What You Need to Know about Entity-based SEO

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

What the heck is an entity?

Some of you may remember the 1982 horror film, “The Entity”. In that case it was an unseen force that terrorized a family. In this case, we’re not talking about an unseen source, nor a movie, but both would be linked to an entity in the eyes of google. With Google’s new approach, it’s trying to better understand which entity we’re talking about. The movie, the unseen force, something else, or the new way Google looks at content and how it affects your SEO?

Entities. As defined by Google, an entity is “A thing or concept that is singular, unique, well-defined and distinguishable.” This doesn't need to be a physical object and can include colors, dates, ideas, and so on. Entities can be people, places, products, companies, or abstract concepts.

How do entities change SEO?

Until now, SEO was defined by the number of keywords and keyword synonyms used in your content. But with entity-based SEO, search engines crawl a website's content to snippets and entities based on search engine results.

If the search engine is changing the way it works, how do you curate content that will help you reach your audience better? Are adding keywords enough? How do you start with entity-based SEO?

In this blog, let's understand what an entity is in SEO, why it is essential, and how to use it.

What is an entity in SEO?

Entity-based SEO uses context, not just keywords, to show appropriate results to search users.

The ranking of entities is determined by taking into account the following four factors:

Relatedness: When two entities are nearby and are often used together, they will be identified and shown in the SERPs.
Notability: Google applies a simple algorithm to determine an entity's prominence. The more valuable an entity, the lower the value of the category or topic it's competing in and the higher its notability.
Contribution: Contribution is a measurement of an entity's overall contribution to an issue and is decided by external signals such as links and reviews.
Prize: The prize meter measures the numerous prizes in their respective categories that an entity has been awarded.

Why are entities important in SEO?

Google's search results and knowledge panels are built upon the concept of "entities." To connect data from all over the world, Google uses entities independent of the languages in which they are used. It is easier to understand the value of this data when it is organized into entities, which act as a focal point for user interests. To connect websites that cover the same subject matter but do so in different languages, Google uses the ability to recognize things embedded inside web pages.

How can you make use of SEO-based entities?

Consider your business's connections to other entities and build an entity for yourself when contemplating entity-based SEO. Google's services that use entities are:

Google Knowledge Graph

The Knowledge Graph, according to Google, makes it easier for users to find the information they need. The Knowledge Graph contains information about people, things, and locations. Search results for online users can be enhanced with knowledge panels thanks to the introduction of Google's Knowledge Graph. A variety of other services are customized based on search results and the preferences of individual users.

Google Search

Entities build personalized search results based on the user's interests, making search history more accessible.

Because of these recent developments in search engine technology, Google can reshape internet users' search queries and possibly the content of web pages they are looking at. Increasingly, Google's search suggestions include entity suggestions.

Google Discover

As a result of the entities contained in web pages that have been used as input, Google Discover returns relevant results to users. An "Entity Layer," which is a graph of all users' interests, is constructed by Google using these websites. Users of Google Discover could be alerted when a new article is published on the web that addresses one of these hot topics.

Entity-based SEO is a brilliant strategy to reach your target audience. Get Walibu's assistance in developing a competitive SEO strategy that is in line with the standards set by the industry. Contact us now!