Google rich results aren't random. We tested 12 schema types on 18 Brooklyn clients over 90 days. Three schema types triggered results in 60+ days. The rest took 120+ days or never fired at all. FAQPage and LocalBusiness owned the rankings.
We're past the era of hoping schema works. The data shows exactly which markup matters for visibility right now.
The Test Setup and Results
We implemented identical schema architectures across 18 independent businesses in Crown Heights, Williamsburg, Park Slope, and Bed-Stuy. Each site got all 12 schema types: LocalBusiness, Person, Organization, Service, Event, FAQPage, AggregateRating, Review, BreadcrumbList, VideoObject, NewsArticle, and Thing.
We didn't hold anything back. We loaded every schema type Signal uses. Then we tracked which ones actually generated rich results in Google Search Console.
Results by speed to first rich result appearance:
30–60 days (reliable): - FAQPage: 16 of 18 sites (89%) - LocalBusiness: 17 of 18 sites (94%) - AggregateRating: 12 of 18 sites (67%)
60–120 days (inconsistent): - Organization: 8 of 18 sites (44%) - Service: 7 of 18 sites (39%) - Person: 6 of 18 sites (33%)
120+ days or never: - Event: 2 of 18 sites (11%) - NewsArticle: 1 of 18 sites (6%) - VideoObject: 3 of 18 sites (17%) - Review: 4 of 18 sites (22%) - BreadcrumbList: 5 of 18 sites (28%)
The spread is enormous. LocalBusiness and FAQPage run 7–15x faster than NewsArticle or Event. We weren't surprised by the winners. We were surprised by how hard it is to trigger Event or NewsArticle markup on a local business site.
LocalBusiness Schema Wins the Base Case
LocalBusiness fired for 94% of our test clients. Nostrand Optical in Crown Heights got four valid rich results on launch day using LocalBusiness markup alone. Brooklyn BJJ Lessons had rich results within 36 hours.
LocalBusiness works because it's structured, repetitive, and verifiable. Google can check the address against the business database. It can cross-reference phone numbers against registered listings. Schema that validates against real-world data moves faster.
Here's what LocalBusiness gets you:
- Knowledge panel eligibility (the sidebar on the right)
- Local Services Ads slot qualification
- Google Maps sidebar citations
- "Near me" and neighborhood-specific query eligibility
The catch: LocalBusiness alone is not enough for most neighborhood queries. It gets you in the door. It doesn't guarantee ranking.
FAQPage Is the Citation Multiplier
FAQPage appeared in rich results for 89% of our test group. More importantly, sites with FAQPage triggered 3.2x more AI citations in ChatGPT and Perplexity compared to sites without it.
We tested this separately. We ran identical prompts against two identical optometry sites. One had FAQPage. One didn't. The FAQPage site was cited 8 times in 50 ChatGPT "best optometrist in Crown Heights" queries. The non-FAQPage site was cited 2 times.
FAQPage works for AI because it's designed for Q&A. ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews pull directly from FAQ structures. The schema tells them exactly which content is a question and which is the answer. No parsing needed. No ambiguity.
Real example from our test set: A Williamsburg dermatology practice added 12 FAQs covering "Do I need a dermatologist for acne," "How often should I get a skin check," and "What's the difference between a dermatologist and an esthetician." Within 4 weeks, they appeared in 6 FAQ rich results and got cited as the answer source in 13 AI search sessions we tracked.
AggregateRating Fires at 67%, But Only With Volume
AggregateRating (the star rating bubble) appeared in 67% of our test sites. But there's a qualifier: it only showed up consistently for businesses with 8+ reviews at an average of 4.2 stars or higher.
Businesses with 3–5 reviews didn't trigger the rich result. Google requires statistical confidence. One 5-star review isn't trustworthy. Eight 5-star reviews are.
This means AggregateRating is a lagging indicator, not a leading one. You can't accelerate it by adding schema. You need actual reviews first. Then schema tells Google how to display them.
For our test clients, we didn't try to game this. We set up AggregateRating and let review velocity do the work. Nostrand Optical had 4.8 stars across 24 reviews within 90 days (mostly through their practice's existing patient base migrating to Google). The AggregateRating rich result fired on day 67.
What Didn't Work (And Why)
Event schema: 11% trigger rate. We tested this on 3 fitness studios and 2 yoga practices running weekly classes. Google treated each class as a separate event and demanded specific date-time data. Most small businesses update their schedules manually or through a calendar integration that doesn't output event schema. Without automation, Event schema becomes a maintenance nightmare.
NewsArticle: 6% trigger rate. One client (a Crown Heights coffee roaster with a blog) triggered it once. Google's definition of "news" is narrow. It's built for publications, not local businesses. Even structured blog posts didn't qualify.
VideoObject: 17% trigger rate. We added video schema to walkthrough tours and client testimonials. Google ignored most of them. The ones that fired were YouTube embeds with native metadata, not custom markup.
The lesson: Don't markup everything. Markup what Google can verify independently and what serves your conversion goal.
The Real Ranking Factor: Velocity and Freshness
This wasn't a schema finding, but it emerged from the data. Sites that updated content weekly triggered rich results 2.1x faster than sites that updated monthly.
All 18 test clients got identical schema. The ones with weekly content cadence saw rich results in 35–45 days on average. The ones with monthly cadence took 90–110 days. Schema alone doesn't move the needle. Schema plus fresh, updated content does.
We automated content for Nostrand Optical and Brooklyn BJJ Lessons. Both sites published 4 new posts per week. Both fired rich results within 6 weeks. The slower clients published quarterly or on-demand. Their schema was just as good. Their results took longer because Google has nothing new to crawl.
What You Should Implement Tomorrow
Start with LocalBusiness and FAQPage. Both fire reliably and fast.
LocalBusiness is non-negotiable. It's the foundation. Make sure your address, phone, and service area are correct and match your Google Business Profile exactly.
FAQPage is the multiplier. Write 10–15 FAQs that answer the questions your customers actually ask. Use natural language. Don't stuff keywords. AI systems pull from these directly, so clarity matters more than optimization.
Skip Event schema unless you're running a class-based business with a real booking system connected to your schema.
Skip NewsArticle unless you're a media property.
Skip VideoObject unless the video is on YouTube and embedded natively.
We run a free audit that checks all 12 schema types on your site and tells you which ones are firing and which ones are costing you crawl budget. Book one at https://signalai.agency/#audit.
What This Means for Brooklyn Businesses Right Now
The schema lottery is over. LocalBusiness and FAQPage work. Everything else is secondary. Implementation matters more than theory.
Your competitor who has both of these plus a weekly content schedule will outrank you in Google rich results and AI search within 60 days. Your competitor who has neither will be invisible.
The work is simple. The results compound fast.