naics

naics · Recommended

Appears in

Organization

What is it?

NAICS stands for North American Industry Classification System. It is the standard used by US federal statistical agencies to classify businesses into industry sectors. Every NAICS code is a 2-to-6-digit number, with more digits indicating more specific industry categories. For example, code 5112 covers software publishers, while 511210 narrows to prepackaged software publishers. Schema.org's naics property lets organizations publish their industry classification directly in structured data.

Why this matters for AEO

AI answer engines use industry classification codes to understand what a business does without relying solely on freeform descriptions. When a company's NAICS code is in its structured data, an AI system can group that company with others in the same sector, understand the nature of its products and services, and return more accurate answers to industry-specific queries. Google explicitly recommends naics in its Organization structured data guidelines. For competitive or market-related AI queries ("what companies offer cloud accounting software"), a NAICS code provides a clean categorical signal that plain text descriptions cannot match.

What the specs say

Schema.org:naics expects a Text value. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for a particular organization or business person. [Source: https://schema.org/naics]

Google: Recommended. "The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for your Organization." [Source: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/organization]

How to find your value

The US Census Bureau maintains the official NAICS code lookup at https://www.census.gov/naics/. Steps to find your code:

1. Go to https://www.census.gov/naics/ and use the keyword search tool.
2. Search for your industry using plain English terms (e.g., "software," "restaurant," "architecture").
3. Review the matching codes and select the most specific one that describes your primary business activity.
4. If your business already files US tax returns or EEO reports, your NAICS code may already be on file with the IRS or the relevant agency.

Codes range from 2 digits (broad sector) to 6 digits (specific industry). Use the most specific code that accurately describes your organization.

Format and code

NAICS codes are plain text strings containing 2 to 6 digits. Do not add hyphens, spaces, or prefixes:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Shopify Inc.",
  "naics": "511210"
}

511210 is the NAICS code for prepackaged software publishers. Shopify, as a software-as-a-service company, falls under this classification.

For a restaurant chain:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Sweetgreen Inc.",
  "naics": "722513"
}

722513 covers limited-service restaurants. Invalid formats:

{
  "naics": "511-210"
}

{
  "naics": "NAICS 511210"
}

Only the numeric code belongs in the field. No labels, no separators.

Webflow implementation

Static pages

Add the JSON-LD block to your homepage or About page via Page Settings > Custom Code > Head Code:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Your Company",
  "naics": "511210"
}
</script>

CMS template pages

naics is an organization-level field. It does not vary per page or per CMS item. Set it once in a site-wide organization schema rather than binding it to a CMS collection.

In Schema HQ

The naics field is set in the Organization schema editor under the Disambiguation section. The field accepts a text input for the 6-digit code and publishes it with the organization schema across all pages.

Real examples

Shopify falls under NAICS 511210 (prepackaged software publishers). Instacart, as a grocery delivery platform, falls under 454110 (electronic shopping). These are real examples using the NAICS lookup system:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Instacart (Maplebear Inc.)",
  "url": "https://www.instacart.com",
  "naics": "454110"
}

Related fields

• isicV4
• taxID
• duns
• leiCode
• iso6523Code

FAQ

Is NAICS only for US companies?

NAICS is officially a North American standard, covering the US, Canada, and Mexico. Canadian and Mexican organizations can use it. Organizations outside North America may prefer isicV4, which is the United Nations equivalent with global coverage. Both can coexist in the same schema block if relevant.

How specific should the NAICS code be?

Use the most specific code that accurately describes your primary business activity. A 6-digit code is always more useful than a 2-digit sector code because it provides a more precise classification signal. Avoid selecting an overly broad sector code if a more specific classification exists.

What if the business spans multiple industries?

Use the code for the organization's primary revenue-generating activity. NAICS is designed around a single primary classification per entity. If secondary activities are important for disambiguation, describe them in the description field rather than adding multiple NAICS codes, which the spec does not support as an array.