The presence of knowledge panels has been increasing in Google’s SERPs for years. As a result, the classic search results, also known as “10 blue links,” are getting more competition when it comes to attracting the attention of the searcher. Or should we better call it the “questioners”? Because most search queries are implicitly formulated questions that require an answer. Google wants to use the SERP features to answer the questions directly. These features are a window into the Knowledge Graph or are directly or indirectly associated with it. This article will explain how Google creates knowledge panels – and how they work. What are knowledge panels?Entities play a direct or indirect role in many search queries. That is why you will find different box variants in the SERPs for many search queries. As soon as Google recognizes that with a search query as a subject directly after the entity asked about knowledge panel delivered. The knowledge panel can also be called an entity box and it is delivered for almost all entity types. However, a knowledge panel is not delivered for every entity of a type. The entity must be captured in the Knowledge Graph. One of the fundamental questions for SEOs is which entities to include in the Google Knowledge Graph. According to Google, only named entities from the classes of the following entity types are primarily recorded in the Knowledge Graph.
However, not all entities from these classes are associated with a knowledge panel presented in the SERPs. The entities must have a certain social relevance or authority in the respective area. The classic knowledge panel can be recognized by the share button in the upper area of the panel. ![]() Knowledge panels are not to be confused with business boxes. These are not based on the Knowledge Graph, but on an entry on Google Business. To what extent the data from Google Business is also taken into account in the Knowledge Graph is not clear, but it is not unlikely. Google uses different templates for the knowledge panel. The placeholders for the content in the knowledge panel vary depending on the entity or entity type that is searched for. The placeholders are based on the standard attributes of the respective entity type. How does Google determine the relevance of an entity to serve a knowledge panel?The criteria by which Google evaluates this relevance are not clearly documented or there are no concrete statements from Google. Wikipedia plays a special role for the proof entity. The surest way to be recognized as an entity is to have an entry on Wikipedia. But other platforms that provide semi-structured data, such as Soundcloud, can also be used by Google to identify entities, as the hack for the keyword “SEO services India” has shown. ![]() There it becomes clear that SoundCloud was used as the source for the entity detection. Websites such as SoundCloud or Wikipedia always present information in a consistent structure. This means that the information can be easily extracted from the websites without mark-ups. How does Google create a knowledge panel?The knowledge panels were first presented in the SERPs with the introduction of the Knowledge Graph in 2012. In the Google patent Providing knowledge panels with search results, one finds the basic methodology and purpose of the knowledge panel. The purpose for users of a Search engine is described as follows.
Here is an excerpt from the patent on the methodology for delivering the knowledge panel:
The basic functionality when delivering a knowledge panel can be summarized in the following process steps:
I find it exciting to realize that each entity type is assigned its own knowledge panel template with corresponding placeholders. The entity type of the respective entity represented by a knowledge panel is always specified below the name of the entity. Depending on which standard attributes are assigned to the entity type and for which attributes the values are available, content is specified in the knowledge panel. ![]() Example entity type “Canadian rapper” in musician Drake’s knowledge panel How does Google generate images for the knowledge panel?Regarding the question of which images are selected for the knowledge panel, I looked at some Google patents from the last few years. Selection of representative imagesThis patent describes how Google could select representative images for entities of the type “person” for the corresponding knowledge panel. The steps are as follows:
The selection of possible images as well as the clustering of these into categories is determined depending on the proximity to the entity as well as the aspect ratio. It will be very likely that machine learning methods are used. We get an idea of possible categories by looking at the image search. ![]() System and method for associating images with semantic entitiesAnother exciting Google patent related to images and entities describes how Google Images could assemble the images for semantic pre-selection.
In this patent, images are labeled with attributes. through which the images can be assigned to specific entities. These attributes are initially identified via image recognition of an initial image. Additional attributes are added via attributes of similar images and similar entities, presumably of the same type. This is how the meaning of the picture emerges. These patents describe some approaches to how Google could specify images for knowledge panels. In my opinion, the source of the image is also decisive, which image Google selects the most relevant image for an entity and thus uses in the knowledge panel. Popular sources for people’s pictures seem to include Wikidata, Wikipedia, Wikimedia, social media profiles (e.g., LinkedIn, Twitter) and well-known magazines. To what extent the ranking in the image search correlates with the selection of the image(s) for the knowledge panel is unclear. The influence of the Knowledge Graph is growing fastThe influence of SERP features is increasing every year and with it the influence of the Knowledge Graph on the search results. The classic blue links are losing more attention and thus relevance. Entities are at the center of the Knowledge Graph and will have an increasing impact on the SERPs. With regard to voice search, SERP features such as featured snippets and knowledge panels also play an important role. The changes in the SERPs due to the MUM update can already be seen, as can the increasingly central role of entity-based searches. Therefore, SEOs should no longer perceive this topic as a “nice-to-have.” The Knowledge Graph should be included in your SEO strategies. The post How Google creates knowledge panels appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://searchengineland.com/how-google-creates-knowledge-panels-386025
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April 2023
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