Google Knowledge Panel
The Google Knowledge Panel displays information about your local business including location, hours of operations, and reviews. From the knowledge panel, you can access a company’s website, address, and phone number. One of the most popular aspects of a knowledge panel is access to photos.
Are you taking advantage of this amazing Google solution for small businesses? What if I told you the knowledge panel is absolutely free to the business owner and is one of the most important ways to promote your business on Google.
So where does the Google Knowledge Panel come from? All information in the Google knowledge panel comes from your Google My Business listing. Google My Business or “GMB” for short is a powerful tool that you have complete control over – except for reviews. Let’s take a closer look at the different components of the Knowledge Panel.
What the Knowledge Panel Contains
Your knowledge panel includes a variety of information designed to help customers access the most basic and important details about a business. This includes but is not limited to the following.
- Basic Business Information. As your information loads, you’ll notice images of your business appearing at the top. These images are essential for showing off your local business and attracting individuals to explore your information.
- Website Access and Directions. At the top of your listing, Google provides a quick link to the business website and directions. This is ideal for those looking up information about your business on their mobile device. Directions will come up using Google Maps.
- Reviews. Due to Google’s extensive review engine, online reviews have grown in popularity and are showcased near your business name. Browsers can see a total composite review score or click through and read individual reviews.
- Business Information. After the initial links and information are shared, Google provides access to the most important business criteria such as hours of operation, address, and phone number. This contact information makes it easy for customers or potential customers to find or contact the business.
- Additional Content. After seeing important business information at the top of the panel, users can see questions and answers, posts, and more. This additional content is helpful for learning more about the business and discovering additional facts.
How to Optimize Your Information
The best way to take advantage of the panel is to complete as much information about your business as possible. This is easy to do. In fact, once you’ve claimed your Google My Business listing, you can edit your details directly from search results.
Google added this feature for account owners who are logged in – making it even easier to fully edit your listing. This editing panel also highlights the latest features of the Knowledge Panel so you can keep customers information.
Once you’ve added all of the basic information about your business including: address, phone, web URL, hours, etc., its time to think about further optimization.
What You Should Update
There are three areas that require ongoing optimization in your knowledge panel. They include:
- Operational dates and hours. Throughout the year, consider updating your hours and/or adding special hours. Are you closed for New Years? What other holidays will your business be closed or have different hours of operation? Keep this information updated and accurate so customers know when you’re open.
- Photos. Business or customer photos are a great way to provide insight into your business. Unfortunately, not enough business owners take full advantage of this feature. As a result, they often lose potential customers to their competitors. Make it a habit to update photos in your Google My Business account on a weekly or monthly basis.
- Business Updates. Since the sunsetting of Google Plus, Google has expanded the information included in search results. Through Google My Business, you can share business updates on your Panel. Making regular posts through Google My Business is an essential part of any organic optimization strategy.
Now is a great time to improve the information about your business being shared on search results. The obvious place to start is with Google. Once you complete your online profile, other sites, mainly data aggregators, will validate business information against what you’ve provided – this is why having an accurate and up to date listing is so important.
If you’re looking for a way to increase your online visibility, give us a call. Our team has extensive experience with Google My Business, the Knowledge Panel, and search results. Contact us here.
