Entities in SEO 2024: what are they + why do they matter?

INTRODUCTION – ENTITIES IN SEO

If you’re committed to growing and scaling your business, a well-optimised website should be part of your team. The best way to achieve this is by embracing search engine optimisation (SEO) focusing on both keywords and entities to increase visibility on search engines. I know what you’re thinking: “What on earth are SEO entities? Don’t worry, as ever, I’ll make it simple. In this blog, let me explain SEO entities, what they are, why they matter, and how to use them boost your website’s visibility alongside keywords. 

GOOGLE HAS ONE JOB

Google has one job: to generate the best search results for users’ queries. The more context and detail we provide, the more relevant the search result will be and, therefore, the more accurate Google will be in guiding traffic to our website.

“We’ve always believed that the perfect search engine should understand exactly what you mean and give you back exactly what you want.”

– Amit Singhal, SVP, Engineering

WHAT ARE ENTITIES IN SEO?

First things first—entities aren’t new but have recently become a hot topic because of the launch of Google AI Overviews (still to be rolled out fully in the UK). This has refocused attention on entities as a key ranking factor in 2024 and beyond. Nearly 60% of all search queries now use entities for more accurate results.

A brief history of entities in search

• 2001: Wikipedia is a free, online encyclopedia of vast written knowledge. Created and edited by volunteers worldwide, Wikipedia is hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation (an umbrella organisation).
• 2005: Freebase was a project by Metaweb Technologies that was an “open, shared database of the world’s knowledge”. It was a vast collection of structured data stored in a knowledge graph.
• 2010: Metaweb Technologies was acquired by Google.
• 2012: Wikidata was launched as a structured knowledge base of data from Wikipedia entries. They create a comprehensive system for sharing and managing information freely and collaboratively. Wikidata helped to build the foundations of entity SEO, turning the focus from strings of words to interconnected data points.
• 2012: Entities have existed since 2012, when Google introduced the Google Knowledge Graph. This tool pulls together information from various sources, such as websites, Wikipedia pages, Wikidata, and other datasets, displaying it in formats like knowledge panels, rich snippets, and other rich results that improve the overall search experience.

How entities work and impact ranking

• To ensure websites work for both the human user and the search engine algorithms, it’s important to appreciate the nuance of SEO.
• When algorithms change, they are named to differentiate between the versions. Algorithms like BERT and MUM were aimed to enhance the understanding of search queries by enabling more nuanced interpretations.
• So understanding the ‘intent’ behind the search AND the ‘context’ will help to bring better results.

Entities allow search engines to understand the meaning behind keywords—hence the phrase, “things, not strings.”

CAPTION: Google Knowledge Graph

WHAT IS THE GOOGLE KNOWLEDGE GRAPH?

• Google Knowledge Graph is like a map showing how entities relate to each other. This extensive map is a network of interconnected facts and data points about entities.
• To get onto Google Knowledge Graph is only possible when the information is verified. Just as Wikipedia and Wikidata knowledge graphs verify information first, this ensures it remains authentic.
• A good example of an entity that is on the Google Knowledge Graph is a Google Business Profile (was Google My Business) free listing. This has to be verified by Google before it can be live.

A unique ID

• An SEO entity is a uniquely identifiable object or concept. This could be an object, concept, person, or place. Each entity in the Knowledge Graph has a unique identifier, a Knowledge Graph ID (kgid). This unique code allows Google to identify, retrieve, and display information about the entity across its various services.
• Once entities exist inside Google Knowledge Graph, search engines quickly recognise and connect ‘things’ together. Because Google can better understand relationships between different entities, it can generate the best, most relevant search result for the user’s query without solely relying on specific keywords.
• It helps websites rank for relevant search queries even when exact keywords are not used. Helping it provide more accurate and relevant search results

CAPTION: Google Knowledge Graph

Example entity; an object

Let’s take “The Eiffel Tower” as an example. The Eiffel Tower is a globally recognised landmark and, therefore, an entity in the Google Knowledge Graph. It has a unique ID. If you search for the Eiffel Tower, Google doesn’t just retrieve results based on the keyword “Eiffel Tower.” Instead, it uses its Knowledge Graph to gather related facts, such as its location in Paris, height, and relevant historical information.

Here’s how the process works:

Entity: Eiffel Tower

1. Knowledge Graph ID: /m/02h_7d (this is an example code for the Eiffel Tower in the Knowledge Graph)
2. Entity Attributes:
   – Place: Paris, France
   – Type: Monument
   – Related entities: Gustave Eiffel (the engineer), Paris (the city), France (the country)
3. How it works: When a user searches for “Eiffel Tower height,” Google doesn’t just scan for the phrase “Eiffel Tower height.” Instead, it references the kgid /m/02h_7d and retrieves relevant details (such as height, location, etc.) related to this entity in the Knowledge Graph.

CAPTION: Google Knowledge Panel

Connecting and displaying entities

So, we know that Google uses entities to determine a page’s context and relevance. Google Knowledge Panel (this is the long panel on the right of the search engine results page) may show the relationship between a company entity and its products. Natural Language Processing (NLP) comes in here, by enabling Google to understand the nuances of language and the contextual relationships between entities. Internal links can strengthen these relationships further by guiding users and search engines through your entity-based content structure.

The SEO Mix

To help better explain entities, we need to understand the SEO mix and how it all fits together. There are various aspects that need to work harmoniously so that when algorithms change, your website stay visible, attract and retain visitors.

The difference between keywords, entities and topics

While keywords are still important, SEO now requires a more holistic view that incorporates user-intent (behind the keyword) entities and topics. Entity-based SEO shifts from focusing solely on keywords to understanding topics and their relationships to other entities. Topics give you the opportunity to go deeper with the content and explain it in a engaging way, to bring it to life.

• KEYWORDS: The pitfalls of only using keyword-centric content
  Keyword-centric content alone limits SEO efforts because it doesn’t account for the broader connections made through entity-based SEO. It is important to optimise for entities as well.

• ENTITIES: Limitations with entity-based SEO, alone
  Despite its advantages, entity-based SEO also has limitations, especially for businesses that don’t yet have a presence in the Google Knowledge Graph. It’s essential to perform an entity audit and use tools like Google Business Profile and Wikidata to create or strengthen your entity profile.

• TOPICS: Using topic models to write better content
  First of all, what is a topic model? A topic model is a way to organise and understand large amounts of text by identifying the main themes or topics. It uses algorithms (and specialist tools) to analyse the words and group them into content clusters that represent different topics. A topic model allows you to focus on broader themes incorporating relevant entities and keywords. This leads to more compelling content that aligns with search engine algorithms and user intent, increasing the chances of appearing in relevant search results.

Topics + cluster example

Here is an example of a collection of content about health and wellness. By using a topic model tool to analyse articles, it identified four themes:

• Topic 1: Nutrition (keywords: healthy eating, balanced diet, vitamins, meal planning, superfoods).
  Sample articles:
  “How to create a balanced meal plan”
  “10 superfoods to boost your health”
• Topic 2: Exercise and fitness (keywords: workout routines, fitness goals, strength training, yoga, cardio).
  Sample articles:
  “The benefits of yoga for mental health”
  “5 effective workout routines for beginners”
• Topic 3: Mental health (keywords: stress management, mindfulness, therapy, anxiety, self-care).
  Sample articles:
  “Mindfulness techniques for stress relief”
  “How to practice self-care daily”
• Topic 4: Preventive healthcare (keywords: regular check-ups, vaccinations, health screenings, preventive measures).
  Sample articles:
  “The importance of regular health screenings”
  “How vaccinations protect your health”

Topic model tools

Tools for topic models are a complex topic (for another blog!). However, a well-known topic tool is Answer the Public, which generates a visual representation of questions, phrases, and related keywords based on a specific broad keyword. It shows what people search for around that keyword, providing insights into user intent and common queries.

• Content ideas: By presenting the questions and related searches, it helps content creators understand the various topics and subtopics that are relevant to their audience. This can guide content development by identifying areas with more information or resources.
• Identifying themes: While Answer the Public doesn’t create a formal topic model like some other tools, it helps identify themes and topics that are frequently associated with a particular keyword. This is valuable for organising content into clusters and ensuring that it addresses user needs.
• User intent insights: By revealing what questions and phrases people are searching for, it provides context around a topic, similar to how traditional topic modelling identifies key themes and connections within text data.

Whilst Answer The Public isn’t a traditional topic modelling tool, it helps to understand related topics and user intent. This resource is useful for content strategists looking to create relevant and engaging material around specific subjects.

HOW TO OPTIMISE FOR ENTITIES

• Optimising for entity SEO requires using tools like schema markup in the web page’s code.
• This creates SERP features, such as rich snippets and the Google Knowledge Panel (to the right of search engine results). These ‘pull-out areas’ highlight content and present the entity in an engaging way.
• This will enhance website visibility, improve user engagement, and strengthen the relationship between different web pages and entities. It’s all about practical ways to help Google better understand the connections.
• You can improve your site’s visibility on search engine results by identifying related entities and leveraging rich snippets.

How we do it at engaging content in 2024

Optimising for entity SEO requires some technical know-how to improve your site’s visibility on search engine results in 2024. Here’s how we use entities to drive success for our clients:

1. In-depth topic research:
   We identify what is important to my client’s business, like their products, services, or special words in their industry. This helps us create content that matches people searching online.
2. Entity analysis software:
   We use special tools to study these things more closely. This helps us ensure that the content we create or improve includes the right words and important details, making it easier for search engines to understand and show the content in search results.
3. Structured data and schema markup:
   We add extra information to the content using a system called structured data. This helps search engines know the essential things, making it more likely for my clients to appear in particular spots on search results, which can get them more clicks.
4. Strengthening internal links:
   We create links within the website that connect related pages. This makes it easier for search engines to see how things are related and helps share the website’s strength between those pages, allowing them to rank better.
5. Entity-based content creation:
   We focus on making content that centres around these important things, whether they are people, products, or ideas. This makes it straightforward for search engines what the content is about and helps them show better results to people searching for information.
6. Keeping up with Google’s changes:
   Google constantly changes how it understands information, focusing more on important things than just specific words. I keep learning about these changes to ensure my clients’ content stays relevant and accessible for search engines to understand in 2024.

By integrating these strategies, I ensure that my clients’ websites rank for the queries their target audience is searching for, leading to more relevant traffic and better overall SEO performance.

Entities analogy

I hope my analogy has helped you understand entities better and how they relate to the other areas within the SEO mix and why they are needed to improve search rankings.

CONCLUSION

In 2024, entity SEO will be pivotal in achieving better search visibility. In SEO, an entity is a uniquely identifiable object, concept, person, or place that search engines like Google recognise and categorise within their systems. By leveraging Google Knowledge Graph, schema markup, and the relationships between entities, businesses can drive more traffic, improve their online presence, and generate meaningful results.