GlossarySEO
What is a Google knowledge panel?
Also called: Google knowledge panel, Knowledge Graph panel, claim knowledge panel
Definition
A knowledge panel is the information box Google shows for entities in its Knowledge Graph, such as companies, people and products. It's generated automatically, and verified representatives can claim it and suggest changes.
Knowledge panel, explained
Google's help page describes knowledge panels as information boxes that appear when you search for entities, meaning people, places, organizations and things, that are in the Knowledge Graph. They're meant to give a quick snapshot based on Google's understanding of available content on the web. On desktop they usually appear to the right of the results; on mobile, near the top.
They're generated automatically. Google says information comes from various sources across the web, sometimes combined with data from partners for certain topics. You can't create one or pay for one. What you can do is make your entity easy to understand: a clear About page, consistent naming, Organization structured data with a logo and sameAs links to your official profiles, and mentions on sites Google trusts.
Once a panel exists, people or organizations it represents can claim it through Google's verification process, typically by signing in with an account connected to an official site or profile. After verification you can suggest edits, such as a featured image or corrections. Anyone can also send feedback through the link on the panel.
For a young startup, a knowledge panel is a sign that Google recognizes your brand as an entity, not a goal to chase directly. It tends to appear after sustained coverage, links and branded searches.
Why it matters for founders
When people search your brand, a knowledge panel makes you look established and answers basic questions about you. The groundwork is the same as for good branded search results in general.
Example
After a year of press coverage and a Wikipedia-style profile on a few trusted sites, your brand search shows a knowledge panel with your logo, founders and social links. You claim it and correct the founding year.
Common mistakes
- Paying services that promise a knowledge panel.
- Inconsistent company names across your site and profiles.
- No Organization markup or sameAs links.
- Ignoring incorrect details instead of claiming and correcting them.
Sources
Checked
Related terms
- Organization schemaOrganization schema is structured data that describes your company, including name, URL, logo, social profiles and contact details, so Google can identify it and show details like your logo in results.
- Branded searchBranded searches are queries that include your brand or product name; non-branded searches don't. Non-branded clicks show SEO bringing in new people; branded ones show existing demand.
- SERP featuresSERP features are anything on a search results page beyond the standard blue-link result: AI Overviews, featured snippets, People Also Ask, sitelinks, image and video packs, knowledge panels and rich results.
- Structured data (JSON-LD)Structured data is machine-readable information about a page, usually written as JSON-LD using the schema.org vocabulary. It helps search engines understand what a page is about and can make it eligible for rich results.