4%

Last updated: March 2026

We checked 30 UK small business websites to see whether they used Person schema — structured data that connects a named individual to the business they run. Out of 25 accessible sites, just one had it.

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TL;DR

• 1 out of 25 UK SME websites had Person schema markup (4%)
• 96% have no structured way for AI to understand who runs the business
• 56% had Organisation schema but almost none extended it to include the people behind the company
• The single site with Person schema was a personal trainer
• Across law firms, accountants, agencies, estate agents, plumbers, dentists and restaurants: zero Person schema

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What is Person schema?

Person schema is structured data markup — defined by Schema.org — that identifies a named individual on a web page. It can include their name, job title, qualifications, social profiles, and their relationship to an organisation.

When used alongside Organisation schema, it creates a machine-readable connection: “This person founded this company.” This gives search engines and AI systems a structured way to understand not just what a business does, but who is behind it.

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What we found

The headline number

Measure	Count	Percentage
Has Person schema	1 / 25	4%
Has Organisation schema	14 / 25	56%
Has Organisation but NOT Person	13 / 25	52%
Has sameAs links	13 / 25	52%
Has neither Organisation nor Person schema	11 / 25	44%

The single website with Person schema was one personal trainer’s website.

The Organisation-without-Person gap

14 out of 25 sites had Organisation schema but only 1 extended that to include a Person connected to the organisation.

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Why the founder connection may matter for AI

AI platforms are increasingly being asked to answer questions like “Who are the best accountants in Manchester?” When generating these answers, AI systems assess credibility, expertise and trust, including understanding who is behind the business.

The honest caveat

We do not have evidence that Person schema directly influences whether AI platforms cite or recommend a business.

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Industry findings

Industry	Sites	Person schema	Organisation schema
Personal Trainer	3	1 (33%)	2 (67%)
Accountancy	9	0	7 (78%)
Marketing Agency	4	0	3 (75%)
Plumber	3	0	1 (33%)
Estate Agent	4	0	1 (25%)
Dentist	2	0	0
Legal	3	0	0
Restaurant	1	0	0
Retail	1	0	0

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What the combined data looks like

Signal	Adoption rate
robots.txt present	93%
Schema markup (any kind)	96%
Privacy policy	84%
FAQ content on homepage	64%
Organisation schema	56%
Contact page	56%
sameAs links	52%
About page	52%
Terms page	28%
AI crawler blocked	23%
llms.txt	13%
FAQ schema	12%
Person schema	4%

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How to check whether your site has Person schema

• Visit your homepage and right-click → View Page Source
• Search for “Person” in the source code
• Use Google’s Rich Results Test
• Check Schema.org’s validator

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Methodology

• Sample: 30 UK SME websites (25 accessible)
• Date: 12 March 2026
• Limitations: Homepage-only analysis. Convenience sample.

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FAQ

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What is Person schema?

Person schema is structured data markup that identifies a named individual on a web page.

Does Person schema help with AI visibility?

There is no confirmed evidence of a direct link, but it provides clearer data for AI systems to work with.

Why is Person schema so rare?

Most CMS plugins generate Organisation schema automatically but do not include Person schema by default.

Which industries should prioritise Person schema?

Industries where individual expertise is central to the service — legal, accountancy, consulting, healthcare.

How do I add Person schema to my website?

Person schema is added as JSON-LD markup, typically on About pages or team profile pages.

Is Person schema the same as author markup?

They are related but different. Author markup identifies who wrote a specific piece of content.

Should I add Person schema for all team members?

For sole practitioners, add it for the founder. For larger teams, prioritise key individuals.

What other structured data should I consider alongside Person schema?

Organisation schema, sameAs links, and FAQ schema are all relatively underused.

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This research was conducted by Rank4AI as part of our ongoing work understanding how UK businesses appear in AI-powered search platforms.

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