Schema markup implementation breaks down into four steps: choose the right schema type, write valid JSON-LD code, place it correctly, and validate before launch. Start by identifying which schema types apply to your content. Most Canadian businesses need Organization schema for brand identity, LocalBusiness for location data including NAP consistency, and either Article or BlogPosting for content pages. E-commerce sites add Product and Offer schemas. Service businesses benefit from Service schema. Don't implement schema you can't support with actual on-page content—Google ignores or penalizes markup that doesn't match visible elements. JSON-LD is the format Google recommends because it separates structured data from HTML, making it easier to manage and less prone to breaking during template changes. Place the script tag in your page <head> or just before </body>. For WordPress sites, plugins like Rank Math or Yoast handle basic implementation, but custom schema often requires manual JSON-LD blocks or theme-level code. On enterprise CMSs, inject schema through tag managers or server-side rendering. A typical LocalBusiness implementation includes name, address, phone, opening hours, geo coordinates, and same-as links to social profiles. Article schema needs headline, author, datePublished, dateModified, and image with minimum 1200px width. Product schema requires name, image, description, SKU, price, and availability status. Nest schemas when logical—an Article can contain an Author Person schema, for example. After implementation, run every template through Google's Rich Results Test and the Schema Markup Validator. Fix errors immediately; warnings are lower priority but address them for competitive markets like Toronto real estate or Ottawa legal services. Deploy to a staging environment first if your site handles thousands of pages. Monitor Search Console's Enhancements report weekly for the first month. Rich result eligibility doesn't guarantee display—Google shows them based on query intent and competition. At Ottawa SEO, we've seen structured data take 3–8 weeks to influence visibility, and some schema types like FAQ were deprecated in 2023, so staying current with Google's guidelines matters more than marking up everything possible.