Not a lot of people are aware of what the Google Knowledge Panel is, and what it does. If you are one of those people, then worry not!
This article will act as your ultimate guide to what Google Knowledge Panel is, and how you can use it to improve your own business strategy.
If you are as excited to learn about this as we are to teach you, then stay with us and keep reading!
What is the Google Knowledge Panel?
When you search for something on Google, you will sometimes witness a column on the right side of the SERP. Like this:
The block highlighted in red is called the Google knowledge panel. It appears on your search result page every time you enter a search for a public figure. a brand, or anything else! They are actually a form of Google’s rich results and show all the significant information about plants, countries, animals, and people.
For example, in the image above, we see the knowledge panel for the search result Google. It lists all the pertinent details regarding Google. Details such as the founding date, as well as details about headquarters, CEO, and subsidiaries.
The information that appears on the knowledge panel comes through a knowledge graph. It pulls all the relevant data regarding the subject.
Why is Google Knowledge Panel Important?
Google knowledge panel is important for businesses and can actually be quite beneficial for a brand to grow and expand. This is mainly because a knowledge panel enables your business to easily be discovered by searchers.
Through the knowledge panel, you also get a chance to outshine and stand out from your competitors. Essentially, it is a way to make your listing stand out in terms of the search results.
Another aspect of the knowledge panel that makes it indispensable for a business is that it is a quick and easy way for your audience to learn more about who you are as a brand. It also enables them to conveniently find a medium to contact you. That means that the number of leads you get is likely to increase if you use the Google knowledge panel. Then, you can turn them into conversions with your talent and expertise!
What Does the Google Knowledge Panel Comprise Of?
We have already looked at some of the details that are likely to be found on the knowledge panel. It’s important to look at them a little more closely to understand the essence of the knowledge panel!
The features of the panel include:
1. Photos and Videos
The first things that you are likely to notice on the knowledge panel are photos and videos. These can be the photos you have posted as a business, or the photos your customers’ post of you. Photos speak louder than words, which is why the knowledge panel is so effective in terms of attracting customers.
2. Maps
The knowledge panel includes a Google Map section as well. This way, your business can be clearly associated with the locality it works with. This map pins your business to its location in real life.
3. Business Name
Of course, the panel is going to include the business name. Your job is to ensure that it includes the right name. At the end of the day, the knowledge panel will help you define your identity, and you obviously need to align it well!
4. Website Button
The knowledge panel also includes a website button that will link the panel to your website. This is essentially the most important part of the panel as this is how you are able to connect yourself with the customers. So, here, you need to make sure that the link on the page is correct and working – which you can do by accessing the knowledge panel member log in.
5. Reviews
The knowledge panel also includes the review section. As we all know, reviews can improve your business or bring it crashing down! Reviews have the power to decide whether or not your prospects turn into customers. So, you should encourage previous customers to engage with you and leave positive reviews, because they are definitely likely to make it to the knowledge panel.
Keep in mind that these aren’t all the elements that are featured on the knowledge panel. Although these are surely the most important ones of the listing. Also, these are the ones that you need to ensure are up and running when you make your appearance on the much-coveted Google knowledge panel!
How to Make Your Business Appear in the Google Knowledge Panel?
I’m sure that at this point, you are wondering how you can utilize the Google knowledge panel! Well, the first thing you need to know is that there is no optimization or a special trick that you can employ to get to the panel. At the end of the day, your chances of appearing on the knowledge panel are contingent on Google’s algorithm. And since the algorithm is the only thing that decides on the panel spot, it is a challenge for businesses who are willing to expand to make their way to the panel.
It is important to keep in mind that no external organization knows how Google’s algorithm works to accommodate different businesses. It is also challenging to understand what the ideal optimization for the Google knowledge spot is going to be.
However, despite not knowing the exact formula to finding a space on the knowledge spot, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of appearing on the panel.
For example, it is thought that the spot is given to businesses based on the prominence of the business, relevance to the search, and distance from the user’s location. We know that Google always ensures that the results it is providing to its audience are relevant, and actually help them with their search.
Moreover, Google wants to provide users with a relevant business in their vicinity that they can trust and rely on.
There are a lot of organizations out there that think that verifying your business on Google means you will get to appear on the knowledge panel. While it might seem like there is a link between these two factors, there isn’t really! However, it is better to have a verified business because it allows your customers to ensure that your practice is real and reliable.
You must also keep in mind that can not improve your SEO ranking by paying your way into it. Whether it is Google My Business, Google Search, or Google Maps. There is no shortcut or easy way out to get your business to appear on the top. The best you can do is do your job with due diligence and let the algorithm do the rest.
At the end of the day, “Google loves you only if everyone else loves you first.” It means that in order to actually master the algorithm, you have to provide something of substance to Google and its users.
Increasing the Chances of Your Appearance on the Google Knowledge Panel
If you want to increase your chances of being favored by Google’s algorithm and appear on the knowledge panel, follow these steps:
Optimization – You Must Optimize Your List
Needless to say, the first thing you need to be worried about is your Google My Business listing. This is a local listing that appears in the box and is also displayed to your customers. It is a very crucial aspect in terms of improving your chances of appearing in the knowledge panel Google provides. For this reason, it is important to optimize it properly and timely.
You can do this by checking and rechecking the information added to your Google My Business listing. Essentially, you need to make sure that the listing is accurate and more importantly, up to date. Many businesses fail to do this, which is why their Google My Business listing suffers and does not result in making it to the knowledge panel Google has.
So, be sure that it is completely up-to-date. It should reflect accurate operating hours, contact information, emails, phone numbers, and all the other relevant information.
Not only does a good Google My Business listing help your business improve its chances of making it to the knowledge panel, but it also improves the general relevance of your business to the search query. This, as we know, is beneficial overall as well.
Domain Authority – Time to Improve Your Domain Authority!
Like we have already discussed, Google only prioritizes businesses that have a certain level of relevance to the user’s search query. Think of that as Google’s primary responsibility – to link its customers with the best, most reliable, and trustworthy businesses.
In that regard, your ultimate focus should be to build more trust in your business. You can do this by improving your domain authority. Why? Well, it’s mainly because the domain authority is a way of the algorithm to perceive your listing as trustworthy. In simple words, it is a trust signal.
With domain authority, the higher the number you manage to get, the better! The higher the number is, the more trustworthy your site is to the algorithm. It also means that your page is regarded as a source of knowledge, and as a credible and valid platform for people to visit.
And ultimately, a higher domain authority helps you increase your chances of appearing on the Google knowledge panel. This is because websites with a higher domain authority associated with their website send a positive signal to Google, which can help you with making an appearance as one of the Google knowledge panel members.
Customer Service – Love Your Customers
The work you do for your customers has the most intense impact on your business’s performance online. The more your customers love you, the better you are in Google’s eyes (algorithm). In fact, the key to becoming one of Google’s knowledge panel members could very well be the quality of the services you provide to your customers!
So, if you weren’t doing it already, turn your concentration towards creating an optimal customer experience for all the people who engage with your business.
Remember when we mentioned the value of reviews? Well, when you provide your customers with the best possible customer services, then it becomes kind of obvious that they would be more willing to leave a positive review on your Google review. This would be attractive for the other prospects you have lingering about, and this way, your efficacy in one regard can trickle down to other aspects of your business as well.
However, more importantly, it is essential to do this to sit well with the Google algorithm. The better your customers think of your business and the better you maintain that the more likely it is that you will appear on the Google algorithm.
The Bottom Line
The knowledge panel is an amazing feature offered by Google. For the search engine, it is the best way to provide its users with an overview of what they are searching for. Google understands that its users don’t have all the time in the world to dive deep into every search that they make. A knowledge panel is a great tool for summarizing the search query they present to it.
However, for businesses, it is more than that! It is the way to ensure that their brand gets the recognition it deserves. Therefore, it is a fool-proof way to stay at the forefront of your customer’s sight.
So, what are you waiting for?
Improve your website, listing, and customer experience today, and make your slow yet steady way towards the savvy knowledge panel. Before you know it, you will be accessing the knowledge panel member log-in.
