LocalBusiness schema is the structured data layer that makes your address, hours, services, and contact info machine-readable.

Here is the direct answer up front: create a dedicated page per location, add LocalBusiness JSON-LD with accurate NAP, hours, geo, sameAs, and services, keep it synced with Google Business Profile (GBP) and Bing Places, and monitor errors and AI citations weekly.

This guide covers single- and multi-location setups, multilingual nuances, and governance so local entities stay trusted in AI answers and local SERPs.

Why LocalBusiness schema matters for AI search

  • AI assistants use structured local data to answer “near me” and “open now” queries; clean schema increases inclusion odds.
  • Consistent NAP and sameAs reduce ambiguity and wrong-language citations.
  • LocalBusiness nodes strengthen your brand knowledge graph, tying locations to your Organization and practitioners (Person), improving E-E-A-T.
  • Accurate hours and services reduce bad experiences and mis-citations.

Core fields to include

  • name, url, image/logo
  • address (streetAddress, addressLocality, addressRegion, postalCode, addressCountry)
  • telephone
  • openingHoursSpecification (and specialOpeningHours if applicable)
  • geo (latitude, longitude)
  • sameAs (GBP, Facebook, directories)
  • priceRange (optional but helpful)
  • areaServed (for service area businesses)
  • serviceType or makesOffer/hasOfferCatalog for services
  • department or parentOrganization for chains/franchises

Single-location vs multi-location patterns

  • Single location: One LocalBusiness per location page; Organization schema sitewide. Link LocalBusiness to Organization with parentOrganization.
  • Multi-location: Unique URL per location; distinct LocalBusiness with unique @id, phone, and hours. Avoid stacking multiple locations on one page.
  • HQ + locations: Use Organization for HQ/homepage; LocalBusiness per location; link via parentOrganization and department where applicable.

Example JSON-LD (LocalBusiness)

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "@id": "https://example.com/locations/lisbon#localbusiness",
  "name": "Example Clinic Lisbon",
  "url": "https://example.com/locations/lisbon",
  "image": "https://example.com/images/lisbon-clinic.jpg",
  "telephone": "+351-21-000-0000",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "Av. da Liberdade 100",
    "addressLocality": "Lisboa",
    "addressRegion": "Lisboa",
    "postalCode": "1250-001",
    "addressCountry": "PT"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": 38.7223,
    "longitude": -9.1393
  },
  "openingHoursSpecification": [
    {"@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification","dayOfWeek": ["Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday"],"opens": "09:00","closes": "18:00"}
  ],
  "sameAs": ["https://www.google.com/maps?cid=123","https://www.facebook.com/exampleclinic"],
  "parentOrganization": {"@id": "https://example.com/#org"},
  "priceRange": "$$",
  "makesOffer": [{"@type": "Offer","itemOffered": {"@type": "Service","name": "Dermatology consultation"}}]
}

Adapt type (e.g., MedicalClinic, Dentist, ProfessionalService) when relevant and add service details.

Services and practitioners (E-E-A-T)

  • Mark services with Service or Offer; link to LocalBusiness via makesOffer/hasOfferCatalog.
  • Add Person schema for practitioners with credentials and link to LocalBusiness via worksFor/affiliation.
  • Include reviews only if real and visible; avoid fake ratings.
  • Keep About/policy pages updated; link to them from location pages for trust.

Multilingual and multi-country

  • Keep @id stable; localize name/description and address fields; use inLanguage where relevant.
  • Align hreflang/canonicals across EN/PT/FR location pages; ensure schema language matches page language.
  • sameAs should point to locale-specific profiles (GBP/FB/directories); avoid mixing languages on one page.
  • Use priceCurrency and local phone formats per market.

Governance and consistency

  • Maintain a location registry: URLs, @id, NAP, hours, sameAs, services, owners.
  • Version control templates; require review for schema changes.
  • Lint in CI; block deploys on missing required fields or duplicate locations.
  • Changelog: date, location URL, changes (hours, phone), owner, prompts to retest.
  • Audit quarterly: compare schema vs page vs GBP/Bing Places vs directories; fix discrepancies.

Audit checklist (per location)

  • Unique LocalBusiness with correct @id and URL.
  • NAP matches page, GBP, and directories.
  • Hours (including holidays) accurate; specialOpeningHours used if needed.
  • Geo coordinates correct; map links live.
  • sameAs includes GBP/Maps and major profiles; no dead links.
  • Services listed match on-page content; FAQs visible if marked up.
  • No duplicate LocalBusiness nodes on the same page.
  • hreflang/canonicals correct for locale variants.

Monitoring and KPIs

  • Search Console enhancement errors/warnings for LocalBusiness.
  • AI citations for “near me” and service prompts; wrong-language citation incidents.
  • GBP metrics (views, direction requests, calls) before/after schema fixes.
  • Assistant referrals or direct spikes after citations.
  • Freshness: % of locations updated (hours/NAP) in last 45 days.
  • Time-to-fix for NAP/hour changes and schema errors.

Governance and change control

  • Keep a location registry with @id, URL, NAP, hours, sameAs, services, owners, and last update date.
  • Version templates; code review schema changes; block deploys on missing required fields.
  • Maintain a changelog: date, change (hours, phone, services), owner, prompts retested.
  • Quarterly audits: schema vs page vs GBP/Bing Places vs directories; fix discrepancies fast.
  • Set SLAs: critical NAP/hour errors fixed within 24–48 hours; schema errors within a sprint.
  • Train regional owners and support teams to report NAP changes immediately.

Reviews, reputation, and E-E-A-T

  • Mark up only real, on-page reviews; include author, datePublished, and rating; remove markup if reviews disappear.
  • Add Person schema for practitioners/founders with credentials; link to LocalBusiness via worksFor/affiliation.
  • Surface awards, certifications, and memberships in content and, where relevant, in schema (award/additionalProperty).
  • Keep About/policy pages updated and linked from location pages; assistants check trust content.

Data sources and consistency

  • Align schema with GBP/Bing Places, internal CRM/POS hours, and directory listings; avoid conflicting data.
  • Use the same @id patterns and sameAs links across locations; avoid duplicates.
  • Keep geo coordinates in sync with map pins; verify map links return 200.
  • For multilingual markets, ensure address formats and phone numbers follow local conventions.

AI prompts to run weekly

  • “near me inopen now.”
  • “Isopen on Saturday?”
  • “Contact number forin.”
  • “Bestinwith good reviews.”
  • “Doesofferin?”

Log citations, language, and accuracy; update schema/page/GBP if wrong.

Multi-location governance model

  • Assign owners per region; central schema lead sets templates and @id patterns.
  • Require location-specific approval for NAP/hour changes; push updates to schema and GBP simultaneously.
  • Use bulk editing where possible but validate sample pages.
  • Set SLAs: critical NAP errors fixed within 24–48 hours; schema errors within a sprint.
  • Keep an escalation path for legal/compliance in regulated niches.

Service area businesses (SAB)

  • Use Service with areaServed; avoid publishing residential addresses if not public.
  • Keep consistent service regions across schema, GBP, and page copy.
  • Provide contact options clearly; avoid “open 24/7” unless true and supported operationally.

Multi-country and multilingual nuances

  • Keep @id stable; localize name/description/address and phone formats; set inLanguage and priceRange appropriately.
  • Align hreflang and canonicals across EN/PT/FR location pages; validate localized schema separately.
  • Use locale-specific sameAs (local directories, press, GBP/Maps) where available.
  • Monitor wrong-language citations and fix hreflang/schema mismatches quickly.
  • Translate FAQs and services with native phrasing; avoid literal translations that miss intent.

Integrations with booking and events

  • Use Action/EntryPoint or Booking/Appointment integrations where supported; link from LocalBusiness.
  • For events (open days, workshops), add Event schema and link to LocalBusiness via location.
  • Ensure booking links and event details are visible and accurate.

Embedding into operations

  • Add schema checks to pre-release QA for new/updated location pages.
  • Update schema, page copy, and GBP simultaneously when hours or phone numbers change.
  • Run weekly prompt panels; rerun after any NAP/hour update and log results.
  • Share monthly reports: errors, citations, GBP metrics, wrong-language incidents, and conversions.
  • Keep support scripts and sales decks aligned with the same NAP/services to avoid mixed messaging.

Experiment ideas

  • Add service FAQs to top locations; monitor AI citations and call volume changes.
  • Test adding service-specific Offer/Service schema for high-intent services; track “near me” prompts.
  • Optimize openingHours for clarity (e.g., separate holiday hours); see if “open now” prompts improve.
  • Localize images and descriptions; check if AI answers pick the right language more often.
  • Add appointment/booking links in schema and on-page; track bookings and AI recommendation phrasing.

Analytics and attribution

  • Track calls, direction requests, and bookings per location before/after schema updates; annotate dashboards.
  • Monitor assistant referrals/direct spikes after AI citations; pair with prompt logs for context.
  • Use conversion tracking on location forms and booking widgets; segment by cited pages.
  • Share before/after AI answer screenshots in leadership updates to show trust/accuracy gains.

Technical notes and headless/SPA setups

  • Server-render or inject LocalBusiness JSON-LD early; confirm rendered HTML contains schema.
  • Avoid multiple injections from plugins + theme; keep one clean block per location page.
  • For multi-location lists, use ItemList linking to individual location pages rather than stacking many LocalBusiness nodes.
  • Ensure map embeds and geo coordinates match; broken embeds can signal low trust.
  • Monitor performance (LCP/INP); slow location pages can limit crawl and parsing.

Risk management

  • Don’t claim 24/7 hours unless true; AI answers surface these claims quickly.
  • Avoid marking non-public addresses for service-area businesses; respect privacy and platform rules.
  • Use correct categories/subtypes (MedicalClinic, Dentist, ProfessionalService); mislabeling can misroute queries.
  • Keep reviews compliant; don’t mark testimonials as reviews if they don’t meet policy and visibility standards.

Post-launch cadence

  • Weekly: validate changes, rerun prompt panels on updated locations, fix critical NAP/hour issues.
  • Monthly: review errors/warnings, wrong-language incidents, GBP metrics trends, and assistant citations.
  • Quarterly: audit all locations for NAP consistency, asset health, sameAs, and hreflang; refresh FAQs/services as needed.

Quick start for small teams

  • Mark up one location page with LocalBusiness basics (NAP, hours, geo, sameAs) and validate.
  • Align GBP and page info; fix any mismatches.
  • Add 3–5 service FAQs; run prompt checks for “near me/open now.”
  • Set a monthly reminder to verify hours and phone numbers; log updates in a simple sheet.
  • Expand to additional locations once the first page is stable.

Common pitfalls and fixes

  • Outdated hours/NAP: Update page, schema, GBP/Bing Places together; log changes.
  • Duplicate LocalBusiness: One per location page; remove extras from plugins.
  • Wrong category/type: Choose the closest subtype (MedicalClinic, Dentist, ProfessionalService, Store).
  • Broken sameAs/Map links: Fix 404s; keep consistent URLs.
  • Marking up aggregate locations on one page: Use ItemList to link to location pages; place LocalBusiness on the location page.

30/60/90-day rollout

First 30 days

  • Audit top locations; fix NAP/hour errors; add LocalBusiness with @id, geo, sameAs, and services; validate.
  • Align GBP/Bing Places data with schema and on-page content; standardize @id patterns.
  • Set up linting and changelog; run baseline AI/local prompt panels.

Next 30 days

  • Localize schema for EN/PT/FR; ensure hreflang/canonicals correct.
  • Add Person (practitioners) and Service schema for key offerings; add FAQs where relevant.
  • Monitor GBP metrics and AI citations; fix wrong-language citations fast.
  • Standardize internal linking to location pages; add breadcrumb schema.

Final 30 days

  • Extend schema to all locations; automate updates for hours/NAP where possible.
  • Build dashboards for LocalBusiness errors, AI citations, GBP metrics, and wrong-language incidents; add alerts.
  • Document governance, SLAs, and playbooks; train regional owners.
  • Run experiments: “open now” accuracy, service FAQs, appointment links; measure citation shifts.

Case snapshots (anonymized)

  • Clinic (PT/EN): Cleaned NAP, added LocalBusiness + practitioner Person schema, localized FAQs; Copilot citations replaced directories; appointment calls +18%.
  • Multi-location services: Standardized @id and sameAs across 25 locations; wrong-language citations dropped to zero; direction requests up 9%.
  • Professional services: Added Service and FAQ to LocalBusiness pages; Perplexity citations for “bestin” rose from 8% to 21%.

Anti-patterns to avoid

  • Fake hours or service claims; assistants and users will flag discrepancies.
  • Marking HQ as LocalBusiness for all markets; create location pages instead.
  • Copying EN schema into PT/FR without localizing address or phone formats.
  • Ignoring reviews/ratings policy; don’t mark up testimonials as reviews unless compliant and visible.
  • Blocking assistant/search bots while expecting AI citations.

How AISO Hub can help

We build and govern local entity data for AI search.

  • AISO Audit: Local schema and NAP health check; roadmap to fix and prioritize.

  • AISO Foundation: Templates, @id patterns, governance, and localization for all locations.

  • AISO Optimize: Expand services/FAQ, add practitioner schema, and test for “near me/open now” prompts.

  • AISO Monitor: Dashboards, alerts, and prompt panels for local citations, errors, and NAP drift.

Conclusion

LocalBusiness schema anchors your locations in AI search and local SERPs.

Give each location a clean JSON-LD block with accurate NAP, hours, geo, services, and sameAs; align with GBP/Bing Places; validate and monitor continuously.

Localize for each market, tie in practitioners and services, and fix errors fast.

When you follow this playbook alongside the Structured Data and AI Ranking Factors pillars, assistants and search engines get a trustworthy view of your business—so you’re the one cited when people ask nearby.

If you want a partner to implement and govern this at scale, AISO Hub is ready to audit, build, optimize, and monitor so your locations show up wherever people ask.