What is the Google Knowledge panel And How To Make It Appear?

Google’s knowledge panel is the block you will find on the right side of your screen in the search results.

• Nowadays, you will see it for a lot of queries.
• It presents Google’s Knowledge Graph results.
• This can be seen as an engine connecting all kinds of data Google finds on the web.
• If you have a local, branded, or personal panel, you may influence what Google shows in the panel.

Here’s a quick example of how the Knowledge Panel works

Have you ever watched a movie and searched an actor’s name for more information about them?

Then, you see on the right-hand side of the SERP a panel.

Does it appear with a short biography about the actor with extra links and resources?

That’s a knowledge panel.

In this guide, we will provide an in-depth view of knowledge panels and define what they are?

1. What their purpose is?
2. Their importance, and how you can get one.

Now, let’s get started:

What Is a Google Knowledge Panel?

A knowledge panel contains information that Google considers as fact. An algorithm takes the data collected by Googlebot and cross-references with trusted sources. Also, it derives attributes that it shows in SERPs (Search Engine Results Page).

On desktop, knowledge panels are effortless to spot. They are on the right-hand side (called the right rail). You will see a small “share” icon that identifies them as a knowledge panel.

An Essential note: Google My Business boxes are not knowledge panels. They are business listings and contain information provided by the business themselves, like Yellow Pages. They can identify these in the top section.

An Essential note: We do, at times, see mixed results that mix the two. Google is starting to merge them; yet, that is a story for 2022 or later.

Google will show a knowledge panel when it has understood a fact. It is very confident in that understanding. And when it believes that point will be helpful to the user for the search, they made.

What Purpose Do Knowledge Panels Serve?

Google put it like this in their patent (thanks to Bill Slawski for this article).

Knowledge panels can improve user’s “search experiences,. ” Particularly for queries directed to learning, browsing, or discovery.

When Do Knowledge Panels Appear?

Whenever Google can spot an entity in a user search query, it can show a knowledge panel.

Three main factors come into play.

1. Google’s confidence has understood the facts about the entity.
2. The probability that the user search query refers to a specific entity.
3. Whether the algorithm judges a knowledge panel to be helpful to the user.

That is why we often see this for searches on clear entities such as movie stars or films, or musical artists. This is because they are easy for Google to spot in the query. Thus, the probability is high that the user is referring to that entity. Besides, an accurate result is helpful to Google’s users.

In its patent, Google gives four typical use cases. And once you read them, you get where Google is coming from”.

Supply users with basic factual information from many sources.

About a particular entity referenced in a search query.

Assist users in navigating to web pages that include related content (aka links in the knowledge panel to other search results).

Supply content that would otherwise need that the user visits several different search results. Visit many other websites.

Help users get information faster than they would if they had to visit all the referenced web pages.

Where Do Knowledge Panels Come From?

Google shows a Knowledge Panel when its algorithm is confident it has’ understood a fact. Moreover, it thinks the information will be helpful to its user.

As mentioned above, the information it shows comes from many sources. Wikipedia and Wikidata are the most prominent examples.

But also, Crunchbase, LinkedIn, Facebook, Zoominfo, WordLift, and many others.

The information Google gathers is sorted and classified. Then, if Google is confident the notification is accurate, it is stored in its Knowledge Graph. For the most part, business knowledge panels are driven by Google’s Knowledge Graph.

Why Is a Google Knowledge Panel Essential for My Company?

As Google users, we now tend to expect to see a knowledge panel for a brand search. If there is none, the Brand could appear less credible.

So, Google must show a knowledge panel that represents your business. It happens when someone searches for your brand name.

Any person who searches your exact brand name is, by definition, your audience. They could be a bottom-of-the-funnel user, a client, and a partner. Moreover, potential hire. In short, the people most essential to your business.

Google must have a firm understanding and reflects the facts about your company.

You want Google to show information that is true and reflects on users and your audience. So you don’t want to leave that to chance.

How Do I Get a Knowledge Panel for My Company?

Creating a knowledge panel is a simple three-step process.

Step 1. Identify the entity home

Identify what I call the entity home” This is the webpage where the entity “live” in Google’s mind. The go-to place for information about the company.

It can be any page, as long as that page talks only about the company. Pages that cover many entities should never be used as an entity home.

The choice: if you follow steps two and three, you decide which page Google identifies as the entity home.

You want that page to be on your site? Where you have 100% control of the information. Rather than on a place you do not control, such as Wikipedia, or a location you only semi-control. Also, such as Twitter or LinkedIn. Google prefers that it is on a site you own.

• Top Tip No.1 — It is better to have the entity home on a dedicated “about” page rather than the homepage. That is because you want to keep the homepage very attractive to users. Also, when you see step two, you will know why this might conflict with that.
• Top Tip No.2 — Without an entity home you control, your knowledge panel will always be flaky. Besides, prone to errors and liable to disappear.

Step 2. Set out the facts

On the entity home, state the facts you want Google to understand. In the form of a simple description using several sections (one for each aspect). This is with helpful, factual, and simple headings to each section.

Add Organization Schema.org markup to communicate the same information in Google’s “native language.” It’s, reiterating what you say on the page in a format Google can digest. Read more on that here.

Step 3. Corroborate

The schema.org markup in step two should contain links to the sources. The links should talk about your company that Google is likely to trust.

All you need to do is identify them and, as far as possible. Also, correct all the facts and information on those pages to confirm what you say on the entity home. If possible, have the same (or a very similar) description on each one.

One common objection here is duplicate content. Here is a situation where the opposite is true. Consistency is key. The more the machine sees, the same information on sources it trusts. The more confidence it has that the data is accurate.

Better still, if every source links back to the entity home. Then you create an infinite loop of self-confirming information. This is with the webpage you control (the entity home) and the place it comes back to every time.

To Wikipedia or Not to Wikipedia, That Is the Question

The answer is not” If your company has a Wikipedia page, it will almost trigger a knowledge panel. Yet, there are problems:

• The process is generally slow and time-consuming.
• Not all companies’ deserve” a place on Wikipedia, and many are refused, so time spent there is often wasted.
• If you manage to get that article on Wikipedia, and your strategy is 100% Wikipedia, you are on the flaky ground. Suppose the Wiki admins delete the page within the first year. Then the knowledge panel will almost disappear.
• You are handing control of your company’s facts to another site that you do not control. Moreover, if the information is wrong, you have a problem. Check out my podcast for more details on this.

Suppose you have a Wikipedia article. The description Google uses in your knowledge panel will be the first sentence. It is evident to your audience and shows as trusted information. The dangers are clear without a Wikipedia article. Google will take a description from another site it depends on. Don’t rely on either Wikipedia or Wikidata. They are not enough on their own to build a solid knowledge panel, and each carries risk. Too, having your article or item deleted sends a very negative signal to Google.

I have been able to build well over 100 knowledge panels without either Wiki. They are stable, solid, and I have a good level of control.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Knowledge Panel?

The timeframe is unpredictable within a few days of having a Wikipedia article published. Also, few weeks with a well-built Wikidata item and a few months without either Wiki.

If you use Wiki, you should not play this as a one-trick upon. Also, place yourself at the mercy of the faceless Wiki editors and admins.

Build a Solid Knowledge Panel

A solid knowledge panel draws from various sources (see Google patent mentioned above). Besides, it has many corroborative sources for that information.

The simple trick is not to put all your eggs in one (or even two or three) baskets. The more times Google sees confirmation of the information you provide on the entity home, the better. But, unfortunately, this is also your only chance of gaining any level of control of the information it shows.

Where Do I Find the Corroborative Sources I Need to Update?

Do a Google search!

You can also use SEMrush by adding your brand name to your keyword tracking campaign.

Add several —” “{Brand}”” “”about {Brand}”” “”what is {Brand}”” “”{Brand} review”” — are four that I track for every client. If you are an international brand, you will want to do that in each of your main markets.

A quick tip: You can do that through SEMrush from the Keyword Magic Tool. Or, if you are entering these four keywords, you can add them.

You can add keywords to keyword groups within Keyword Manager and track many metrics. However, SERP Features will be the most useful for you to keep track of your knowledge panel.

Also, you can add these keywords to Position Tracking. It gives you more significant insights into the keywords that are essential to you.

You can then download the list of pages that rank and put them in a spreadsheet. Next, isolate those pages that talk only about the company. Also, those that contain profile information.

Identify places where you can add more corroborative sources. This is by performing that same exercise on your competitors. Besides, looking at their backlink profile using the Backlink Gap. Else, Backlink Analytics in SEMrush.

I realize that the process described above is tedious and can be confusing.

I created an automated process for my clients (and 500+ knowledge panel experiments) to release a SaaS platform (Kalicube Pro).

It generates that list of corroborative sources for you, classifies, and prioritizes them. It also identifies missed opportunities in your industry and tracks your progress. Moreover, building a solid, accurate, and informative knowledge panel for your Brand.

 

How Do I Claim My Knowledge Panel?

There are two options.

Option 1. Google recognizes the entity home

Suppose Google has recognized the entity home (which you can see by the globe icon on the knowledge panel). Besides, you are the recognized owner of the domain (property) in Search Console. Then when you click on “claim this knowledge panel,.” You can log in to Search Console and claim the knowledge panel.

There is a new option (as of early 2021). Google recently added Twitter and YouTube as alternate ways to claim your knowledge panel. Also, sometimes (not always) offers those as options.

Note: The Search Console option is never available if Google has not identified the entity home. I have never seen the social channel option when there is no entity home; it appears that the two go hand in hand.

Essential: Think about that for a moment. This system means that someone else could claim your knowledge panel if Google gets the entity home wrong. So the entity home gets even more essential (as if it is not enough already!)

Option 2. Google doesn’t recognize the entity home or social channels

If there is no globe icon or social icons, then things get way more complicated.

You need to prove both who you are and why your relationship with the entity (company, person) should give you control of their knowledge panel.

There is a series of steps you need to go through. First, you need to provide your government-issued ID, a selfie with your ID. Moreover, proof of your legal relationship to the entity. Besides, logged-in screenshots of recognized social accounts.

A human being at Google then checks all this and approves or refuses the application.

Why Do Knowledge Panels Disappear?

Reason 1. Knowledge Graph update

When Google updates the Knowledge Graph, there is a shake-up of the information it accepts as fact and a shake-up of knowledge panels.

These periodic updates to the Knowledge Graph are dangerous if your entity does not have enough corroboration. On any update, Google will delete large numbers of Knowledge Graph entries and knowledge panels.

Reason 2. Lost entity home

Whether Google has recognized the entity home by showing that globe icon in the knowledge panel or not. It has a “foundation” source it uses as a “crutch.” (Wikipedia, Twitter, LinkedIn, or your website are all candidates here).

If it loses that reference for any reason, it will often drop the knowledge panel. Also, between the major updates mentioned above.

For example, if Google relied on your Wikipedia article or Wikidata item and deleted it, you would lose the knowledge panel. Or if your About Us” page disappears. Or if Google was relying on your Twitter account and you close it.

Reason 3. Human intervention

It appears Google employees will sometimes delete knowledge panels when they are claimed. Three reasons I have identified so far:

• The Google employee perceives it to be untruthful, a duplicate, or spam.
• One common thread in knowledge panels that disappear. This is when they claim that the knowledge panels were triggered by what is known as “knowledge panel spam.”
• Typical examples of knowledge panel spam to avoid are paid pseudo-Wikis. Also, self-created fandom sites and mass press releases. Of course, there are more, but the rule of thumb is,” “if you pay for it and it is quick and easy, it is spam.”

Better Reach Your Audience with a Knowledge Panel

Getting a knowledge panel for your company is a “must” from several perspectives:

• They make you look suitable to your audience when searching your brand name and seeing your Brand SERP.
• You can appear in entity-based SERP features such as carousels, entity boxes. And People Also Search For (on your competitors” branded searches).
• A knowledge panel means Google has understood who you are and what you do. That means you won’t get left behind in a world of entity-based search (read more about this from Dave Davies here).

There are big bonuses that come from the work you do to get your knowledge panel if you do it right:

• You present a standardized brand image to your audience across all platforms.
• You get quality, relevant inbound links to your site because you will be adding them to all these trusted sources.
• You improve Google’s perception of your E-A-T credentials (more on that here).
• You get an overview of your online reputation (you can extend the spreadsheet exercise mentioned in this article to create an ORM report).

Conclusion

When you want to find out more about a company or product, one of the best ways is by using the Google Knowledge panel. What exactly is this? It’s an information box that appears at the top of search results when someone searches for any given business name or location.

The knowledge panel can include phone numbers and map locations. Moreover, hours of operation for restaurants and other businesses. So how do you get your knowledge panel on Google?

You need to submit “rich snippets” with specific details about your business, like address and website URL. Also, opening hours, all in a structured format.

So Google will accept it. If you have questions about how to create rich snippets or if they could help.

FAQs

How can one find a knowledge panel?

Knowledge panels show information about various entities. For example, it includes businesses, people, animals, countries, or plants. This panel displays on the right side of the desktop web search results.

Why do I have a Google knowledge panel?

Knowledge panels are information boxes on Google. This is when you search for entities (people, places, organizations) in the Knowledge Graph. A Google search does not always provide a comprehensive understanding of something. It is often inadequate for topics that cannot be explained in brief online articles.

Should one claim the Google Knowledge panel?

To improve your personalized experience, optimize your knowledge panel. Claiming your knowledge panel gives you the ability to make content suggestions or even put some work into it to make changes such as tweak fonts.

How do I get into Google’s Knowledge Graph?

1. Creating a page on Wikipedia is an essential job that anyone can do.
2. Create a page on Wikidata.org. Wikidata is a free, open-source wiki that acts as the world’s largest and most popular general-purpose database of things.
3. Set up social media profiles.
4. Use Schema markup on your site.
5. The content and format
6. How to use keywords.
7. Social media promotion for your content.

What can I do with my Google Knowledge panel?

Due to the importance of your Knowledge Panel. You will be able to propose changes and influence aspects such as logo appearance. Also, featured images, contact information, and social profiles.