Local discovery
Keep each location’s facts consistent across the web
Build a location fact register, resolve conflicting hours and phone numbers, and align visible pages with LocalBusiness structured data.
TL;DR
- Maintain one approved record for each real location's name, address, phone and hours.
- Give every location a clear page, and make its structured data describe that same location.
- Correct conflicting facts at the source and on major profiles; a schema change alone cannot update every listing.
- Measure factual accuracy separately from AI mentions or recommendations.
For a business with several branches, the first local discovery task is simple: make the right facts available for the right place. NAP means name, address and phone. A useful operating record also includes hours, services, location status and the person responsible for updates.
Consistent records describe the same real business. Small changes in punctuation do not always mean the facts conflict. A wrong phone number or another branch's opening hours deserves attention before an abbreviation difference.
In Rio SEO's 2025 survey of more than 1,000 U.S. consumers, 53% said inaccurate listings would drive them away. That is a reported preference, not measured lost revenue or an AI accuracy test. It supports treating fact errors as a customer-service issue. Rio SEO study summary.
Start with an approved location register
Ask operations to confirm the details, rather than treating the website or an old directory as automatically correct. Record where each fact came from and when it was checked. Include special hours and temporary closures in the update process.
Google requires accurate representation and generally one Business Profile per eligible business location, with exceptions and additional rules for certain departments and practitioners. Check whether the location qualifies. Adding markup cannot turn a virtual mailing address into a valid storefront. Google Business Profile guidelines.
Use this register as the publishing brief for the website, profiles and listing partners. Keep credentials outside it.
| Field | Approved source | Acceptance check |
|---|---|---|
| Location identity and address | Operations record and real-world signage. | Page, profile and map identify the same branch. |
| Phone | Branch manager or phone-system owner. | Number reaches the intended branch or clearly labeled central team. |
| Regular and special hours | Current operating schedule. | Dates, local time and closure exceptions agree. |
| Services offered | Branch service inventory. | No service is inherited from another branch by mistake. |
| Update owner | Named operational role. | A change has an owner, due date and verification record. |
Worked example: fix a branch-hours conflict
Illustrative example: a fictional equipment-service business.
A buyer asks when the Seattle branch closes. The location page says 6 p.m., the Business Profile says 5 p.m., and the page's JSON-LD says 7 p.m. The operations schedule confirms 5 p.m. on weekdays. Investigation finds that the web template copied the hours from another branch.
The issue is a publishing conflict with a known source. It is not enough evidence to identify why a particular AI answer was wrong.
The editor corrects the visible hours, the profile manager updates the profile if needed, and the developer connects the JSON-LD to the Seattle record. Each location gets a distinct identifier and URL. The following fictional fragment shows the intended relationship:
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"@id": "https://example.com/locations/seattle#business",
"name": "Northline Service — Seattle",
"url": "https://example.com/locations/seattle",
"telephone": "+1-206-555-0142",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "100 Example Street",
"addressLocality": "Seattle",
"addressRegion": "WA",
"postalCode": "98101",
"addressCountry": "US"
},
"openingHoursSpecification": [{
"@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
"dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"],
"opens": "09:00",
"closes": "17:00"
}]
}
Use the most specific suitable business type and the properties that apply. Google provides LocalBusiness implementation guidance; Schema.org defines the vocabulary. This sample shows the core fields. Check the full rules before using it on a live page.
To accept the correction, compare the published page and markup with the register, test the markup, and reopen the public profile after its update is processed. Record remaining third-party conflicts and assign follow-up. Keep an external listing on the issue list until its facts are fixed too.
Location facts: common questions
Should all branches use the headquarters phone number?
Use the number that truthfully serves that branch. If calls go to a central team, explain that routing. Do not publish a local-looking number that cannot reach the stated service.
Will schema stop AI systems from mixing up locations?
No guaranteed result follows. Clear facts and identifiers remove ambiguity on your own pages, but an answer may use other sources or outdated information. Save the answer and its cited sources when investigating an error.
Where does llms.txt fit?
It can be an optional directory. Build the visible location pages and their normal links first; a separate text index cannot correct conflicting records.
Semanta can help connect location data, website templates and a repeatable fact-checking process. Bring the location list and examples of conflicting answers to discuss a local discovery review.