Scatterbranch Marketing found that businesses with schema markup get 3.2 times more AI citations than those without. That number is the whole case for adding LocalBusiness schema to a trades website in one sentence. Schema is the code that tells Google, ChatGPT, and Gemini what the business is, what it does, where it works, and how to reach it. Without it, AI models have to guess from page text. Guessing produces fewer citations.

5WPR's HVAC and Plumbing AI Visibility Index found 87 percent of independent trades businesses have zero citation share on AI "service near me" prompts. Missing schema is one of the reasons. The fix is a single block of code on the homepage, and most trades businesses can add it in under an hour.

What schema does for a trades business

Schema markup is structured data in a format called JSON-LD. It sits in the head of a web page as a script tag. Google reads it to populate the map pack, rich results, and the business panel. AI models like ChatGPT and Gemini read it to understand what the business is and whether it matches a homeowner's question.

AEO vs SEO describes the difference between ranking on Google and getting named inside an AI answer. Schema is the bridge. It is the one signal that helps both sides at once. Google uses it for local search rich results. AI models use it to confirm the business is real, categorized correctly, and operating in the right area.

Step 1: Pick the right schema type

Schema.org has specific subtypes for trades businesses. Use the most specific one available.

| Trade | Schema type | |-------|-------------| | Plumbing | Plumber | | HVAC | HVACBusiness | | Electrical | Electrician | | Roofing | RoofingContractor | | General contracting | GeneralContractor | | Landscaping | LandscapingBusiness | | Pest control | PestControl | | Locksmith | Locksmith | | Painting | Painter | | Moving | MovingCompany |

A business that does multiple trades can combine types in an array. Google's own documentation shows this format:

The mistake most trades businesses make is using the generic LocalBusiness type. A plumber who types "@type": "LocalBusiness" instead of "@type": "Plumber" loses the industry-specific signals. Google and AI models both use the type field to categorize the business. Generic types produce generic results.

Step 2: Fill in the required and recommended fields

Google requires the name field. Everything else in the recommended list improves the chance of showing up in rich results and AI answers.

The full block for a plumbing business:

Step 3: What each field does for AI visibility

name and description: The name should match the Google Business Profile exactly. The description should be one or two sentences that include the trade, the service area, and the core services. AI models read this field first when they parse the page.

address and geo: The address should match the Google Business Profile and every other listing. The geo coordinates (latitude and longitude) help AI models place the business on a map. Google Maps can generate the coordinates from the address. How ChatGPT picks local businesses starts with entity resolution, and matching addresses across schema and listings is what makes that step succeed.

areaServed: This field tells AI models which counties or regions the business covers. Without it, a model may assume the business only serves the city in the address. A plumber who covers all of North Jersey should list Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Hudson, and Morris counties. This is the field that most trades schemas miss.

openingHoursSpecification: AI models use hours to filter out businesses that are closed. A homeowner who asks ChatGPT for a plumber at 9 PM on a Saturday may get filtered down to businesses with emergency or weekend hours. Listing the hours in schema makes that visible to the model.

aggregateRating: Star ratings matter for AI visibility. SOCi found ChatGPT recommendations clustering around 4.3 stars and above. The schema rating should match the Google rating and the Yelp rating. Mismatched numbers reduce confidence.

sameAs: This is the field that connects the business across the web. Each link in the array tells the AI model "this is the same business as this Facebook page, this Yelp listing, this Angi profile." Why ChatGPT does not recommend a business often comes down to the model being unable to confirm the business across sources. sameAs solves that.

Step 4: Install the schema on the website

The JSON-LD block goes in the <head> section of the page. Most website platforms have a way to add custom HTML or a custom head section:

  • WordPress: Use a plugin like Yoast SEO, Rank Math, or a custom HTML block in the page editor. The schema goes in the head through the plugin's structured data settings.
  • Squarespace: Add a Code Block to the page and paste the JSON-LD inside script tags.
  • Wix: Use the Velo dev mode or the SEO settings panel to add custom structured data.
  • Hand-coded site: Paste the script tag directly in the <head> of the homepage or contact page.

For a single-location business, the same schema block can appear on every page. For multi-location, each location page carries its own block with that location's address, phone, and coordinates.

Step 5: Test the schema

Google's Rich Results Test (search.google.com/test/rich-results) checks whether the schema is valid and shows what Google sees. Paste the URL or the raw JSON-LD and the tool reports errors and warnings.

Schema.org's own validator (validator.schema.org) checks the JSON-LD against the full schema specification. It catches type mismatches and missing required fields that Google's tool may not flag.

After adding the schema, check whether the business shows up in AI answers. The schema may take a few days to be crawled and indexed. A free AI visibility audit flags whether the schema is present and whether it matches the listings across the web.

What schema does not fix

Schema is one signal among many. A business with perfect schema but a 3.2-star rating will still get skipped. A business with schema but an unclaimed Bing Places listing will still be invisible to the organic side of ChatGPT. A business with schema but stale content will still lose to a competitor who posts monthly.

Schema is the floor. What AI visibility means for a trades business is the full stack of signals: schema, listings, reviews, fresh content, and a website that loads fast on a phone. The audit is free and checks all of them.

FAQ

What schema type should a plumber, HVAC, or electrical contractor use?

Use the most specific subtype available on schema.org. Plumbers use Plumber, HVAC companies use HVACBusiness, electricians use Electrician, roofers use RoofingContractor, and general contractors use GeneralContractor. Google supports array notation for businesses that do multiple trades, such as "@type": ["Plumber", "Electrician"]. Avoid the generic LocalBusiness type when a specific subtype exists.

Does schema markup affect AI recommendations from ChatGPT and Gemini?

Yes. Scatterbranch Marketing found businesses with schema markup get 3.2 times more AI citations than those without. Schema tells AI models what the business is, what services it offers, and where it operates. Without it, the model has to guess from page text, which is less reliable and less likely to produce a citation.

Where does LocalBusiness schema go on a website?

Place the JSON-LD script tag in the head section of the homepage or the contact page. The same schema block can appear on every page if the business has one location. For businesses with multiple locations, each location page should carry its own schema block with that location's address, phone, and geo coordinates.

What is the most common schema markup mistake for trades businesses?

Using the generic LocalBusiness type instead of the specific subtype. A plumber who uses LocalBusiness instead of Plumber loses the industry-specific signals that help Google and AI models categorize the business correctly. Other common mistakes: leaving out the areaServed property, omitting geo coordinates, and not listing the sameAs links to Yelp, Angi, and Facebook profiles.

Can a trades business add schema without a developer?

Yes. The JSON-LD format is a script tag that goes in the head of the page. Most website builders and CMS platforms let you paste it into a custom HTML block or the page settings. Free schema generators from Eric Scott Studios, theStacc, or Google's own Structured Data Markup Helper produce the code from a form. The business owner fills in the fields, copies the output, and pastes it into the site.