Entity SEO: The Next Frontier in Search Strategy

Although entity SEO receive less discussion than AI in discussions about the future of search, their impact is no less significant. Google's algorithms have been moving toward an entity-focused strategy for years. Although Google has been gradually lessening its dependence on exact phrase matching, keywords are still crucial. What does this signify, though? Describe an entity. How should I handle SEO for my website in light of this? We'll cover what entities are in SEO, how they function, and how to practically optimise your website in accordance with them in this article. By the end, you'll know more about how Google search actually operates and learn how to use entities to your advantage.

What Entity SEO Means

In the context of SEO, an entity is anything that is distinct, distinctive, well-defined, and identifiable. This applies to both actual objects and abstract ideas. Entities only need to be distinct from other, comparable things; they are not required to be tangible. Some examples of entities are: .

• People
• Ideas
• Places
• Companies
• Brands
• Objects
• Colors
• Books
• Currencies
• Events
• Dates

It can be challenging to distinguish between entities and keywords at first glance. 'John Lewis' must be a brand entity and a keyword. It's possible, but they operate extremely differently.

Difference between entities and keywords

Users enter specific search terms known as keywords into search engines. Entities, on the other hand, are identifiable things or ideas that keywords frequently allude to. Without context, the word "queen," for instance, does not identify a particular entity. It's impossible to know if someone types this into Google if they're referring to the band Queen, the idea of a monarch, or an English queen. However, it is obvious which entity is connected to each question if they enter "Queen of England 2019" or "Who was the lead singer of Queen." The band Queen is an entity, but "Queen" is a keyword. This is due to the fact that the entity is solitary, distinct, clearly defined, and recognizable. In this case, the context and the relationship to other entities help to create the meaning of the entity. Rock music, the person Freddie Mercury, and the nations of England are all connected to the band Queen.

The working of entity SEO in Google search

The algorithm will assess whether a user's query addresses a specific entity when the user submits it. After that, it will compare this to related entities and give the user information based on the primary and associated entities. This is rather complicated, so let's simplify it:

• 1. The user asks a question.
• 2. Google's index database provides search results for this query.
• 3. Google determines the entity linked to this query.
• 4. Then, Google looks for any associated entities that would be relevant to the search term.
• 5. On the basis of the index, the primary entity, and associated entities, Google responds to the user.

Remembering our previous example, Google will scan its database for names in the top 10 search results when a user types in "Who is the lead singer of Queen." Then, it will locate the name that appears the most frequently and give that as the response.

Using this method, it has been determined that the user is looking for a certain person who is connected to the band Queen's main singer. Google provides the entity "Freddie Mercury" as the answer to the query based on this information.

The Evolution Of The Idea Of Entity SEO In The Last Decade

The timeline of Google modifications from 2012 is provided below to show how the search engine's algorithms have changed. In other words, these improvements have signalled a departure from using keyword matching to determine the order of content. Google is currently concentrating on entities, user intent, and semantics.

1. Knowledge Graph (2012)
2. The Knowledge Graph, which was introduced in 2012, is a database of entities and the connections between them. The Knowledge Panel in search results provides a visual representation of this. For instance, if you've ever searched for a movie, it will display the director, actors, and other movies that are comparable to that one. That is a result of the connections between all of these entities.
3. Hummingbird (2013)
4. Google made more of a shift away from keyword matching and toward a semantic interpretation of language in 2013. Natural Language Processing (NLP) was introduced with the Hummingbird upgrade. With the use of this, results can be retrieved based on word meaning. Since then, pages that correspond with search intent have ranked higher than those that are only keyword-optimized.
5. RankBrain (2015) 
6. RankBrain is a development of Hummingbird that continuously tests and improves the algorithm using artificial intelligence. To choose which pages to rank highly, it searches for similarities between search results and other pages.
7. BERT (2019) 
8. User intent was given even more consideration in BERT. More complicated and conversational inquiries could now be processed by the system than ever before.
9. MUM (2022) 
10. Google recently released the MUM upgrade in an effort to reduce the number of searches users must make to find the information they need. To enable users to study topics in greater depth, it operates across a variety of languages and information formats to expose helpful subtopics (or related entities). Google's algorithms have advanced significantly over the last ten years, favouring meaning, context, and entities over keyword placement. However, what does this imply for your SEO campaign?

Ways to Optimize With Entity SEO

The majority of this manual has been devoted to theoretical entities and algorithms. You'll learn some useful strategies for integrating entity SEO in your workflow in the following paragraphs. Your brand should be noticeable to various entities if you are a firm. For instance, if your company sells vegan dog food, you should appear for terms like "vegan dog food." Here are a few techniques for doing this:

1. Topical clusters 
2. Consider other factors when writing content for your website. What subjects do you wish to write about and become famous for? A topical cluster is a collection of separate web pages, typically blog posts, that are internally linked and related to the same subject. You could, for instance, start a blog with the title "The Ultimate Guide to Student Housing in Liverpool." In this post, which is referred to as a pillar page, you would briefly discuss each facet of the subject. Then, you would create internal links, or "clusters," to other blogs that go into further detail on the subtopics. These clusters in turn connect with one another and the pillar page. By forming clusters, you can increase your topical authority and identify yourself with key players in your industry.
3. Difference between Keyword research and entity research 
4. Any SEO strategy still needs keyword research since it gives you insight into the types of searches your clients are making and how frequently. In addition to keyword research, you should consider the present affiliations of your website. Additionally, it's helpful to keep track of the entities your rivals are also covering so you can see any gaps in coverage. Go to the 'entities' tab in the Google NLP API. You can observe which entities your website appears for and what you may need to concentrate on from this point on.
5. Backlinks 
6. Consider your online mentions and links as well. On-page considerations are only one part of entity optimization. Think carefully about the websites that your links are posted on when you're gaining backlinks. Do these websites cover entities that are pertinent to your business? This isn't to say that if you work in the automotive sector, you can only receive links from car periodicals. It would still be relevant if a newspaper published an article about vehicles with a link to you in it. A link in an article about an unrelated subject, though, wouldn't be of much use. When launching outreach initiatives, consider the organizations that each journalist, website, and publication is affiliated with before reaching out to them.
7. Structured data 
8. Not only can structured data help your website qualify for SERP features. It is essential for giving Google context about your site pages. You could use schema to show Google that your page is a recipe, for instance. As a result, when someone searches for a "lasagne recipe," your page will be appropriately matched. The 'Same As' model is particularly helpful when attempting to connect with several entities. To let Google know you're referring to a certain entity, you mention another page about the subject, typically a Wikipedia page.
9. Google My Business 
10. Google My Business can help you become more visible to location-based entities if you're working on a local entity SEO initiative. For instance, by providing your address, you might be connected to a specific city or area. By including category tags, you'll also explicitly show Google the goods and services you offer. This can aid Google in connecting your brand and other entities, in conjunction with on-page optimizations.
11. Making your brand an entity 
12. Naturally, with time, your brand might emerge as a distinct entity. Your brand name could occasionally share striking similarities with another one or be connected to a sister business. It's crucial to distinguish your brand in these circumstances in order to reduce confusion. Make sure your website has a "about us" page to do this. This information should contain your name, your occupation, your location, and the names of any coworkers. You can therefore categorize your brand as a unique entity. Additionally, you can apply for awards and have professional opinions featured on other websites. Another off-page strategy is to create a Wikipedia page and add it to the Same As schema.

Wrapping Up

Entity SEO could seem like a theoretical idea with few practical applications. However, Google is giving them more weight in algorithm improvements, and this is significantly changing how search functions. Furthermore, you may optimize for entities on your website in a variety of simple, useful methods. You may gradually raise your visibility for significant entities connected to your business by combining on-page and off-page initiatives. Need assistance with entity optimization? Tech Bridge Consultancy regularly stays informed of the most recent algorithm updates and entity SEO. You may be sure that we are aware of the functions that your website must do as a result. The advantage of working with a big agency is that you may benefit from the diverse knowledge of our staff. Spend less time keeping up with Google's most recent announcements and take advantage of our expertise to expand your internet presence.