Making the Most of Google’s Knowledge Graph

Google has been growing steadily in the past few months, and in all fronts. Just recently, the company completed a restructuring of their organization to improve development in their various departments. It has also been churning out update after update for various algorithms to improve user experience.

What many of you probably don’t know is that the search giant has also been growing its knowledge in the past few years. Its Knowledge Graph has been key to making discoverability easier.

Learning Through the Search Engine

Google Search is no longer just a device that shows you a list of results based on specific keywords and queries. The search engine is now an entity that’s constantly learning. It’s trying to understand the real-life situations, concepts, and context to connect the dots and provide users with related results—all this is through the Knowledge Graph.

The Graph is Google’s information database. It understands facts about people, places, and things, and how these entities are all connected. It basically collects information about anything and everything under the sun. As of December 2012, the knowledge base has connected to 570 million entities and has stored at least 18 billion facts. Today, Google recognizes three times as many queries as it used to when Knowledge Graph was first launched.

Expanding Knowledge and Reach

Although it has made a few mistakes in some entries, the Knowledge Graph has become an important tool for marketers to leverage search engines for improved visibility and click-through rates.

Google officially uses three primary sources of information for its Knowledge Graph: Wikidata.org (formerly Freebase.com), Wikipedia, and the CIA World Factbook.

Google also uses information from websites leveraging Schema Markup, and content from high authority sources.

You might think that because of the immediate answers that Google provides users through the Graph, it could potentially remove the need to visit a certain website for information. However, the Knowledge Graph actually provides an opportunity for your website to be more visible, provided you do things right.

Influencing the Knowledge Base

So, how exactly can you make the most of the Knowledge Graph and use it to boost your site’s visibility? Here’s where you can start:

1. Get on Wiki

Wikipedia and Wikidata.org are influential and popular sources that are open to anyone and anything. Getting listed on these sites can definitely give your site a boost in credibility and visibility. There are strict guidelines to be followed, the most important of which is that the entry must be factual and unbiased.

More about getting approval for your content from this article from the Content Marketing Institute.

2. Make the Most of Schema.org Markup

Google allows people and organizations to customize their own data in the Knowledge Graph through structured data markup. This includes customizing your logos, company contact numbers, and social profile links.

Image Source: https://developers.google.com/structured-data/customize/overview

Markup types for local businesses, health, reviews, and other content may include other information worth updating. After implementation, use the Structured Data testing tool to ensure you did the Schema markup right.

3. Be Searchable on Maps

Local businesses with brick-and-mortar stores need to boost their local online presence, and a great place to start is on Google’s products.

Start by creating a profile or updating your old one on Google My Business. This connects you directly with customers online, whether they are searching on Google Search, Maps, or Google+. See to it all the relevant details about your operations are complete and accurate.

Moreover, make the most of your page and keep it active by getting new reviews, local citations, and backlinks—these three elements are the most important when it comes to Google’s local pack, or Snack Pack.

Image Source: https://searchengineland.com/google-updates-the-local-pack-showing-3-instead-of-7-local-results-227368

4. Get Your Keywords in Order

The foundation of any good content strategy is solid keyword research. When it concerns the Knowledge Graph, Google is now using critic reviews as a source of additional third-party credibility information.

Websites can get exposure in the Graph through the review section, as explained by this New York Times case study. When creating content, it’s best to research long-tail keywords with tools other than Search Console, as we discussed in a previous blog.

Moreover, use these keywords in creating both evergreen content, and trendy posts you can capitalize on.

5. Embrace Videos

Google said that for any successful mobile marketing strategy, video is a “must-have”. With the Knowledge Graph, it might soon not be just about the video itself, but the content that comes with it.

There is evidence suggesting Google is pulling information about artists, musicians, and songs from YouTube and incorporating it in their Knowledge Graph.

Some search results show song and album names as part of the Graph results, with a redirect to a YouTube video associated with it.

This, along with the growing user base and improved integration among Google products, makes YouTube a great place for publishers to excel in multimedia content.

Image Source: https://searchengineland.com/googles-music-knowledge-graph-with-youtube-google-now-new-carousel-more-174893

Closing the Knowledge Gap

The Knowledge Graph is a treasure trove of facts and data that helps Google connect people with businesses and information. It works with the main algorithm to come up with valuable search results for users.

As such, anything you do to get on the good side of the Knowledge Graph can only do you good when it comes to extending your online reach and improving rankings.

Be truthful, pay attention to the users, and create a great experience for them—do these and you are not likely to go wrong on your strategies. Make the most of the Knowledge Graph by looking at it as an opportunity, not a threat.