Exploring the Google Knowledge Graph: What It Is and Why It Matters

So, I just got back from a cracking holiday in Italy with the family. We spent a bit over a week there, and one of the highlights was visiting Venice. One of the first things we did was hunt down the library from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”—you know, the scene where they find where X marks the spot and head down into the catacombs. If you’ve seen the film, you’ll know exactly what I mean. It’s actually an old church, not a library at all, and at the moment they’ve got a Leonardo da Vinci exhibition in there. We had a wander around, and it was absolutely fascinating.

After that, I wanted to get more info on Leonardo da Vinci and dig deeper into some of the things we’d seen. So I popped over to Google to search for him. And that’s when I noticed how Google’s Knowledge Graph comes into play. When you search for someone like Leonardo da Vinci, you don’t just get a list of links. You get this knowledge panel with summaries of his famous works, connections to historical figures, a bit about who he was—all that stuff.

But it got me thinking—what exactly is the Google Knowledge Graph? Well, in a nutshell, it’s Google’s system for understanding and connecting information. They launched it back in 2012, and it goes beyond just matching keywords. Instead, it interprets and understands the relationships between different entities like people, places, and things. So, it’s like it understands the context and connections, not just the words you’ve typed in.

For example, when I searched for Leonardo da Vinci, Google didn’t just give me websites mentioning his name. It provided a whole panel of information—images of his artworks, summaries, links to related historical figures, the lot. This is all powered by the Knowledge Graph.

Why Was the Knowledge Graph Created?

So why did Google create this? Basically, to improve search relevance and user experience. Instead of seeing words as isolated terms, Google began to understand them as concepts connected within a larger web. This was a big step forward because it allowed Google to make associations and understand relationships. If you search for “Apple,” for instance, Google can figure out whether you mean the fruit, the tech company, or even the record label associated with The Beatles.

How Does It Work?

At its core, the Knowledge Graph is a database of entities—specific people, places, and things—each with its own attributes and relationships to other entities. A person’s entity might include their date of birth, profession, notable works, and relationships with others like family members or collaborators. Google gathers this info from reliable sources like Wikipedia, Wikidata, and verified databases like the Internet Movie Database. It cross-references this data across multiple sources to strengthen its accuracy.

When you enter a search query, Google’s AI scans these relationships to present information that best matches the context of your search. So, if you’re searching for Will Smith and include the name of a film or another actor, it’ll focus on his acting career. If you include music-related terms, it’ll highlight his music career.

Real-World Examples

Another example: search for Albert Einstein*, and the Knowledge Graph shows a panel with his birth and death dates, notable contributions, and relevant images. If you’re searching for a place like the *Eiffel Tower, you’ll get its location, height, images, and links to related landmarks nearby—helpful if you’re planning a visit and want to know what else is around.

Impact on SEO and Content Strategy

So, how does this impact your SEO and content strategy? It’s important to realise that Google values structured data and entities that have a high degree of accuracy and relevance. This means you should focus on creating authoritative, well-linked content around key entities that are relevant to your site or business. By doing this and establishing your content as an authority on a topic, you improve your chances of being featured in the Knowledge Panel and answer boxes.

Let’s say you’re a business focused on eco-friendly products. If you create structured, in-depth content about sustainability topics, you can position yourself and your brand as an authority in that area. The more accurate and well-cited your content is, the more likely Google is to recognise you as a reliable source of information and include you in the Knowledge Panel.

Tips for Optimising for the Knowledge Graph

Now, some tips for optimising for the Knowledge Graph:

1. Structured Data: Start with schema.org markup. This is machine-readable data that you can mark up your content with, helping search engines understand the content of your page. There are specific markup schemes for things like products, events, and local business information. Google trusts and understands structured data, and it can really help you get optimised for the Knowledge Panel.

2. Consistency: Like I said before, the more times Google sees information that matches across different sources, the more it’s going to trust that information and start to include it in the Knowledge Graph. For example, Leonardo da Vinci’s date of birth is mentioned consistently across multiple reliable websites, strengthening Google’s confidence in displaying that information.

3. Reliable Sources: If you can get into reputable sources like Wikipedia or  Wikidata, that’s a big plus. Now, this one’s a bit of a big ask, especially if you’re not a major brand or well-known personality. But there are other options. For instance, if you’re a podcast host (like me) or have authored a book that’s on Amazon, you might have pathways to get included in these databases. It’s tricky, but worth exploring.

Remember, appearing in the Knowledge Panel is about building brand relevance. Even if it’s a zero-click result where users might not click through to your site, they’re still seeing your brand and associating it with authoritative information. So don’t fret too much about the lack of clicks; focus on the brand visibility and credibility it brings.

A Free Tool to Explore the Knowledge Graph

Oh, and I promised to share a free tool that’ll help you explore the Knowledge Graph. It’s not mine, but it’s a fantastic resource. Created by a friend of the podcast, Carl Hendy, the tool is available at audits.com/tools/knowledge-graph-search. It allows you to search and explore the Knowledge Graph in ways beyond just using Google search. You can, for example, input “Albert Einstein” and look for a person, and it’ll bring up research results around him, including the different sources and places where that data is coming from.

If you’re feeling a bit more techie and comfortable working with APIs, Google actually provides a Knowledge Graph Search API where you can search and interrogate the Knowledge Graph directly. Just Google it, and you’ll find all the info you need.

Final Thoughts

So, that’s about it really. The Google Knowledge Graph is a powerful tool for both users seeking information and businesses looking to enhance their SEO strategy. By understanding how it works and how to optimise your content for it, you can improve your visibility and establish your brand as an authority in your field.