Go to Google and type in “architect in Denver”.Visit Google and type in “architect in Denver”. The majority of listings have a blue title and 2 lines of grey text. A select few display additional information, like a breadcrumb trail beneath the title or a company panel with hours of operation and a telephone number.
These extras are not just a fluke. Many are cloaked with a little piece of hidden code called schema markup. It’s one of the purest methods for letting Google know who you are, where you’re located, and what you do for a living.
This guide covers schema markup for architecture companies, starting from the basics. No coding skills required. You will learn what schema is, what types are important for an architecture website, how to add it, and how to ensure it is effective.
What Is Schema Markup (in Plain English)?
Schema markup is a collection of labels that you can place in the code of your web pages. Labels provide search engines with information about the meaning of content on a page.
Consider a set of drawings with a door schedule. On a given plan, someone can guess which openings are doors. The schedule eliminates the guesswork by identifying the name of each by its size and type. Your website is similar to Schema. Whereas Google surmises that (512) 555-0123 is your phone number, schema makes it your phone number.
There are some terms that are repeated throughout the book, so they are listed here in simple terms.
- Schema.org: a common vocabulary of labels (types and properties) that search engines can read.
- Structured data: Data organised using labels. The most common form of schema markup is the type you use for a website.
- JSON-LD: the format used to write schema. It’s a small piece of code that you add to your page. Google says it is recommended, and it is the easiest to manage as it is not visible content.
- Rich results: search results that display additional information next to the blue link, like business information or breadcrumbs. They’re also referred to as rich snippets.
What Schema Markup Can (and Cannot) Do
Just don’t get into developing schema unless you know what you want.
What it can do:
- Develop rich results for Google: Google leverages structured data to interpret the page and to create richer results like breadcrumbs or business information, wherever applicable.
- Eliminate the confusion surrounding your company: Name, address, phone, hours, and service area are clear.
- Support your local signals: If your schema is consistent with your Google Business Profile and your citations, you will appear as the same company in all locations.
- Support knowledge panels: Local business markup can provide Google with information about your hours and other details, and can enable business knowledge panels and carousels.
What it cannot do:
- No magic ranking switch: Schema does not ensure rankings. There are errors in the markup as well. A structured data manual action may take away rich result eligibility, but will not affect the page position in web search.
- It does not ensure rich results, which are determined by Google.
- Not necessary for AI search: Google states there is no special schema.org markup needed to be shown in AI Overviews or AI Mode. While schema still aids clarity, no one should ever market it as an AI shortcut.
Treat schema as a clarity tool. It rewards firms that are accurate and consistent.
What Changed in 2026: FAQ and Review Schema
Two types matter here because many older guides still recommend them. Both are on your semantic keyword list, so here is the honest picture.
FAQ schema: FAQ dropdowns in search results used to be a favorite tactic. That is over. Google restricted FAQ rich results to well-known government and health sites in August 2023, and stopped showing them for essentially all sites on May 7, 2026. Google also planned to remove FAQ support from the Rich Results Test and the Search Console report in June 2026. FAQ content is still useful for visitors, and Google’s own Ask features may draw on it. But do not add FAQ schema hoping for a rich result. It will not appear.
Review schema: Many firms want star ratings under their search listing. Google’s rules block the easy route. Google accepts review markup for an Organization or LocalBusiness only on sites that collect reviews about other businesses. In plain terms, an architecture firm cannot mark up its own client reviews on its own site to earn stars. Doing so risks a manual action. Your reviews belong on your Google Business Profile, where the stars show in map results.
Knowing what not to do saves time and risk.
Which Schema Types Does an Architecture Firm Need?
Schema.org lists hundreds of types. You need a handful. This table shows the ones that fit an architecture website.
| Schema type | Where to add it | What it does | Rich result likely? |
| ProfessionalService (LocalBusiness) | Homepage and contact page | Labels your firm’s name, address, phone, hours, and service area | Supports business panels |
| Organization details (logo, sameAs) | Homepage, inside the same block | Links your firm to its official profiles | Supports logo and identity |
| BreadcrumbList | Every inner page | Shows the page’s path in search results | Yes, breadcrumbs |
| Service | Each service page | Labels what you offer and where | No visible rich result, helps understanding |
| Person | Team and founder pages | Labels the people behind the firm | No visible rich result, helps identity |
| BlogPosting (Article) | Blog posts | Labels author, dates, and headline | Eligible for article features |
| FAQPage | Pages with real FAQs | Labels questions and answers | No, rich results ended |
| Review or AggregateRating | Not on your own site | Not allowed for self-reviews | Avoid |
Google still produces rich results for Article, LocalBusiness, BreadcrumbList, Organization, and Review markup that follows its rules. For a typical firm, the core set is the first six rows.
A note on type names. Schema.org has no dedicated business type for architecture firms, so ProfessionalService is the usual best fit. It sits under the LocalBusiness family. Builders and contractors have their own types, but those describe construction, not design.
Before You Start: Gather Your Details
Schema must match what visitors see on the page. Use the master record from your citation work. If you have not built one, collect these details first.
- Exact firm name, as on your sign and Google Business Profile
- Full address, or just city and state if you hide your street address
- Main phone number in one fixed format
- Website address, using the same HTTPS version everywhere
- Hours, matching your Google profile
- Cities and regions you serve
- Links to your official profiles: Google Business Profile, LinkedIn, Houzz, Architizer, Facebook
- Logo file and a good office or project photo
- License number and professional memberships, if you want to show them in text on the page
Our guide to NAP consistency and local citations for architects covers building this master record.
Type 1: ProfessionalService (LocalBusiness) Schema
What it is: The main block that describes your firm as a local business.
Why it matters for architects: This is the most important schema on your site. It ties your website to your Google Business Profile and your citations. LocalBusiness technically needs only a name and an address, but a fuller block gives Google more to work with. relevantaudience
How to add it: Put it on your homepage and contact page. If you run multiple offices, add one block per office on its own location page.
Example (placeholder details, replace with your own):
html
<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “ProfessionalService”,
“@id”: “https://www.riveraarchitects.com/#business”,
“name”: “Rivera Architects”,
“url”: “https://www.riveraarchitects.com/”,
“logo”: “https://www.riveraarchitects.com/images/logo.png”,
“image”: “https://www.riveraarchitects.com/images/studio-front.jpg”,
“description”: “Licensed residential and light commercial architecture firm in Austin, Texas, designing custom homes, additions, and ADUs.”,
“telephone”: “+1-512-555-0123”,
“email”: “hello@riveraarchitects.com”,
“address”: {
“@type”: “PostalAddress”,
“streetAddress”: “123 Main Street, Suite 200”,
“addressLocality”: “Austin”,
“addressRegion”: “TX”,
“postalCode”: “78701”,
“addressCountry”: “US”
},
“geo”: {
“@type”: “GeoCoordinates”,
“latitude”: 30.2672,
“longitude”: -97.7431
},
“openingHoursSpecification”: [
{
“@type”: “OpeningHoursSpecification”,
“dayOfWeek”: [“Monday”, “Tuesday”, “Wednesday”, “Thursday”, “Friday”],
“opens”: “09:00”,
“closes”: “17:00”
}
],
“areaServed”: [
{ “@type”: “City”, “name”: “Austin” },
{ “@type”: “City”, “name”: “Round Rock” },
{ “@type”: “City”, “name”: “Cedar Park” }
],
“sameAs”: [
“https://www.google.com/maps?cid=YOUR_CID”,
“https://www.linkedin.com/company/rivera-architects”,
“https://www.houzz.com/professionals/rivera-architects”,
“https://architizer.com/firms/rivera-architects”
]
}
</script>
What each part does.
| Field | Meaning |
| @type | The kind of business. ProfessionalService fits architects. |
| @id | A unique tag for your firm, so other blocks can refer to it. |
| name, url, telephone | Your core identity details. They must match your visible NAP. |
| logo, image | Your logo and a representative photo. |
| address, geo | Your location in text and map coordinates. |
| openingHoursSpecification | Your hours, matching your Google profile. |
| areaServed | The cities you work in. |
| sameAs | Links to your official profiles on other sites. |
Home studio or hidden address. If you hide your street address on Google, do the same in schema. Leave out streetAddress, keep city, region, and country, and rely on areaServed to show where you work. Never show an address in code that you have hidden elsewhere.
Type 2: BreadcrumbList Schema
What it is: A label for the trail of pages that leads to the current one, such as Home, then Projects, then Residential, then the project name.
Why it matters for architects: Portfolio sites often have deep layers: projects inside categories inside the portfolio. Breadcrumb markup helps Google understand that structure. It can also show the path in your search result instead of a plain web address, which makes the result easier to read.
How to add it: Put it on every inner page. Most SEO plugins create it for you when breadcrumbs are switched on.
Example:
html
<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “BreadcrumbList”,
“itemListElement”: [
{
“@type”: “ListItem”,
“position”: 1,
“name”: “Home”,
“item”: “https://www.riveraarchitects.com/”
},
{
“@type”: “ListItem”,
“position”: 2,
“name”: “Projects”,
“item”: “https://www.riveraarchitects.com/projects/”
},
{
“@type”: “ListItem”,
“position”: 3,
“name”: “Courtyard House in Austin”
}
]
}
</script>
The last item is the current page, so it does not need a link. Make sure the visible breadcrumbs on the page match the code.
Type 3: Service Schema
What it is: A label for each service you offer, such as ADU design or home additions.
Why it matters for architects: Service schema does not usually create a visible rich result. It helps Google and AI tools connect each service page to your firm and your service area. That supports the relevance part of local ranking.
How to add it: Add one block to each main service page. Link it back to your business block through the @id.
Example:
html
<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “Service”,
“name”: “ADU Design and Architecture”,
“serviceType”: “Accessory dwelling unit architecture”,
“description”: “Design, permit drawings, and construction support for backyard cottages and garage conversions in the Austin area.”,
“provider”: { “@id”: “https://www.riveraarchitects.com/#business” },
“areaServed”: [
{ “@type”: “City”, “name”: “Austin” },
{ “@type”: “City”, “name”: “Round Rock” }
],
“url”: “https://www.riveraarchitects.com/services/adu-architect-austin/”
}
</script>
The description must reflect what the page actually says. Do not use schema to describe services you do not offer or do not mention.
Type 4: Person Schema
What it is: A label for a team member, such as the founding principal.
Why it matters for architects: Clients hire people. Person markup connects your principal architects to the firm and to their professional profiles, which supports a clear identity. It does not create a rich result, so treat it as a supporting piece.
How to add it: Add it to your About page or to each bio page.
Example:
html
<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Maria Rivera”,
“jobTitle”: “Principal Architect”,
“worksFor”: { “@id”: “https://www.riveraarchitects.com/#business” },
“knowsAbout”: [“Residential architecture”, “Sustainable design”, “Historic renovation”],
“url”: “https://www.riveraarchitects.com/about/maria-rivera/”,
“sameAs”: [
“https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariarivera”
]
}
</script>
Only add facts that appear on the page and that you can prove, such as your role and your public profiles.
Type 5: BlogPosting (Article) Schema
What it is. A label for blog posts that names the headline, author, and dates.
Why it matters for architects. If you publish cost guides, zoning explainers, or project stories, this markup tells Google who wrote them and when. Fresh, clearly authored posts build trust with readers and search engines.
How to add it. Add it to every blog post. SEO plugins usually do this automatically. Check that the dates are right.
Example:
html
<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “BlogPosting”,
“headline”: “How Much Does an Architect Cost in Austin?”,
“image”: “https://www.riveraarchitects.com/images/architect-cost-guide.jpg”,
“datePublished”: “2026-10-29”,
“dateModified”: “2026-10-29”,
“author”: {
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Maria Rivera”,
“url”: “https://www.riveraarchitects.com/about/maria-rivera/”
},
“publisher”: { “@id”: “https://www.riveraarchitects.com/#business” },
“mainEntityOfPage”: “https://www.riveraarchitects.com/blog/how-much-does-an-architect-cost-in-austin/”
}
</script>
Update dateModified whenever you make a real update. Do not change it just to look fresh.
Type 6: FAQ Schema (Optional, With Realistic Expectations)
What it is: A label for a list of questions and answers on a page.
Where it stands now: As covered above, FAQ rich results no longer appear in search. If your pages already carry FAQ schema from an older plugin, it will not cause harm in most cases. There is no need to rush to remove it. But do not spend money or time adding it new, and do not expect search result changes from it.
What to do instead: Keep writing helpful FAQ sections in plain visible text on your service pages. Clients still read them, and they give search tools clear, accurate answers about your firm. Keep the answers consistent with your Google Business Profile.
How to Add Schema to Your Website
There are three common ways. Pick the one that fits your setup.
Option 1: Use an SEO plugin (best for most WordPress sites).
- Yoast SEO and Rank Math both create basic schema for your site, pages, and posts. Rank Math includes a Local SEO area for business details. Yoast offers a local add-on. Plan details change, so check the current options.
- Open the plugin’s schema or local settings, enter your firm details, and save.
- Review the result on your live pages. Plugins can output generic or incomplete data if left on defaults.
Option 2: Add the code by hand.
- Paste the JSON-LD block into the page’s head section or body, using a header-and-footer plugin, your theme’s custom code area, or the page builder’s HTML block.
- This gives you full control. It suits firms with a developer or someone comfortable with copy and paste.
- Use a plain text editor. Word processors can change straight quotes to curly quotes, which breaks the code.
Option 3: Use Google Tag Manager.
- Create a Custom HTML tag that holds the JSON-LD and set it to fire on the right pages.
- This works, but adding schema straight into the page source is more reliable.
Wix and Squarespace: Both let you add structured data or custom code. Wix has structured data options in its SEO tools. Squarespace uses code injection, which may depend on your plan. Check your current plan.
One rule across all methods: Keep one clean set of markup per page. Plugin plus theme plus manual code can create three copies of your business that disagree. See our technical SEO audit guide for architects for how to find and remove duplicates.
Step-by-Step: Add and Check Schema in One Afternoon
- Gather your details: Use your master record.
- Choose your pages: Start with the homepage, contact page, top three service pages, and your blog.
- Check what you already have: Paste your homepage address into the Rich Results Test. Note any existing schema from plugins or themes.
- Add or fix your business block: Make sure the name, address, phone, and hours match your Google Business Profile exactly.
- Turn on breadcrumbs: Enable breadcrumb output in your plugin or theme.
- Add Service and Person blocks where they apply.
- Test every page type: Run each through the checks below.
- Watch Search Console: Check the reports over the next few weeks.
How to Test Your Schema
Two free tools do the checking. Use both, since they answer different questions.
Google Rich Results Test: Go to search.google.com/test/rich-results, paste a page address or code, and run the test. It shows which Google features your markup supports and flags errors and warnings. It only reports on features Google supports for rich results. That means a valid Service or Person block may show nothing here, and that is normal.
Schema Markup Validator: Go to validator.schema.org and test the same page. This one checks any schema.org markup against the vocabulary itself, including types Google does not use for rich results. Use it to confirm that the Service, Person, and other blocks are written correctly.
How to read the results.
- Errors (red) mean something is broken or missing. Fix these first.
- Warnings (yellow) mean optional details are missing. Fix them when it makes sense.
- No items detected means the code is missing, blocked, or unreadable. Check the page source with Ctrl+U and search for “ld+json.”
Search Console: Open the Enhancements section for your site. Reports for supported types, such as Breadcrumbs, show valid pages, warnings, and errors across your whole site. The FAQ report and its testing support were removed from Search Console in 2026, so do not worry if you do not see them. dev
Schema Rules to Follow
Google can ignore or penalize misleading markup, so keep these rules in mind.
- Mark up only what is on the page: If it is not visible to visitors, it does not belong in the code.
- Keep details identical: Name, address, phone, and hours must match your page, your Google Business Profile, and your citations.
- Do not add fake or self-written reviews: See the review rule above.
- Do not copy another firm’s schema: Copy the structure, replace every value.
- Do not add markup for services or awards you do not have.
- Keep it current: Update the code when hours, phone numbers, or addresses change.
- Use straight quotes in code: Curly quotes break JSON.
Common Schema Mistakes Architecture Firms Make
| Mistake | Why it hurts | Fix |
| Duplicate schema from plugin, theme, and builder | Google sees several versions of your firm | Keep one clean block per page |
| Mismatched name, address, or phone | Weakens trust across all sources | Use the master record everywhere |
| Marking up your own reviews for stars | Breaks Google’s guidelines and risks a manual action | Keep reviews on Google Business Profile |
| Expecting FAQ rich results | They no longer appear | Write helpful FAQs as plain page content |
| Showing a hidden home address in code | Contradicts your privacy setup | Leave out the street address and use areaServed |
| Broken code from curly quotes or missing commas | The whole block fails | Test every page with both tools |
| Wrong business type | Sends mixed signals | Use ProfessionalService for an architecture firm |
| Setting it up once and forgetting it | Details drift over time | Review schema every quarter |
Schema Markup Checklist You Can Copy
Copy this table into a sheet and tick each box.
| # | Check | Done? |
| 1 | Master NAP record written and matches Google Business Profile | |
| 2 | ProfessionalService block on homepage and contact page | |
| 3 | Name, address, phone, and hours match the visible page | |
| 4 | sameAs lists all official profiles | |
| 5 | Hidden address handled correctly, if applicable | |
| 6 | Breadcrumbs enabled on inner pages | |
| 7 | Service block on each main service page | |
| 8 | Person block for the principal architect | |
| 9 | BlogPosting schema on posts, with real author and dates | |
| 10 | No self-review or fake rating markup | |
| 11 | One clean block per page, no duplicates | |
| 12 | Every page type tested in the Rich Results Test | |
| 13 | Every page type tested in the Schema Markup Validator | |
| 14 | Search Console Enhancements checked | |
| 15 | Quarterly review set in the calendar |
What Results to Expect
Be realistic. Valid schema makes your site eligible for features. It does not promise them. Breadcrumbs often appear within a few weeks of being recrawled. Business details and knowledge panels depend on many signals, including your Google Business Profile, reviews, and citations.
Measure what you can: errors fixed in Search Console, breadcrumb coverage, consistent business details across the web, and over time, calls and inquiries from search. Schema works best as one part of a full local strategy, not as a standalone fix.
Where to Start
Do not try every type at once. Follow this order.
- Day 1: Gather your details and test your current homepage in the Rich Results Test.
- Day 2: Add or fix the ProfessionalService block and confirm it matches your Google profile.
- Day 3: Turn on breadcrumbs and check them in the validator.
- Week 2: Add Service blocks to your top service pages and a Person block for your principal.
- Week 3: Confirm BlogPosting schema on posts and clean any duplicates.
- Every quarter: Re-test and update.
Schema works best on a site that is fast, crawlable, and clearly written. Our on-page and technical guides cover that groundwork. If your site needs a better structure for adding markup, an architect website design team can build it in. And schema is one piece of the full SEO for architects plan.
Next Step
Schema is detailed work, and small errors can silently cancel the benefit. Codestro offers local SEO services for architects that include schema setup and audits, Google Business Profile optimization, citation cleanup, city and service pages, and monthly reporting. You can also book a free 30-minute strategy call and get a schema review for your site.