A Knowledge Panel shows your business info directly in Google search results. Bryan Collins explains what Knowledge Panels are, how they work, and how to influence yours.
A Google Knowledge Panel is the information box that appears on the right side of search results when someone searches for a specific business, person, or brand. It displays key facts about the entity directly in the search results — without requiring the user to click through to a website.
After 30 years in SEO, Knowledge Panels are one of the most misunderstood features in local search. Here’s everything you need to know.
What a Knowledge Panel Contains
When you search a business name like “Collins Plumbing Piscataway NJ,” Google may show a Knowledge Panel on the right side (desktop) or at the top (mobile) containing:
- Business name and category
- Business description
- Address and map
- Phone number
- Website link
- Business hours
- Customer reviews and star rating
- Photos from Google Business Profile
- “People also search for” related businesses
- Directions button
This information is pulled primarily from your Google Business Profile — which is why GBP optimization directly influences your Knowledge Panel.
Knowledge Panel vs. Local Business Panel
There are two distinct panel types often confused:
Local Business Panel (GBP Panel):
- Generated from Google Business Profile data
- Appears when someone searches your business name or “[business type] [location]”
- Achievable by all local businesses with a claimed, verified GBP
- Contains live business data (hours, reviews, photos)
General Knowledge Panel:
- Generated from the Knowledge Graph (which includes Wikipedia, Wikidata, and trusted web sources)
- Appears for prominent entities: large brands, celebrities, notable organizations
- Requires significant online presence across authoritative sources (Wikipedia article, Wikidata entry, etc.)
- Not typical for small-medium local businesses
Most local businesses get a local business panel (from their GBP) — not the Wikipedia-sourced general Knowledge Panel. Both are valuable, but the local business panel is far more achievable.
How Google Generates Knowledge Panels
Knowledge Panels are generated automatically when Google is confident about an entity’s identity and facts. Google pulls data from:
- Google Business Profile: The primary source for local business panels
- Your website: Especially schema markup (Organization, LocalBusiness, Person types)
- Major directories: Yelp, BBB, LinkedIn (for businesses), and other authoritative sources
- Wikipedia / Wikidata: For general Knowledge Panels
- Google Search data: Historical search patterns about your brand
The more consistent and authoritative data Google finds about your business across multiple trusted sources, the more confident it becomes — and the more likely it is to generate (and maintain) a panel.
How to Build Toward a Knowledge Panel
1. Claim and Fully Optimize Your Google Business Profile
This is the most important step. Your GBP is the primary data source for the local business panel:
- Complete every field
- Verify the listing
- Add 20+ photos
- Build to 30+ reviews
- Post regularly
A complete, active, verified GBP is the foundation of any local Knowledge Panel.
2. Add Schema Markup to Your Website
Organization and LocalBusiness schema tells Google explicitly who your business is:
{
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"name": "Collins Plumbing",
"@id": "https://collinsplumbing.com#business",
"url": "https://collinsplumbing.com",
"telephone": "+1-732-555-0100",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "123 Main St",
"addressLocality": "Piscataway",
"addressRegion": "NJ",
"postalCode": "08854"
},
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/collinsplumbing",
"https://www.yelp.com/biz/collins-plumbing-piscataway",
"https://www.bbb.org/us/nj/piscataway/profile/plumbing/collins-plumbing"
]
}
The sameAs property is particularly important — it links your website entity to your profiles on other authoritative platforms, helping Google connect the dots across sources.
3. Build Consistent Citations Across Authoritative Directories
Citations on major platforms provide Google with corroborating data about your business:
- Yelp
- BBB
- Apple Maps
- Bing Places
- Facebook Business Page
- Industry directories
NAP consistency (identical name, address, phone across all platforms) is critical — inconsistencies create entity uncertainty.
4. Create a Wikidata Entry (Advanced)
Wikidata is a structured data repository that feeds the Knowledge Graph. Creating a Wikidata entry for your business (if you’re a well-established organization) provides Google with a structured entity record. This is more relevant for larger organizations or notable local businesses than for most small businesses.
5. Maintain Consistent Brand Presence
Link your social media profiles from your website. Use the same business name, logo, and description across all platforms. This “entity consolidation” — presenting a consistent, recognizable entity — is how Google builds confidence about who you are.
Claiming Your Existing Knowledge Panel
If your business already has a Knowledge Panel, you can claim it:
- Search your business name on Google
- Find the Knowledge Panel
- Scroll to the bottom and click “Claim this Knowledge Panel”
- Verify ownership through Google Business Profile or an official social account
After claiming, you can suggest corrections to information that appears incorrect. Google has final say on what displays.
Common Knowledge Panel Issues
Wrong information displayed: Request corrections through the Knowledge Panel feedback button. For GBP-sourced data, update it in your GBP directly.
Panel shows for wrong entity: Happens when Google conflates your business with another entity. Verify your GBP and strengthen your unique entity signals (unique business name, clear category, distinct NAP).
No panel despite good GBP: Knowledge Panels aren’t guaranteed. Continue building consistent citations and schema markup. Panels typically develop after 90–120 days of strong entity signals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Google Knowledge Panel? A Google Knowledge Panel is an information box that appears on the right side of Google search results when someone searches for a specific person, business, brand, or entity. It displays key facts about the entity pulled from Google’s Knowledge Graph — including name, description, photos, contact info, website, and related information. It’s automatically generated by Google, not paid for or directly created.
How does Google decide to show a Knowledge Panel? Google generates Knowledge Panels when it’s confident enough about an entity’s identity and key facts, drawing data from multiple authoritative sources: Wikipedia, Wikidata, official websites, Google Business Profile, structured data (schema markup), and other trusted sources. The more consistent and authoritative data Google finds about an entity across multiple sources, the more likely it is to generate a Knowledge Panel.
What is the difference between a Knowledge Panel and a local business panel? A local business panel is generated from Google Business Profile data and appears for searches like ‘[Business Name]’. It shows business hours, photos, reviews, and contact info. A general Knowledge Panel is generated from the Knowledge Graph for entities (people, brands, organizations) and typically includes Wikipedia-sourced information. Local business panels are more achievable for most small businesses.
How can I get a Knowledge Panel for my business? You cannot directly request a Knowledge Panel — Google generates them automatically. To increase eligibility: claim and fully optimize your Google Business Profile, ensure consistent NAP across all major directories, add Organization and LocalBusiness schema markup to your website, create a Wikipedia page (if your business is notable enough), add your business to Wikidata, and build consistent online presence across multiple authoritative sources.
Can I claim or edit my Knowledge Panel? Yes — if you have a Knowledge Panel, you can claim it through Google. Search your business name, find the Knowledge Panel, and click ‘Claim this Knowledge Panel.’ You’ll need to verify ownership through your Google Business Profile or an official social account. After claiming, you can suggest edits to the panel information, though Google has final say on what appears.
What information appears in a business Knowledge Panel? Business Knowledge Panels typically show: business name, category/description, address, phone number, hours, website link, customer reviews and rating, Google Business Profile photos, ‘People also search for’ (related businesses), directions link, and sometimes ‘Questions & Answers’ from the GBP.
Does having a Knowledge Panel help SEO? A Knowledge Panel signals that Google recognizes your business as a confirmed entity — which improves brand search visibility and user trust. However, Knowledge Panels are a result of good SEO practices (strong GBP, schema markup, consistent citations), not a cause. The same actions that earn a Knowledge Panel also improve your local rankings — they’re correlated outcomes of the same foundational work.
Bryan Collins is an SEO consultant based in Piscataway, NJ, with 30+ years of experience helping small businesses grow through content and search. He is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and the author of Why Your Website Isn’t Ringing.