Google Knowledge Panels : The Ultimate Cheat Sheet

What Is Google Knowledge Panel?

These are fields in the Knowledge Graph that indicate people, places, organizations, things, etc. They are created for readers to find out more information about content creators. Every day, thousands of publications appear and the volume of the provided information is incredibly high. Therefore, the Knowledge Panel has been developed to provide readers with all of the data and information about authors who have published a chosen article. In its blog, Google announced that this panel will become a good tool for control over information and will be a great defense against compromising posts, libel, and fraud.

With the appearance of this panel, it has become possible to follow up with famous personalities, companies, TV/radio stations, and all the opinion leaders and people who have gained the trust of their readers. Also, Google users can suggest introducing changes to facts on their own Knowledge Panels.

How to Work With Google Knowledge Panels

To avoid spreading fake information about people and companies, Google has decided to create the Knowledge Panel. Let us review the possibilities that Google users have received due to the Knowledge Panel, how it works, and what its benefits and flaws are.

How to Get Google Knowledge Panels and Add Information

1. Open your account on Google My Business.
2. Enter or edit important information about your business (name, operating hours, images, etc.). To get a result, stick to Google recommendations, as well as to the recommendations stipulated below in the section “Setting the Functions of Google Knowledge Panels to Achieve the Maximum Effect.”
3. After fulfilling all the above duties, Google will decide if the Knowledge Panel will be shown or not. You should provide only up-to-date information to get this possibility.
4. Use Yoast SEO. It is important to know that Yoast SEO has a full graph of structured data for site pages. This data gets transmitted to Google and is assigned to the owners, company, and site. Therefore, the indicated data join Yoast SEO with Google Knowledge Graph. This does not mean that after entering data, Google Knowledge Panels will immediately appear. But this increases the chances of this. Read related articles: Yoast vs All in One SEO Pack and Setting Up SEO Plugins.

Problems With Google Knowledge Panels

While getting Google Knowledge Panels, a range of problems appear. That is why we suggest you learn about them and afterward decide which business needs this function and which doesn’t.

1. This panel will display all the present feedback on the site over the Internet. It’s important to react to them on time and, of course, to reply in order to keep as many clients as possible.
2. It may take a lot of time for Google to confirm new information about a brand; Google may also require the confirmation of changes, meanwhile indicating old outdated data.
3. There are a lot of functions that are out of control of the Panel owner. It’s not promised that Google will approve of them.
4. There is no follow-up button if a client has detected errors on the site. Therefore, it takes a lot of time to detect and solve the problem.
5. There is no direct connection to Google, so it won’t be possible to quickly solve problems.

Google Knowledge Panels is a great chance to tell people more about your company.

Types of Google Knowledge Panels

To understand if search results will be displayed on Google Knowledge Panels for different types of business, we suggest getting to know every type and find out how to increase your chances of getting this panel by a relevant type.

• Local Panels

They are suitable for companies and businesses. Most often, they have Google Knowledge Panels.

• Branded/Personalized Panels

This type of Google Knowledge Panels is rarer.  However, one should submit a request for a branded or personalized panel. Most often, the brands and people that get this panel are only ones who have got a Wikipedia page. This type is perfectly suitable for individuals or brands. Information about a product, foundation, and pages on social networks is available.

Main Functions of Google Knowledge Panels

After getting acquainted with the above information and having decided that this panel will be useful for a chosen business, we suggest reviewing its general functions in detail. They are similar and available for any business category. It does not matter which fields are being set– access to their control can be different. 

Some of the fields are out of the owner’s control, but others can be partially controlled by an 

owner. This sometimes leads to discomfort. That’s why we would like to initially subdivide them into subgroups by an owner’s control: full, partial, and uncontrolled.

Main Functions of Google Knowledge Panels Under a Partial Owner’s Control:

1. Photos and Videos

All of the images may have several sources. For example, the first source is people who have uploaded an image to their featured panels. They are taken from images available on the Internet. The other sources are the owners of images that are available on the Internet. 

It’s important to note:

• Pictures have to be checked for spam;
• All of the images considerably increase the rating of clicks.

In the section for pictures, videos are also published. Control over images and videos can be carried out by an owner, as well as by a crowdsourcing element. Crowdsourcing is a partial or full transition of control to an unknown circle of people.

2. Maps

If you click on a tag on a map, you are forwarded to maps of Knowledge Panels. It is necessary to always check the correctness of this tag. Control can be affected by an owner, as well as by regular users that consider this tag inappropriate or incorrect.

3. Pictures’ Exterior

A user can see a 3D review on the Google Street View to get an idea of a company. Unfortunately, this function is unavailable on mobile devices. Here, an owner can correct only a wrong tag on the map.

4. Company Name

It is important to enter an up-to-date company name according to Google recommendations. For those working in the field of servicing and having no office (in other words, working on sites), it is necessary to enter the name of the company that is exactly the same as on the website. This point is controlled by an owner but can be also modified by other users.

5. Directions Button

By pressing this button, the location of a user is identified and the route on Google maps is laid. A user can choose any other starting point, opt for the means of transport: public, bicycle, car, or on foot. There is also a notification about the traffic on roads (danger, traffic jams, etc.). An owner, as well as other users, can flag incorrect routes.

6. The Button for Ratings and Reviews

By clicking on the stars, the page with reviews is open and the rating is displayed. The number is the arithmetical average of all the rates that have been given. It is important to note that all of the checks and additional settings have only a speculative meaning and can significantly influence the conversion. Even though Google is contributing to business development by means of asking for feedback and reviews, it is important not to buy them and not to offer other alternatives in exchange.

The owner is entitled to thank someone for a review, trace, check, and reply, as well as to inform about the presence of spam and block users for its distribution.

7. Do You Know This Place?

By pressing on this button, a user will reply to some questions to describe in detail a particular location. For example, is there a parking lot, playground, nearby stores, etc.? Just like users, the company can share detailed information. An owner, as well as users, can add information.

8. Google Questions and Answers

This possibility became available in 2017. Companies can publish frequently asked questions and reply to new ones from their clients. Users can check all of the questions that have been previously asked by other people and will probably find answers to the questions they have or will ask.

This function is an important feedback form to communicate with consumers, as well as the form of new social interactivity and customer support. Questions and answers are checked on the presence of spam. An owner, as well as users, can leave questions and reply to help each other.

9. “Add a Photo” Button

With the help of this button, users can upload additional pictures for the development of business and to help others to get to know a company better. As photos influence the interaction with a company, it is important to check if they contain spam.

Companies cannot influence what users are uploading but can submit a complaint if the content is inappropriate or provocative.

10. View All Google Reviews

By following this link, it is possible to read all of the received reviews. This is very convenient for a company as it helps to quickly detect its weak points. There is also software available to analyze the mood.

Companies cannot control the publications of reviewers but have the possibility to work on contradictions and react to reviews.

11. Fragments Review

In this section, Google reviews 3 excerpts selected in an unknown manner:

• The number of reviews;
• Mood; and
• Speed (of an owner reaction).

These three factors influence ranking. These reviews also have to be checked for the presence of spam.

Important: On the toolbar of Google My Business, it is necessary to reply to all reviews, both positive and negative. Statistically, 40% of users are glad to receive any response to their review, and it is better to provide it within 24 hours. Responses to negative reviews can return up to 35% of unsatisfied customers. And for the remaining 65%, it will be a great advantage when they notice that this business behaves ethically and cares for every client. An owner, as well as users, can contribute to this section.

12. Feedback

By clicking on this link, it is possible to suggest changes in the Knowledge Panel, however, Google can decline them. Brands cannot control this but can use the function to suggest changes.

The Main Functions of Google Knowledge Panels Under the Owner’s Control:

13. Website Button

By clicking on this button, a user is redirected to the company site. It is important to ensure that the URL address works and is correct. It is worth noting that 85% of a company’s interaction with a user takes place on local pages (for example, Facebook or other landing pages), and only 15% of engagement is ensured by the national or brand pages. That is why it is necessary to place the Knowledge Panel for every location on the necessary landing page. It is controlled by an owner but can be also edited by others.

14.  Google Posts

Google Posts are a type of content that was launched in 2017 for the display of hot news, actual information, and disavowal of provocative statements.

Everything about Google Posts:

• The Posts contain photos, videos, links, and no other monetization.
• The term of these publications is quite short, approximately 7 days and it is valid till the termination of events. For instance, the notification about promotions or other offers, as well as the news a company would like to share.
• It is important to note that the limit is up to 1,500 symbols. The perfect number is 150-350 symbols.
• The size of an image should be 750×750. If an image is less than 250×250, it won’t upload.
• Posts can contain news information, products, offers, possibilities, phone numbers, 30-second videos, and links.
• It is okay to use text on pictures.

Recommendation: To considerably increase the conversion, use call-to-action phrases. For instance, “Fill in the form on the website to get a free consultation!”

15. Address

In this line, the physical address of the enterprise is indicated. If a company is providing services, only a country, city, or state is available. Control is mostly held by the owner, but users can also introduce changes.

16. Opening Hours

By pressing on the working hours, a more detailed schedule is displayed: opening hours in working days, weekends, and a lunch break. However, it is always necessary to take into account holidays and official days off. In these cases, the notification should be added that opening hours are subject to changes due to a particular holiday. The information gets provided by an owner, but users can also make changes.

17. Phone Number

The provided phone number should be directly connected to the company location. To call by means of Hangouts, one should just click on the number. A company should have several numbers but they cannot be displayed in public. If viewed on a mobile device, there is a call button that redirects users to their phone books. The call is made after confirmation.

Advice: It is important for an additional number to coincide with the one Google can see on the website. To avoid problems with the use of this strategy, indicate only current numbers. Contact details are provided by the owner but can be also amended by users.

18. Description

This field should have no more than 750 symbols and describe the possibilities, benefits, foundation, and advantages of a brand as precisely as possible. This field should not be used as an ad to try to sell your product because this approach will be considered a violation.

The Main Functions of Google Knowledge Panels Out of Owners’ Control:

19. Stars on Google Maps

By pressing on stars, it is possible to feature the map. The purpose of this is to quickly find a necessary location. It is also convenient to check if you are far or close to the location. After tagging a location, the featured place looks like a star on a user’s map. All the featured places are displayed on lists except for mobile devices. Instead of the star, there is the Save button.

20. Editorial Report

It is generated by Google and provides a brief description of the business.

21. Suggest an Edit

By pressing this button, a user can suggest edits to the provided information about a company. This is a great way to get feedback from your clients and control the relevance of the company information. Unfortunately, this possibility is not controlled by owners. Users can help with their suggestions or intentionally hard a company.

22. Send to Your Phone

This button provides the possibility to send the address from your PC to your mobile device. A notification is received on a phone and by opening it, a map with the location tag is opened. In this way, it is possible to lay the route instead of manually typing the company address. This function also helps trace to how many devices this location has been sent, therefore, to evaluate if this place is popular in the opinion of Google.

23. Write a Review

By clicking this button, users can leave a review, rate, and in such a way, influence the rating of a company. A review can be complemented with uploaded images. All of this is made in a separate window that will open after pressing the button. On mobile devices, this is available by clicking on “rate and view.”

24. People Also Search for

In this section, Google generates and provides a list of competitors (similar brands by the type of service and rating). By clicking, a user is redirected to maps and can familiarize oneself with the location of similar companies. They are located not far from each other.

Additional Functions of Google Knowledge Panels

Aside from general functions, some business niches have other interesting possibilities in the Knowledge Panel. Just like the previous ones, we will subdivide them into subgroups by the owner’s control: full, partial, and uncontrolled.

Additional Functions of Google Knowledge Panels Under Full Owner’s Control:

1. Booking

This button allows users to check the working hours and choose a suitable time for an appointment.

2. Google Messaging

This panel provides the possibility of a connection between an owner and a client.

3. Hotel Knowledge Panels

This panel is an improved version that can offer many more variants of managing, booking, grouped reviews, various ads, and offers. The major part is controlled by an owner, however, there are several functions that are out of the control of an owner.

Additional Functions of Google Knowledge Panels Out of the Owner’s Control:

1. Editorial Report

This is a set of widgets that provide a report in a particular business category. With its help, it is possible to trace the effectiveness and compare it with the data from other reports.

2. Critical Reviews

It is generated by Google on the basis of professional review platforms.

3. Popular Times

The information displays the level of a load of a chosen place. These hours are generated based on the highest time request on a particular location. For example, on weekend evenings, the biggest number of people lay routes to this place.

4. Groupon Ads

Many dislike this function. Without the knowledge of owners, Groupon places ads on the lists of brands.

Additional Functions of Google Knowledge Panels Under the Owner’s Partial Control:

1. Menu Links

These links can redirect users to the menu of another site. This is a very complicated but interesting function. These links can be also generated by an owner who controls the menu URL address and its content.

2. Internet Reviews

This function provides all of the reviews made about a particular business all over the Internet. Owners cannot influence which reviews Google will display and which information it will provide to users. However, a company can work on increasing the number of positive reviews over the negative ones.

3. Price Report

It is possible to familiarize oneself with the report on average prices. The control is partial as it belongs to an owner and a crowdsourcing element.

4. URL for Local Companies

Additional URL addresses can provide various content, i.e., menu, orders, booking, product search, and others. They are added to the GMB toolbar or are provided by third-party organizations. An owner can use additional URL addresses and some of them can belong to famous personalities.

Setting the Functions of Google Knowledge Panels to Achieve the Maximum Effect

Every enterprise has strong competitors and every company has a unique plot of business running. However, there are also similar stages for different business processes. The correctness of their execution has a significant influence on orders and ratings. That is why you should check the below elements that are important for setting Google Knowledge Panels, as well as recommendations to their proper filling in.

• Manual

Be careful while making the list and be sure to check if there is a possibility to include it in Google products, as well as if it meets the requirements of the search engine.

•  NAP

It is important for data such as a company name, address, phone number, and URL to correspond to every location of offices, stores, etc. It is worth making a list with this data and carefully check if every Google list displays the correct information.

• Category

The main category influences the search rating and impressions accordingly. Check which categories your competitors have indicated and if they correspond to your business, choose them.

• Tags on the Map 

Make sure that all of the tags on the map are correct for every location

• Reviews

Keep track of all of the reviews and be sure to reply to them, both positive and negative ones. This will help show that a company is working to improve its service and demonstrate the importance of every customer.

• Photos

This presence is a must. It is important to provide relevant and professional pictures because they influence the number of clicks.

• Messages

It is very important to have a feedback button for clients to have the possibility to quickly start a dialogue and find out everything they are interested in. Use this function to its maximum.

• The Possibility to Use Call-tracking Numbers 

This function will help analyze how clients interact with your business. The result will show what to pay attention to and what to improve in the first place.

• Questions and Answers

Frequently asked questions will help not only clients but also the company. That is why the presence of this panel is important.

• Products/Services Menu

This panel will help to tell in detail about a business and visually show to clients which services and products they can get.

• Booking

It is possible to set your own booking widget, however, to remain competitive, it may be necessary to pay Google.

• Attributes

Indicate all the attributes related to the business to ensure the comfort of clients. For example, the presence of a parking lot, internet, cafe, swimming pool, etc. This depends on the business category.