For decades, the focus of the search was to match the keywords to the search query. In 2012, google introduced an Intelligent model where the real-world entities and their relationships are matched together to understand their searches related to things, people, and places.
What is Knowledge Graph?
The knowledge graph is a base of the knowledge which resides in the right of the search bar, and knowledge contains different Wikipedia information, and because of these services, search engine services have proliferated from a variety of sources. The information is presented in the infobox next to the search results. This infobox was added to the search engines in Google in 2012, first started in the United States with the expansion of the infobox at the end of the year. In its early days, the results were only static but now, you can book your movie, listen to Spotify songs and watch youtube videos through the Knowledge panel. Knowledge panels are great not only for users but for SEO and Business too.
"Google had shifted from informative engine to knowledge engine"
But no topic is the same, exactly what is shown in a knowledge panel varies with it. Typically, it includes:
- Title & Short Summary of the topic
- A description of the object
- A picture of the person, place, or thing of the search subject
- Key facts like when a person was born, place it located, alive or live or who is the spouse, or the Awards they received.
What are the sources from which information are included:
There is no official implementation of how the Google Knowledge panel works and what are the sources of it, but most things are common such as Google’s sole source is "Wikipedia", but it not the only one. It draws from hundreds across the web, including the licensing data and albums. Google also worked with the medical providers who create careful content such as health issues. Though, Google has been criticized for answering the questions from unauthorized sites.
Knowledge space has shifted mostly from Desktop to Mobile:
When the knowledge panels were first introduced, most of the search activities were going on the desktop, where there was a room of space to add the panel but, today most of the search activities happen in the mobile, where screen-size doesn’t allow enough space.
What are entities in the knowledge panel?
Its any object or concept which is uniquely identified information. This includes people, places & organizations. Entities are connected by the edges which describe their relationships.
Is it worth it to gain a knowledge panel?
A knowledge panel is also used for organic traffic, which means a good chunk of Wikipedia's traffic comes from the Google knowledge panel. And knowledge panel is a great way to drive qualified traffic.
How Does the Knowledge Graph Work?
Google is constantly in a move to collect the information around the web and add it to the knowledge base. Using that scattered information, it converts the information into entities and relationships. When the entity is successfully identified, Google can generate a knowledge graph panel. If you notice the image of the knowledge panel properly, there is an option of "Claim the Knowledge panel"
Claim the Knowledge panel:
It allows the person or business to become the authoritative owners in which you can edit to optimize where you just have to fill the form and submit it to the Google panel.
But even if you don’t get into the knowledge panel, there are the following steps:
Step 1: Create a Wikipedia page
As mentioned above, Wikipedia and Wikidata are the primary sources of the Knowledge Panel.
1. Create a Wikipedia Account by visiting the Wikipedia page and "Create Account" and provide the details such as Username, Password, and Email Address. Once filled in all your fields, you are done!
2: Edit Pages to become a confirmed user:
After Logging in, edit the Wikipedia pages but the sources should of the information of your company be included in the: Books, Newspaper, Magazines, Journals.
3: Submit & Update it regularly
When you submit the content, Wikipedia will analyze the page and citation to determine whether it is authenticable or not.
Create a Wikidata Page:
Wikidata is different than Wikipedia where they use machines instead of actual humans and is created to support the Wiki Media systems like Wikipedia, Wikisource, & Wikivoyage. So far, Wikidata boasts almost 14 million data items. It is the most important source for Google.
Talking about creating an entry, it is not too hard because you just need to insert some pieces of information instead of whole paragraphs like in Wikipedia.
Be Active on Social Media
Social media play a vital role when it comes to displaying your business to the audience, same goes with Google, it needs information to understand your business type, brand, services, and how it operates. Therefore, the entities you want to add to your Knowledge Graph, you can with the help of Social Media Profiles. It is also important to validate your business like Linkedln and Facebook. Make sure you use the common details like name, address, phone number.
Step 3: Use the Schema Markup to Tag into the Website Element
Schema markup is a type of microdata, which are HTML codes included in your website to be read by browsers and web crawlers to understand your business elements. Schema Markup helps search engines to understand the content of your website better. Google themselves initiated this Schema to get a clear understanding of the Business. Schema.org was established to standardize the structured markup to avoid the different types of formats used on the web. If Schema used properly, it helps Google organize the information properly about your site which gives an advantage to the SEO.
Add the following data:
- Use business markup
- Make sure to use the name, logo, URL, and sameAs properties
- Include all the social media profiles links
- Include the Wikipedia and Wikidata pages
- Validate the Schema Markup
Schema Markup can help you drive the search, generating higher (CTR)click-through rates, organic traffic, and more conversions. There are different schema markup builder in the market which builds your portfolio for the Knowledge panel like schema.org or SEOpressor Connect.
Step 4: Create your Google My Business
The local stores are included in Google, so it’s important to create a Google My Business profile. It’s a basic SEO strategy where you create and verify your account which would be listed on the different platforms of Google like Google Maps.
Create your profile step by step:
1. Log into Google My Business:
Open and login with your Google account which you want to link with your business.
2. Enter your Brand name:
3. Select your Business Category:
There are 3000 Google My Business categories and Google allows you to select the 10 categories for Business but you can select only 1 primary category which is important in Google's Algorithm.
4. Specify the Brand Details:
Add details like address/service area, business hours, and category. For example, if the Business Profile for a 24-hour coffee shop in downtown San Francisco called Shelly’s Coffee, you would enter the following details:
Business Name: Shelley’s Coffee
Address: 3247 Pope Street, San Francisco, CA 96102
Hours: Open 9 hours
Category: Coffee shop
5. Verify your Profile.
Step 5: Optimize your Business Website
Your Website is the most important source where Google can fetch the data on the web. It specifies who you are, what you do, and where your business is? In addition, the "About Us" & "Contact pages" are the crucial pages where user's questions are answered. And talking about the products, the content will connect those products to Google through your website. What are features which are important :
1. Images:
The images you upload to your website will help you deliver the search results. The images you use can also be visible to the Google My Business in local search results on mobile.
2. GMB Profiles:
Google is letting businesses highlight their services by adding three new attributes to GMB profiles. These attributes will let users make the informed decisions before visiting the place. GMB attributes are visible to both Google Search & Google Maps.
Due to the Covid-19, there are three other attributes that are added: curbside Pickup, no contact delivery & dine-in.
Businesses can add the attributes in the GMB with Go to Info- Add Attributes- Click Apply.
3. Business Reviews:
Reviews may show up in the excerpts within your knowledge panel and star ratings display right below your business name. These reviews and ratings are important to track record and play a pivotal role in influencing the searchers. Positive reviews can serve as endorsements for potential customers and reviews also provide feedback to improve your services.
Solve & Monitor the Questions & Answers:
Customers which use your services can have queries that businesses have to solve. This way you build the communication channel between you and the customer and would display positivity and trust.
In Conclusion
Frankly saying, the knowledge panel is a win-win for both the customer and Business. Because the user will get the simple, accurate, and handful of information to drive the events same goes for the Business, where the SEO team will get a handful amount of traffic from the knowledge panel and which can be converted easier into leads.
