If you want AI systems to understand your business, you need to speak their language. That language is JSON-LD.
JSON-LD stands for JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data. It's a way of structuring information on your website so machines can read it directly, without having to interpret your page content.
Pro Tip
Think of JSON-LD as a machine-readable business card. Instead of hoping an AI can figure out your business name, address, and services from your website text, you hand it structured data that says explicitly: here's exactly what we are and what we do.
Why this matters for GEO
AI systems pulling information about local businesses face a challenge: the web is messy. Your business name might be styled differently in your logo than in your footer. Your address might be written multiple ways. Your services might be scattered across pages.
JSON-LD solves this by providing clean, standardized data. When an AI system encounters JSON-LD on your site, it can extract your business information with confidence rather than guessing.
"AI recommendations are based on the AI's understanding of your business. The clearer that understanding, the more likely you are to be recommended accurately for relevant queries."
What JSON-LD looks like
Here's a simplified example of LocalBusiness JSON-LD:
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Plumber",
"name": "Smith Plumbing",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "123 Main St",
"addressLocality": "Austin",
"addressRegion": "TX",
"postalCode": "78701"
},
"telephone": "+1-512-555-0123",
"aggregateRating": {
"@type": "AggregateRating",
"ratingValue": "4.8",
"reviewCount": "342"
}
}
```
This tells AI systems: this is a plumber named Smith Plumbing at this address with this phone number and this rating based on this many reviews. No interpretation required.
Key schema types for local businesses
LocalBusiness is the foundation, but you should use more specific types when available. Plumber, Electrician, HVACBusiness, BeautySalon—these give AI systems more context about your category.
AggregateRating displays your overall review data. AI systems use this to assess reputation.
Review schema marks up individual reviews on your site. If you display testimonials, structuring them properly makes them machine-readable.
Service schema describes what you offer. If you're a plumber who does water heater installation, emergency repairs, and drain cleaning, each service can be structured.
GeoCoordinates defines your service area. This helps AI systems recommend you for location-specific queries.
Common mistakes
Important
A surprising number of local business websites have no structured data at all. They're invisible to the machine-readable web.
Using generic LocalBusiness when specific types exist. If there's a schema type for your exact business category, use it. More specificity helps.
Inconsistent data. If your JSON-LD says your phone number is 512-555-0123 but your website displays (512) 555-0123 and your Google profile has +15125550123, you've created confusion. Standardize.
Not updating. If your JSON-LD has your old address or outdated rating data, you're sending bad information to AI systems.
Implementation
JSON-LD goes in a script tag in your page's head section. Most website platforms have plugins or settings for adding structured data. If you're using WordPress, there are several schema plugins. If you have a custom site, your developer needs to add this manually.
Pro Tip
After implementation, test with Google's Rich Results Test or Schema.org's validator. These tools will flag errors and missing fields.
This isn't optional anymore. Every local business website should have LocalBusiness schema at minimum. The businesses that do this well give AI systems exactly what they need to recommend them accurately. The ones that don't are trusting AI to figure it out on their own.
Further Reading
- LocalBusiness Schema Documentation — Official Schema.org specification with examples
- Google's Local Business Structured Data Guide — Google's official implementation documentation
- Google Rich Results Test — Google's tool for validating your structured data
- Schema.org Getting Started Guide — Introduction to implementing structured data
Amadeus Peterson is the CTO of Cheers, the GEO platform for local service businesses.