Structured data and schema markup sound like developer problems. The idea behind them is not complicated, and it is worth understanding even if you never touch the code yourself.

What it actually is

A normal web page is written for a human to read. Structured data adds a clear label underneath that tells a machine what each piece is: this is a business name, this is an address, this is a review score, this is an opening time. Nothing changes for the visitor. Everything changes for what Google and AI tools can do with the page.

What matters for local businesses

For a trade or local service business, the useful markup is usually LocalBusiness-style information: who you are, where you operate, what you offer, how to contact you, and reviews where they are real. That matters more than tagging every blog post as an Article and hoping for the best.

What it unlocks

Richer search results: ratings, hours and similar details when Google trusts the data
FAQ eligibility only when those questions and answers are genuinely on the page
Clearer eligibility to be quoted by AI tools summarising an answer, including Google AI Overviews

Do not fake FAQ schema

Stuffing invisible FAQ markup that does not match real on-page content is a quiet own-goal. Mark up questions your customers can actually read. If the FAQ is not there, do not invent it in the code.

Why it matters more now

Search used to reward pages that ranked for a keyword. AI-driven search rewards pages a machine can parse with confidence. An AI tool summarising "best mobile repair service in Wigan" is more likely to pull from a page that clearly states services, location and reviews in structured form than one that only implies the same information in flowing sentences.

What most small business sites get wrong

Template builders often skip structured data entirely, or apply it inconsistently. The content might read fine to a person and still be harder for the systems now doing a growing share of the recommending.

What this looks like without touching code

You do not need to understand the technical format to benefit from it. What matters is knowing your site has it, consistently, on the pages that need it: business details, services, reviews and real FAQs. This is built into every Forma site by default. Ask us to check yours if you are unsure.