A Nashville law firm partner searches his own name and sees nothing but directory listings and social profiles scattered across the results. A competitor’s partner has a knowledge panel on the right side of the search results: professional photo, biography, firm affiliation, notable cases, educational background. The panel establishes instant credibility before anyone clicks a single link.
Knowledge panels represent Google’s recognition that you or your organization constitute a notable entity worthy of dedicated search result real estate. Earning a knowledge panel requires building the entity signals that help Google understand who you are and why you matter.
This guide covers how knowledge panels work, what triggers their creation, and strategies for influencing panel content.
What Knowledge Panels Are and Where They Come From
Knowledge panels are information boxes that appear on the right side of search results (desktop) or prominently in mobile results. They display curated information about entities: people, organizations, places, things. Google constructs panels from various sources it considers authoritative.
Panels differ from Google Business Profiles. A business profile shows local business information and appears for local searches. Knowledge panels represent entities in Google’s Knowledge Graph, a database of facts about the world that Google uses to understand connections between things.
Google creates knowledge panels automatically when it has sufficient information about an entity and determines that entity is notable enough to warrant one. You cannot directly request a knowledge panel, but you can influence whether Google considers your entity notable and what information appears if a panel exists.
| Panel Type | Trigger | Primary Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Organization | Brand/company searches | Wikipedia, official website, press, Wikidata |
| Person | Name searches for notable individuals | Wikipedia, authoritative profiles, news coverage |
| Local business | Searches for verified businesses | Google Business Profile, website |
| Product | Specific product searches | Manufacturer data, reviews, Merchant Center |
| Creative work | Book, film, music searches | Wikipedia, official databases, reviews |
Understanding where panel information originates helps focus optimization efforts. Google synthesizes information from sources it trusts rather than pulling directly from your website.
The Notability Threshold
Google only creates knowledge panels for entities it considers notable. This threshold varies by category but generally requires evidence of recognition beyond self-promotion.
For organizations, notability signals include media coverage in recognized publications, Wikipedia presence (which itself requires notability), industry awards, significant business milestones, or other third-party validation. A local small business typically lacks sufficient notability for an organization knowledge panel, though they may have local business panels from Google Business Profile.
For people, notability often correlates with professional accomplishments that generate media coverage, publications, speaking engagements, leadership roles at notable organizations, or creative works with documented reception. Professionals who are well-known within their industries but unknown to general audiences may or may not meet Google’s threshold.
Notability isn’t just about being good at what you do. It requires being recognized and documented by sources Google trusts. A Nashville surgeon might be highly skilled but lack a knowledge panel because no authoritative sources have written about them. A surgeon who published research, spoke at conferences, or received media coverage for notable cases generates the documentation Google needs.
Evidence of notability must exist in indexable form on the web. Accomplishments that never generated digital documentation don’t contribute to knowledge panel eligibility.
The Wikipedia Factor
Wikipedia plays an outsized role in knowledge panel creation. Entities with Wikipedia articles frequently have knowledge panels. Entities without Wikipedia articles can still earn panels but face higher bars for other documentation.
Wikipedia’s notability standards require that subjects have “significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject.” Creating a Wikipedia article about yourself or your company without meeting these standards typically results in deletion. Wikipedia editors actively remove promotional content and articles about non-notable subjects.
If your entity genuinely meets Wikipedia’s notability guidelines, a well-written Wikipedia article can trigger knowledge panel creation. The article should focus on verifiable facts from cited sources, avoid promotional language, and present information neutrally.
Wikipedia articles must be created by editors without conflicts of interest. Paying someone to create your Wikipedia page or writing it yourself violates Wikipedia policies and risks article deletion plus potential bans. The appropriate path: ensure your entity generates the third-party coverage needed for notability, then let Wikipedia editors decide whether to create an article.
Wikidata complements Wikipedia as a structured data source. Wikidata entries can exist even without corresponding Wikipedia articles. Creating or claiming a Wikidata entry for your entity provides structured information Google may reference, including connections to other entities, official websites, and identifying information.
Claiming and Verifying Your Panel
When a knowledge panel exists for your entity, you can claim it to suggest edits and provide additional information. Claimed panels display a verification badge.
Claiming process varies by panel type:
For organization panels, verification typically involves proving you represent the organization through domain email verification, Google Search Console access, or other authorization methods.
For personal panels, verification may involve proving your identity through official social profiles or other methods Google offers during the claiming process.
Suggested edits after claiming allow you to propose changes to panel information. Google reviews suggestions and may accept, modify, or reject them. You cannot directly control panel content, only suggest changes that Google evaluates.
Featured images can sometimes be influenced through the claiming process. Providing high-quality, appropriate images through official channels may result in preferred imagery appearing in your panel.
Claiming your panel is worth doing even if you don’t need immediate changes. It establishes control and enables future modifications when needed.
Building Entity Signals
When a knowledge panel doesn’t yet exist or contains limited information, building entity signals across the web strengthens your entity presence.
Consistent entity information across authoritative sources helps Google understand your entity clearly. Your organization name, description, leadership, location, and other identifying information should be consistent wherever it appears.
Structured data on your website explicitly tells Google about your entity. Organization schema, Person schema, and sameAs properties connecting to your official social profiles and authoritative references strengthen entity understanding.
Example organization schema focus areas:
name: Exact, consistent organization name
url: Official website
logo: High-quality logo image
sameAs: Links to Wikipedia, Wikidata, social profiles, authoritative mentions
founders/employees: Connected person entitiesThird-party citations from authoritative sources validate your entity. Press coverage, industry publications, academic citations, and other independent mentions create the documentation Google relies on. Focus on earning coverage rather than just creating your own content.
Social profile consistency across platforms reinforces entity signals. Verified profiles on LinkedIn, Twitter, industry platforms, and other channels should use consistent names, descriptions, and imagery. Link these profiles through sameAs schema.
| Signal Type | Examples | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia presence | Article meeting notability standards | High |
| Wikidata entry | Structured entity data | Medium-high |
| Consistent schema markup | Organization, Person, sameAs | Medium |
| Press coverage | News articles in indexed publications | Medium-high |
| Authoritative profiles | LinkedIn, industry directories | Medium |
| Brand consistency | Same name/logo everywhere | Medium |
Influencing Panel Content
For existing panels, influencing what appears requires understanding Google’s source preferences and addressing information where Google looks.
Wikipedia and Wikidata serve as primary sources for many panel facts. Ensuring these entries are accurate and complete often affects panel content more than changes elsewhere.
Official website content sometimes appears in panels, particularly descriptions. Clear, factual “About” content written in third-person encyclopedic style may be referenced.
Google Business Profile information appears in local business panels. Keep this profile complete and current for business-related panels.
Authoritative third-party sources that rank highly for your entity name may influence panel content. If incorrect information appears in authoritative sources, addressing it there may eventually correct panel errors.
Direct feedback through claimed panels allows suggesting corrections. For factual errors, provide clear evidence supporting corrections. Google reviews suggestions against their sources before implementing changes.
Some panel elements resist influence. Featured images, for example, Google may pull from various sources based on image quality, licensing, and relevance. You can suggest preferred images but cannot guarantee Google uses them.
Business Knowledge Panels Versus Google Business Profiles
Confusion often exists between business knowledge panels and Google Business Profile local panels. They serve different purposes and have different optimization paths.
Google Business Profile panels appear for local business searches and display NAP (name, address, phone), hours, reviews, photos, and local business information. These are available to virtually any legitimate local business through GBP setup and verification.
Organization knowledge panels appear for brand searches and display entity information from the Knowledge Graph. These require the notability threshold and source documentation discussed above. Many businesses have GBP panels but not Knowledge Graph panels.
A Nashville restaurant would have a GBP panel showing hours, reviews, and location. A major restaurant group with national recognition might additionally have a Knowledge Graph panel showing company information, leadership, and Wikipedia-sourced facts.
For most local businesses, GBP optimization provides more immediate value than pursuing Knowledge Graph panels. Knowledge Graph panels matter more for organizations seeking brand authority beyond local markets.
Common Knowledge Panel Challenges
Several issues commonly frustrate knowledge panel optimization efforts.
Panel doesn’t exist despite apparent notability. Google’s algorithms determine panel creation, and timing is unpredictable. Continue building entity signals across authoritative sources. Panel creation may happen gradually as signals accumulate.
Panel contains incorrect information. If you’ve claimed the panel, submit correction suggestions with supporting evidence. For unclaimed panels, address information at the source level (Wikipedia, authoritative sites) and wait for Google to refresh.
Panel shows wrong image. Suggest preferred images through claimed panel management. Ensure your preferred images appear prominently on authoritative sources. Google may still select images you don’t prefer based on their quality assessment.
Panel for wrong entity appears. Entity disambiguation issues occur when multiple people or organizations share names. Strengthen signals distinguishing your entity, including unique identifiers and clear sameAs connections.
Panel disappeared. Panels can be removed if Google’s assessment of notability changes or if sources become unavailable. Review what may have changed and work to rebuild authoritative coverage.
Knowledge panels aren’t guaranteed, and their content isn’t fully controllable. View them as one component of online presence rather than a critical requirement.
Strategic Timing and Patience
Knowledge panel creation doesn’t happen on a predictable schedule. Some entities earn panels quickly after meeting notability thresholds. Others wait months or years despite apparent qualification.
Building entity signals requires sustained effort across multiple channels. Press coverage, industry recognition, Wikipedia documentation, and consistent schema markup all contribute. No single action guarantees panel creation, but combined signals eventually reach Google’s threshold for many notable entities.
For Nashville businesses seeking knowledge panels, local press coverage in publications like the Nashville Business Journal or regional industry publications creates indexable documentation. Speaking at local conferences, participating in industry associations, and earning recognition through awards all generate the third-party validation Google evaluates.
Focus on activities that benefit your business regardless of knowledge panel outcomes. Building genuine notability through excellent work, industry contribution, and community involvement creates the documentation panels require while providing value whether panels appear or not.
Sources
- Google Search Help: Knowledge Panels
https://support.google.com/knowledgepanel
- Google Search Central: Structured Data for Organizations
https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/organization
- Wikipedia: Notability Guidelines
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Notability
Knowledge panel algorithms and policies evolve. Google’s official documentation reflects current processes for claiming and managing panels.