SEO Marketing
Google’s 2024 Update to The Knowledge Graph
Is this Google's Fight Against AI?
March 2024 has turned out to be one of the most disruptive months for SEO with a further update to Google's Knowledge Graph. As a core component of the search engine's algorithms, the Knowledge Graph has been evolving steadily over the years, however, this recent update marked a significant milestone with the introduction of profound changes to how information is processed, displayed, and ranked in search engine results pages (SERPs). Whether this is a direct response in efforts to combat inappropriate use of AI, Google is certainly upping its game in recognising human-generated website content and issuing SEO penalties as for an alternative.
The Role Person Entities Within the Knowledge Graph
As ever with Google updates there are many intricacies which play a role in algorithm changes, but I will explore some of the key changes Google has made focusing on person entities and how they can affect your website and SEO strategy. To start with let me introduce you to the Knowledge Graph and knowledge panels and how it has evolved over the years. Google's Knowledge Graph has long been considered a cornerstone of its search ecosystem, enabling users to discover information quickly and intuitively. Initially introduced in 2012, the Knowledge Graph has undergone iterative enhancements, leveraging structured data and semantic understanding to enhance search relevance and user experience. However, the March 2024 update represented a leap in the sophistication and depth of the Knowledge Graph's capabilities.
At its core, the 2024 Knowledge Graph update was centred around the concept of developing its ability to recognise person entities, with a 17% increase in the number of person entities Google can now recognise. The reason this is so significant is that a person entity can directly impact E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authority and trust) which is now arguably one of the most influential ranking factors.
Over recent years, each algorithm update has steered the success of ranking to rely increasingly upon UX and in turn, this has increased the reliance on Google's understanding of E-E-A-T signals. The new updates to person entities helps Google understand who and what individuals associated with websites do. By broadening the number of person entities Google has a wider recognition of who and the roles that people play behind the websites, for example, individuals can be recognised as 'authors', 'podcasters', 'marketers', 'entrepreneurs' and the list goes on... Once an entity becomes recognised by their entity subtitle they are in the runnings to gain a knowledge panel. First of all, the entity must obtain a certain level of authority, and even this too has become a little easier to achieve. In addition to the increased number of person entities being recognised, Google has also broadened the number of sources from where it pulls knowledge panel information from. Long gone are the days when Wikipedia was the sole source for a knowledge panel, now by producing a self-confirming loop of links to relevant sources you can trigger a Knowledge panel and become recognised as an authoritative individual in the field. Once triggered your association to your website or any other website will have huge benefits for E-E-A-T signals. Identified in recent leak of Google documents, author authority is hugely important as a rank signal.
E-E-A-T signals are crucial in optimising for search engines and being able to gain top rankings. In optimising for E-E-A-T you're communicating to Google that you and your website are one of the top sources of knowledge and should be considered an authority within your niche. Now, off the back of this new Knowledge Graph update, it's clear there is a new way we can further reinforce the E-E-A-T of your website.
Implications of Person Entities with the E-E-A-T SEO Takeover
Within SEO there appears to be an E-E-A-T uprising, that is not to say E-E-A-T has fully taken over (yet), but it's clear that there has been and there will continue to be significant growth and power placed on these ranking signals. There are already techniques and tips bubbling around the industry on how to best optimise for the new person entities and how to build an authoritative context.
What I will be considering for entity optimisation for all my clients' websites includes asking the questions:
- Have the most appropriate and relevant entity subtitles been used?
- If so is there plenty of structured content around the chosen entity subtitle?
- Are there opportunities to leverage schema markup to provide explicit entity signals?
- and where can we cultivate other authoritative entity profiles?
As with any optimisations, the rate of success depends on the correct balance and there are a number of external factors at play to determine Google's decision to create a knowledge panel featuring your chosen person entity:
- the uniqueness of the individual's name
- the location of the person searching
- the notability of the individual
- the amount of information Google has understood
- Google’s confidence in the factual information it has.
My Thoughts and Reflections on the SERP
As a result of Google's Knowledge Graph update, there have been noticeable changes in the SERP dynamics. One of these observations has been the increased diversity of search results. With E-E-A-T- powering the Knowledge Graph, SERPs now feature more informative snippets, supplemented with contextual insights, especially for niche topics. However, the update has created a challenge for SEO professionals in requiring adaptation to create more entity-centric and context-aware SEO strategies. I view the update as a further trigger for greater evolution away from traditional SEO techniques and towards newer principles of user-centric optimisation and contextual relevance. These new avenues will become critical for top rankings securing visibility and driving organic traffic.
Acknowledging the power of E-E-A-T optimisations and deploying new techniques for greater semantic understanding will be key in navigating the complexities of this new era of intelligent search. While the update presents challenges, it also offers unparalleled opportunities for those willing to adapt and push traditional boundaries for success in the new 2024 SERP.
Why not speak to our team and receive a free SEO consultation, we can discuss SEO opportunities specific to your website and your business goals. Drop us an email or give us a call on: 01794 830042
