in a <script type="application/ld+json"> tag in the head. Easier to maintain, easier to debug, and Google's preferred format.
Implementation for non-developers
On WordPress, plugins like Rank Math handle most schemas automatically. For custom sites, generate JSON-LD via Merkle's schema generator.
Testing
Use Google's Rich Results Test and the Schema Validator. Re-test after every site change — broken schema is worse than missing schema.
Frequently asked questions
- The schemas that matter?
- LocalBusiness for the homepage, Service for service pages, Article for blog posts, FAQPage for question-led content, and BreadcrumbList for navigation. Stack as many as apply on one page.
- Use JSON-LD, not microdata?
- JSON-LD goes in a <script type="application/ld+json"> tag in the head. Easier to maintain, easier to debug, and Google's preferred format.
- Implementation for non-developers?
- On WordPress , plugins like Rank Math handle most schemas automatically. For custom sites, generate JSON-LD via Merkle's schema generator .
- Testing?
- Use Google's Rich Results Test and the Schema Validator . Re-test after every site change — broken schema is worse than missing schema.