What is schema markup and why does it matter for AI search?

Schema markup is structured data you add to your website's HTML that tells search engines and AI exactly what your business is — your name, services, service area, phone number, hours, and reviews. It's a code block (JSON-LD format) that you paste in your website header. AI search engines use schema to understand your business entity and decide whether to recommend you. Google recommends JSON-LD as the preferred format for structured data.

What does JSON-LD look like?

Here's a simplified example of LocalBusiness schema for a plumbing company:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Plumber",
  "name": "Smith Plumbing",
  "telephone": "(209) 555-0100",
  "areaServed": "Stockton, CA",
  "priceRange": "$$",
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.8",
    "reviewCount": "127"
  }
}

What schema types matter for local businesses?

Schema type What it tells AI
LocalBusinessYour business name, address, phone, hours, and service area
FAQPageQuestion/answer pairs AI can extract directly into responses
ServiceWhat you offer, pricing, and descriptions of each service
AggregateRatingYour overall review score and review count — builds trust with AI

How do you add schema to your website?

Schema markup is a JSON-LD code block you paste into your website's <head> section. It works on any platform:

  • WordPress — paste in your theme's header.php or use a plugin like RankMath or Yoast
  • Wix — Settings > Custom Code > add to Head
  • Squarespace — Settings > Advanced > Code Injection > Header
  • Custom sites — paste directly in the <head> tag of your HTML

What NOT to do with schema

  • Fake reviews in schema — do not add AggregateRating data that doesn't match your actual reviews. Google penalizes this.
  • Unsupported claims — don't add schema properties for things you can't verify (e.g., awards you haven't won)
  • Outdated information — schema with wrong phone numbers, old addresses, or discontinued services hurts more than no schema at all
  • Microdata format — while technically supported, Google recommends JSON-LD. Stick with JSON-LD.

How does CiteZilla handle schema?

CiteZilla's AI Visibility Package ($199 one-time) includes complete schema markup for your business. We generate the correct LocalBusiness, FAQPage, Service, and AggregateRating schema based on your actual business data, then install it on your site. Every answer page includes its own FAQPage schema. Works on any website platform.

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