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Google Business Profile Optimisation

Google Knowledge Panel

Many brands want their own Google Knowledge Panel to further stand out from competing businesses, and it’s because of Google reviews and its strong influence. In terms of customer reviews alone, Google holds 57.5% of all reviews, and 63.6% of consumers look at online reviews on Google before they visit a business.

With a Google Knowledge Panel, brands can give consumers more information and show off their services, both of which can convince consumers to visit your business. 

What is a Google Knowledge Panel?

Searching for prominent “entities” – think of major, well-known companies – on Google will sometimes include the Knowledge Panel on the right side of the screen next to the organic search results. Information on the panel can include a short description, images, important dates, social media channels, and the location of the brand’s headquarters.

For any brand, getting a Google Knowledge Panel can be beneficial because it further establishes trust with the consumer before they even click on the brand website. Consumers want to make an informed decision before deciding on a specific product or service, and a Google Knowledge Panel can cement the purchase decision.

How to Get A Google Knowledge Panel?

According to Google, knowledge panels are “automatically generated”, and information included in the panel comes from “various sources across the web.” These panels are also updated automatically when new data emerges online.

Because knowledge panels are created automatically, there is no way for anyone to create their own panel.

It seems that with enough time and increased branding exposure, you can eventually gain your own Google Knowledge Panel.

If your brand does appear then you can claim it as your own, but you’ll need to be verified as an “authorized representative for the entity.”

To start the process and claim your knowledge panel:

1. Create a Google account if you don’t have one to use.
2. Search for your business on Google and see if it has a Knowledge Panel in the SERP.
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the panel and click the button with “Claim this knowledge panel” written on it.
4. Review the information presented on the next page, which talks about the features provided to you if you are verified to edit the knowledge panel.
5. Sign in to one of the following sites as a final verification to authorize your representation of the entity in the knowledge panel. If Google can’t associate one of the platforms below with the knowledge panel subject, then you’ll need to provide additional information to properly verify your account.
• YouTube
• Google Search Console
• Twitter
• Facebook

Once verified, you can further authorize additional users to be your representative online and manage their permissions.

 How Is a Business Profile Different from a Google Knowledge Panel?

While getting your own Google Knowledge Panel isn’t guaranteed, you can take steps in another direction to creating your own Business Profile through your Google Business Profile (GBP) account, which is displayed in the same place as a Knowledge Panel.

You can create a GBP account by visiting https://business.google.com. Just like the Knowledge Panel you’ll need to ask Google to “verify my business” before you can edit the information in the Business Profile, which includes:

• Business Name
• Category
• Hours
• Menu link (if applicable)
• Contact information
• Images

When adding these elements, make sure that the information you provide is not only correct but aligned with your other online listings.

Listing inconsistent phone numbers, addresses, or even operating hours can hurt your search ranking on Google, which reduces your overall online exposure to potential customers.