What Exactly is the Google Knowledge Graph & How Does it Work?
A new article on Search Engine Journal explains how to learn about using Google's Knowledge Graph, how Knowledge Panels get generated, and how to for edits. Perhaps more importantly, the author also walks us through how the Knowledge Graph affects SEO.
Google's Knowledge Graph is akin to a massive encyclopedia used to compile parts of search results. Danny Sullivan says that the archive contains more than 500 billion snippets of information about five billion entities.
Google's Knowledge Panels appear in search results, and they're a list of key facts about people, places, and things, which get sourced via the Knowledge Graph. Google explains it like this:
Knowledge panels get generated automatically - so here isn't an employee somewhere updating what you see within search results. What you are likely to see in the panel for your search term are things like:
Depending on what you enter into Google, you may also see more detailed and specific information in the panel, such as:
Where Does Knowledge Graph Information Come From?
Google's Knowledge Graph has been around since 2012 - and it's getting bigger and bigger. The Knowledge Graph data comes from both websites and licensed databases, and Wikipedia is a commonly referenced source of information. Google's Danny Sullivan explains more:
Mistakes do happen within the Google Knowledge Graph, but you can provide feedback when that happens. It's a pretty straightforward process, and it starts with clicking on the 'Feedback' option.
Does Google's Knowledge Graph Help SEO?
What's useful to know about Knowledge Graph is that you can use it to improve your SEO. The author goes into more detail about doing that, so it's well worth reading the original article. Basically, the Knowledge Graph - and having an accurate Knowledge Panel for yourself or your business - helps Google to understand better what your website and content are about. It also makes your material far more discoverable on the web. If you spot something inaccurate, requesting changes to your Knowledge Panel is easy - so it's well worth taking the time to learn about that and to improve how your own Knowledge Panel represents you!
Google's Knowledge Graph is akin to a massive encyclopedia used to compile parts of search results. Danny Sullivan says that the archive contains more than 500 billion snippets of information about five billion entities.
Google's Knowledge Panels appear in search results, and they're a list of key facts about people, places, and things, which get sourced via the Knowledge Graph. Google explains it like this:
| "They're designed to help you quickly understand more about a particular subject by surfacing key facts and to make it easier to explore a topic in more depth." |
- Title and a short summary of the topic
- A longer description of the subject
- A picture or pictures of the person, place, or thing
- Key facts, such as when a notable figure was born or where something is located
- Links to social profiles and official websites
Depending on what you enter into Google, you may also see more detailed and specific information in the panel, such as:
- Songs from musical artists
- Upcoming episodes from TV shows
- Rosters of sports teams
Where Does Knowledge Graph Information Come From?
Google's Knowledge Graph has been around since 2012 - and it's getting bigger and bigger. The Knowledge Graph data comes from both websites and licensed databases, and Wikipedia is a commonly referenced source of information. Google's Danny Sullivan explains more:
| "We draw from hundreds of sources from across the web, including licensing data that appears in knowledge panels for music, sports, and TV. We work with medical providers to create carefully vetted content for knowledge panels for health issues. We also draw from special coding that content owners can use, such as to indicate upcoming events." |
Mistakes do happen within the Google Knowledge Graph, but you can provide feedback when that happens. It's a pretty straightforward process, and it starts with clicking on the 'Feedback' option.
Does Google's Knowledge Graph Help SEO?
What's useful to know about Knowledge Graph is that you can use it to improve your SEO. The author goes into more detail about doing that, so it's well worth reading the original article. Basically, the Knowledge Graph - and having an accurate Knowledge Panel for yourself or your business - helps Google to understand better what your website and content are about. It also makes your material far more discoverable on the web. If you spot something inaccurate, requesting changes to your Knowledge Panel is easy - so it's well worth taking the time to learn about that and to improve how your own Knowledge Panel represents you!
