What is schema markup?
Definition
Schema markup is code added to a web page that labels its facts in a standard vocabulary search engines understand, from schema.org. It tells them, for example, that a string of numbers is your phone number, that a list is your opening hours, or that a page is a restaurant's menu. Visitors never see it.
Why schema markup matters to a local business
Search engines are good at reading pages, but labels take out the guesswork. Schema markup, also called structured data, helps them match your business details to your Google profile and the map, and it can make a page eligible for richer results, like event dates or prices under a link. Clear, labeled facts also make it easier for AI assistants to describe you correctly.
It isn't a ranking shortcut. Google says structured data never guarantees a special result, and it ignores markup that doesn't match what's visible on the page. Some rich results have also been cut back: Google stopped showing FAQ results in search in 2026, and a business can't get review stars in search for reviews it hosts about itself.
The vocabulary has a type for most trades. A restaurant can mark up its menu, its cuisine and whether it takes reservations. A dental practice can use the Dentist type, an auto repair shop the AutoRepair type and a law firm the LegalService type, each with its hours, address, phone number and the area it serves.
How to check your schema markup
- Paste a page's address into Google's Rich Results Test to see what it finds.
- Use the Schema Markup Validator to check the code against schema.org itself.
- Make sure the name, address, phone and hours match what the page shows.
- Mark up only what visitors can see on the page.
- Check again after you change your hours, your address or your menu.
How Future handles it
Every Future site adds schema markup for you, on every plan: your site and business, each page's title and description, breadcrumbs where a page has them, your business details on the home page from your business profile, and the questions and answers from any FAQ section. You don't need to write or paste any code.
Want to see exactly what a published page tells search engines? Run it through Google's Rich Results Test. It's free, needs no account, and is worth a look after any big change to your business details.