The short answer
Schema markup is a small block of code that states facts about your page in a form machines can't misread: your business name, address, phone, opening hours, who wrote an article.
It isn't magic. Google says you don't need it for AI search, and it no longer shows FAQ results. What still matters is that the data is correct, complete for your business type, and the same as what the page says.
What Google asks for, by type
| Type | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| LocalBusiness | name, address | telephone, url, opening hours, geo, image, priceRange |
| Organization | None | name, url, logo, sameAs, description, contact details |
| Article | None | headline, author with url, datePublished, dateModified, image |
| Product | name, plus offers, review or rating | Depends on the result; see Google's product guide |
| FAQPage | No longer shown by Google | Keep the questions visible on the page instead |
Where to paste the code
WordPress
SEO plugins such as Yoast SEO and Rank Math add Organization and article data for you; fill in their settings first. For anything extra, a header-and-footer code plugin lets you paste a script into one page's head.
Shopify
Many themes already add product data. Check before adding more, because two copies of the same item confuse engines.
Wix and other site builders
Look in your page's SEO settings for a structured data or custom code option, and paste the code there.
Any other site
Paste the script inside the page's <head>, then run this checker again and Google's Rich Results Test to confirm.
Questions
Do I need schema to show up in AI Overviews or ChatGPT?
No. Google says structured data isn't required for its AI features and there is no special markup for them. Schema helps engines read details like your address and phone exactly, which is useful, but the words on your page do the main work.
Which schema should a small business add first?
LocalBusiness, or a more exact type such as Dentist or JewelryStore, on your home or contact page. Google needs a name and address, and recommends phone, opening hours, location and photos. If you serve customers online only, use Organization.
Is FAQ schema still worth adding?
Google stopped showing FAQ results on 7 May 2026, so FAQ markup no longer changes how you look on Google. Writing the questions and answers on the page still helps people and AI find your answer. Our free FAQ builder writes both.
What does 'doesn't match the page' mean?
Google's rule is that structured data must describe what visitors can see. If the data says one phone number and the page shows another, or lists questions the page doesn't have, engines can ignore it.
Why can't the checker see my schema?
It reads the page as it is first sent, like most crawlers. Schema added later by a script, such as Google Tag Manager, may not show. Google's Rich Results Test runs scripts, so use it to double-check.
Does this tool change my website?
No. It reads one public page. Any code it suggests is yours to check and paste.
Read next
- Free FAQ builder: questions for your page, with optional markup
- E-E-A-T for small business websites
- The technical SEO checklist for AI search
Other free checks: AI crawler checker and llms.txt checker.