How is Google Knowledge Graph changing the SEO methodolgy?

Google's new methodology has been summed up by Google in the statement "Things, not strings."

Google used to look at the text on your site simply as a string of text characters (ex. "pool table"). So when a searcher searched the keyword "pool table" they would look through their database for pages that had the text "pool table."

Now Google, is able to take the string "pool table" and interpret that as the "thing" that a pool table really is. Since a "billiard table" is the same as a "pool table" Google will also consider returning results that include "billiard table" since they are the same "thing."

For up-to-date SEO methods, you want to optimize your pages for the synonyms as well as the primary target keyword. So you do not want two pages, one for "pool table" and another for "billiard table" like you would have done in the past.

Also, Google is able to understand the relationships between "things" so they can understand that "felt" or "pocket" are parts of a pool table and that a "cue" or "chalk" are tools used with a pool table. So you now want to make sure you include related terms in your content because Google will value content more that naturally references related things.

SEO experts such as Bill Slawski are really exploiting this new way of doing content.You need to do massively in-depth keyword research for this new approach. I spoke with Bill at SMX East and I was impressed by the lengths he was going to to cover every keyword angle.

Hi Anthony Martello,

I thank you for your efforts explaining us the latest insights from your frontline at smx east!

I hope more informed Warriors can contribute here as time goes by.

Thanks & Greetings

Interesting,

I wondered the same thing, and with all the changes and the ZOO Google has released on us with Panda. Penguin, etc., it sure has changed SEO strategies dramatically. Just as all things change when it comes to the internet, so to must SEO strategies. Think back over last decade and see how much has changed.

What I discovered with most recent changes after battling back from the ZOO attack wasting tons of times tying to figure out how to recover my top spot on organic Google search results for my keywords. Low and behold, I took a shot at removing backlinks, and within a week I was back on top of Google search results, so go figure, it appears to me that backlinks can be a negative impact on your SEO strategies.

Lesson learned, never underestimate doing the opposite of what all the socalled experts preaching. What worked yesterday does not mean it will work today, and certainly not tomorrow. Has anyone else looked at getting away from backlink strategies? Just like dmoz and page rank use to be concidered so important, not anymore it isn't, SEO is a moving target.

Success to all,.

Hi back,

Now we have some reference about:
- new way how to treat synonyms and semantics
- some backlinks can have negative effects

I would appreciate if more Warriors can add more value and more insights regarding this Knowledge Graph effects.

Think it is a really important topic for all SEOs since Knowledge Graph seems to be the single most significant update (core exchange) since a whole decade now.