How to Optimize Google's Knowledge Graph for SEO [+Case Studies]

You too have done it – you’ve probably searched your brand name or the product you sell to see what comes up on the first page of Google. There will be results from your website, sure, but there is also something else – a box with information about your brand or product.

So if you’ve seen it, you’ve experienced the power of the Knowledge Graph.

What Exactly is Google’s Knowledge Graph?

Google’s Knowledge Graph is a system that they use to understand real-world entities and the relationships between them. In 2012, Google announced that the Knowledge Graph would be powering search results for people, places, and things.

Source: https://ahrefs.com/blog/google-knowledge-graph/

The Knowledge Graph is the box of information that appears on the right-hand side of the screen when you perform a Google search of your brand. It includes things like:

Brand name
Logo
Founded date
Phone number(s)
Founders
Address
Team Management
Social media profiles
What people also search for

Or if it’s a person, you’ll see:

Birthdate
Place of birth
Education
Spouse
Occupation
Citizenship

And if it’s a store or a location, you’ll see:

Opening hours
Address
Phone number
Ratings
Map
Photos

You may have also noticed that the Knowledge Graph is appearing in other places, such as on Google Maps.

The Knowledge Graph box appears when you search for a business on Google Maps. The information is pulled from the business’s Google My Business listing.

What Impact Does It Have On SEO?

Google says that their goal with the Knowledge Graph is to, “Go beyond keyword matching to understand the people, places and things you care about, and deliver them straight to you.”

They want to provide searchers with the information they are looking for without them having to click through to a website. This is great news for SEOs! We no longer have to rely on getting that coveted first organic result in order to get our brand in front of searchers.

The Knowledge Graph is also great for voice search. With the increasing popularity of voice assistants like Amazon Echo and Google Home, searchers are using natural language to ask questions. This is where the Knowledge Graph can really shine.

Google can use the information in the Knowledge Graph to answer a searcher’s question directly, without the need to click through to a website.

For example, if someone asks their Google Home, “What is the founder of Tesla?” Google will be able to answer that question using the information in our Knowledge Graph listing.

What’s the Difference Between Google’s Knowledge Graph, Rich Results, and Featured Snippets?

Google’s Knowledge Graph is not the only structured data that can appear in search results. Google also uses something called “rich results” to enhance the search experience.

Rich results are similar to the Knowledge Graph, but they are generated from the content on your website. They can include things like:

Ratings and reviews
Pricing
Events
Ingredients
People
Products

Rich results can appear in both mobile and desktop search results. They are generated from the structured data on your website using schema.org markup.

Schema.org is a collaborative project between Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Yandex to help structure data on the web.

You can see an example of rich results in the search results for a recipe. The recipe title, photo, rating, and cook time are all generated from structured data on the website.

Google also uses something called “featured snippets” to answer searchers’ questions directly. Featured snippets are generated from the content on your website.

Google pulls a snippet of text from your website and displays it in the search results. They also display the URL of the page where they found the information.

Featured snippets are different from rich results because they are not generated from structured data. They are also different from the Knowledge Graph because they are not Google’s own database of information.

How to Optimize Your Knowledge Graph Listing

Now that we’ve talked about the benefits of optimizing your Knowledge Graph listing, let’s talk about how you can do it.

There are a few things you can do to make sure your Knowledge Graph listing is optimized for SEO:

Claim your Google My Business listing
Optimize your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number)
Add images and videos
Add business category
Encourage customer reviews
Use structured data markup
Optimize your website content

Let’s take a closer look at each of these optimization tips.

1. Claim Your Google My Business Listing

The first step to optimizing your Knowledge Graph listing is to claim your Google My Business listing.

If you haven’t claimed your listing yet, you can do so by going to google.com/business.

Once you’ve claimed your listing, you’ll be able to add information about your business, such as your NAP, business hours, website URL, and more.

You’ll also be able to upload images and videos, which we’ll talk about more in the next section.

2. Optimize Your NAP

The second step to optimizing your Knowledge Graph listing is to optimize your NAP.

Your NAP is your name, address, and phone number. It’s important to make sure that your NAP is consistent across the web.

That means if you have a different phone number on your website than you do on your Google My Business listing, it’s going to confuse Google.

To avoid this, make sure that your NAP is the same on all of your online listings.

3. Add Images and Videos

The third step to optimizing your Knowledge Graph listing is to add images and videos.

Google loves visual content, so adding images and videos is a great way to improve your listing.

Not only will this help your listing stand out, but it will also give Google more information about your business.

To add images, simply go to your Google My Business listing and click on the “photos” tab. From there, you can upload photos of your business, employees, products, etc.

To add videos, you’ll need to first upload them to YouTube. Once they’re uploaded, you can add them to your Google My Business listing by going to the “photos” tab and clicking on the “add video” button.

4. Add Business Category

The fourth step to optimizing your Knowledge Graph listing is to add a business category.

Adding a business category is a great way to help Google understand what your business is all about.

To add a business category, simply go to your Google My Business listing and click on the “info” tab. From there, you can scroll down to the “category” section and add a business category.

5. Encourage Customer Reviews

The fifth step to optimizing your Knowledge Graph listing is to encourage customer reviews.

Customer reviews are a great way to show Google that your business is reputable and trustworthy.

To encourage customer reviews, simply go to your Google My Business listing and click on the “reviews” tab. From there, you can post a message asking customers to leave a review.

You can also post a link to your review page on your website or send it out in an email blast.

6. Use Structured Data Markup

The sixth step to optimizing your Knowledge Graph listing is to use structured data markup.

Structured data markup is code that you can add to your website to give Google more information about your business.

Adding structured data markup is a great way to improve the chances of your listing appearing in the Knowledge Graph.

To add structured data markup, you’ll need to edit the code of your website. If you’re not comfortable doing this, you can hire a developer to do it for you.

You can customize your brand’s Knowledge panel by:

Optimizing logo structured data – To do this, you need to add code to your website that tells Google about your logo.
Adding social profile links – You can add links to your business’s social media profiles so that people can find you on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Adding company contact numbers – You can add your business’s phone number and email address so that people can contact you.
Adding holiday hours – You can add your business’s holiday hours so that people know when you’re closed.
Adding links to important pages – You can add links to your website’s most important pages, such as your About Us page, Services page, etc.

7. Optimize Your Website Content

The seventh and final step to optimizing your Knowledge Graph listing is to optimize your website content.

Google crawls your website to determine what your business is all about.

If your website is poorly designed or doesn’t have much content, it’s going to be difficult for Google to understand what your business is all about.

To optimize your website content, start by ensuring that your website is well-designed and easy to navigate.

Then, make sure that your website has a lot of content that is relevant to your business.

The more content you have, the easier it will be for Google to understand what your business is all about.

If you’re not sure how to optimize your website content, you can hire an agency that does local SEO services.

Takeaway

The Knowledge Graph is a powerful tool that can help you get more exposure for your business. If you’re not already using it, now is the time to start.

By following the seven steps outlined in this article, you can optimize your Knowledge Graph listing and improve your chances of appearing in the Knowledge Graph.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of Google’s knowledge graph?

Some benefits of Google’s Knowledge Graph include:

1. It helps you get more exposure for your business.

With the knowledge graph, you’re basically increasing your chances of appearing in Google’s search results. And, as we all know, the higher you appear in Google’s search results, the more traffic you’re likely to get.

2. It helps you build trust and credibility with potential customers.

When potential customers see your business listed in the knowledge graph, they’re more likely to trust you and do business with you. After all, if Google trusts you enough to list you in their knowledge graph, you must be a pretty reputable business.

3. It helps you stand out from your competition.

If your competition isn’t using the knowledge graph, then you have a chance to really stand out. This is especially true if you’re in a competitive industry.

4. It’s free exposure for your business.

Unlike paid advertising, the knowledge graph is completely free. So, if you can get your business listed in the knowledge graph, it’s essentially like getting free advertising.

5. It can help you generate leads and sales.

If potential customers see your business listed in the knowledge graph, they’re more likely to contact you and do business with you. In other words, the knowledge graph can help you generate leads and sales.

How to display an e-commerce knowledge graph?

There are a few things you can do to help Google display your e-commerce business in the knowledge graph.

1. Make sure your website is well-designed and easy to navigate.

This will help Google understand what your eCommerce site provides and make it easier for them to crawl your site.

2. Add structured data to your website.

Adding structured data to your website will help Google understand your site’s content and make it easier for them to display your business in the knowledge graph.

3. Add content to your website.

The more content you have on your website, the easier it will be for Google to understand what your business is all about.

4. Optimize your website for the search engines.

Make sure you’re using the right keywords and phrases on your website so that Google can easily find and index your site.

5. Promote your website online.

The more people who visit your site, the more likely it is that Google will take notice and display your business in the knowledge graph.

How does google’s algorithm determine what displays in the knowledge graph?

Google’s algorithm looks at a variety of factors to determine what displays in the knowledge graph.

1. Relevance

Google will only display information in the knowledge graph that is relevant to the user’s search query.

2. Sources

Google looks at a variety of sources to determine what information to display in the knowledge graph. These sources include websites, news articles, and more.

3. Authority

Google looks at the authority of the sources to determine which information to display in the knowledge graph. The more authoritative a source is, the more likely it is that Google will display its information in the knowledge graph.

4. Accuracy

Google also looks at the accuracy of the information to determine what to display in the knowledge graph. Inaccurate information is less likely to be displayed in the knowledge graph.

5. Freshness

Google prefers to display fresh, up-to-date information in the knowledge graph. So, if you want your business to be displayed in the knowledge graph, it’s important to keep your website and information up-to-date.

How to get certain photos to show in knowledge graph listing?

You can update your knowledge graph listing by adding photos and other information about your business. Here are a few things you can do to get certain photos to show up in your knowledge graph listing:

1. Add photos to your website.

Google will basically pull out any photos that are related to your business from your website and display them in the knowledge graph. So, if you want certain photos to show up, make sure you add them to your website.

2. Add photos to your Google My Business listing.

If you have a Google My Business listing, you can add photos to it. This will help Google understand what your business looks like and make it more likely for certain photos to show up in the knowledge graph.

3. Suggest a change on Google Knowledge Listing

If you see that Google has incorrect information or photos listed for your business, you can suggest a change on the listing. Google will then review your suggestion and make the appropriate changes.

Read this guide for more information.

How long does Google knowledge graph take to update?

Google doesn’t have an exact timeframe for when the knowledge graph will be updated. However, it’s generally a good idea to wait at least a few weeks before you expect to see any changes.

If you’ve made changes to your website or Google My Business listing, you can try resubmitting your sitemap to Google to help speed up the process.

When was Google knowledge graph introduced?

Google knowledge graph was introduced on May 16, 2012.

How to get your address in google knowledge graph without submitting street address?

There is no guaranteed way to get your address to show up in the knowledge graph without submitting your street address. However, there are a few things you can do to increase the chances of your address being displayed:

1. Add your address to your website.

Make sure you add your full address (including your street address) to your website. Google will use this information to determine whether or not to display your address in the knowledge graph.

2. Add your address to your Google My Business listing.

If you have a Google My Business listing, be sure to add your full address to it. This will help Google understand that your business is located at that address and make it more likely for your address to be displayed in the knowledge graph.

3. Suggest a change to Google Knowledge Listing