TL;DR: What is an entity?
In the world of search engine optimization (SEO), an entity is any distinct, singular, and well-defined thing or concept that search engines can recognize and understand.
This could be a person, place, organization, event, or even an abstract concept like happiness.
Entities are crucial because they go beyond just words; they have contextual meaning that search engines leverage to deliver relevant search results.
Differences between entities and keywords
Entities and keywords may seem similar, but they function differently in SEO.
Keywords are specific words or phrases searchers use in queries, while entities represent concepts and have relationships with other entities.
For example, the keyword [Apple] could refer to the fruit, the tech giant, or even an e-commerce website, but as an entity, it’s clear which meaning is intended based on the actual context.
“Entity-based SEO” as a practice helps search engines like Google connect user search queries with the correct meanings, which can improve your search engine results.
Examples of entities in context
Entities can have multiple meanings based on context.
For example, New York could be an entity representing any of the following:
The U.S. state of New York
The city of New York
A search for something local in the small town of New York, Texas
A famous person named New York from the mid-2000s VH1 show I Love New York (now that’s a deep cut!)
When Google processes the search term [New York], it uses surrounding information, past user searches, and even location to determine whether the user is likely referring to the city or the person.
This contextual understanding is powered by entities and their relationships, helping search engines provide more accurate results.
You can actually try out for yourself with the Google Cloud Natural Language Processing API. Just copy and paste some of your own content in to see how it's analyzed and understood.
So what is entity-based SEO, anyway?
Entity-based SEO is the practice of optimizing content not just for specific keywords but for the entities those keywords represent.
By focusing on entities in your SEO work, you enhance search engines' ability to understand your content’s meaning.
This approach aligns with Google’s shift towards semantic SEO and can improve your chances of ranking in high-value spots like Knowledge Panels or rich snippets.
Whether you’re optimizing for an entity search or using internal links to boost your website content, you can’t ignore the importance of entities in your optimization work.
Why entities matter for SEO
Many SEO experts have shifted from a keyword-based to an entity-based SEO approach.
SEO used to be all about keyword optimization—strategically placing exact-match keywords throughout content.
But with advances in natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning, search engine algorithms now prioritize entities and their relationships over keyword frequency.
This shift has made SEO more about content relevance and depth rather than keyword stuffing.
Even in technical SEO, this shift can help search engines understand different entities in content and link them to relevant contexts.
How entities connect to Google’s Knowledge Graph
Google’s Knowledge Graph is a database of interconnected entities and their attributes.
When you search for [Steve Jobs], the Knowledge Graph pulls up related entities like [Apple Inc.] and [Pixar], helping Google deliver more complete and nuanced search results.
This entity connection is key to how Google understands search intent and provides users with relevant content, whether it’s related to voice search, social media, or even physical objects.
Entities and the concept of information gain
Information gain measures the value new content adds beyond what’s already available on the web.
Entities play a central role in this by helping search engines evaluate whether a piece of content introduces new, relevant information about a given topic.
For example, if you’re writing about Apple Inc., identifying it as a tech company rather than just your favorite fruit increases your content’s value in entity-driven searches.
Incorporating what we at Clearscope like to call “information gain” into your content—things like fresh, first-party data, new perspectives on an old topic, and case studies—into your strategy can also boost your relevance and demonstrate the effectiveness of your SEO tactics.
LEARN MORE: How to add information gain to your content: 3-phase plan
Improving SERP presence with entity optimization
Like I mentioned above, optimizing for entities can lead to more prominent placements in search results, such as Knowledge Panels and rich snippets.
These enhanced SERP features often rely on entity data, pulling from sources like Wikipedia and Wikidata.
Properly marking up content with structured data, such as JSON, can boost your chances of appearing in these spots, which can improve:
Your visibility
Organic link building opportunities, and
Click-through rates
The role of structured data and schema markup
Structured data is one way to communicate entities to search engines.
By implementing schema markup (e.g., schema.org), you can provide explicit signals about the entities in your content.
This can help search engines understand relationships between entities and improves your chances of being featured in rich results or Knowledge Graph entries.
You can mark up entities with specific schemas like Person, Place, or Organization.
For example, marking up a company’s name with Organization helps search engines clearly identify it as an entity, improving how it’s represented in SERPs.
Structured data, like JSON, is key to sending clear signals about entity relationships in your website content.
Using content management systems (CMS) and web platforms like WordPress can make it easier to implement schema, especially when dealing with multi-language content like English and French.
However, I need to add this important note here:
Search engines are pretty smart—and our team has found that sites that don’t use schema markup and focus on entity-rich content can also rank well.
How entities work in search algorithms
Google’s algorithms, particularly with updates like Hummingbird and BERT, are designed to recognize and understand entities, not just keywords.
By using semantic search, Google can grasp the intent behind user queries and the context in which entities are mentioned.
This means it’s not just matching words but understanding the broader concepts within your web pages and their relationships to one another, whether that involves e-commerce products or educational directories.
The role of natural language processing (NLP) and semantic search
Natural Language Processing (NLP) allows search engines to interpret and process human language in a way that captures meaning, not just literal word strings.
Semantic search considers entity relationships and context, which helps Google provide more precise and relevant search results.
For instance, if a user searches for [Apple founder], Google knows to display information about Steve Jobs, even without the exact name being mentioned.
Incorporating this approach helps rank content for the right queries and better meet user intent.
Entity relationships and contextual relevance in SERPs
Entities are interconnected through relationships.
For example, the entity [Barack Obama] is linked to entities like [Michelle Obama] and [U.S. Presidents.]
Understanding these relationships allows search engines to surface contextually relevant content.
Integrating social media profiles, like from LinkedIn or Twitter, into your entity SEO practices can also strengthen these connections.
Entity-Based SEO and machine learning
Machine learning algorithms play a crucial role in entity recognition and association.
By continuously learning from vast data sources, these algorithms refine their understanding of entities and improve search accuracy.
This learning helps search engines like Google predict user intent better and offer relevant entities in search results, enhancing user experience and impacting ranking factors.
Best practices for optimizing entities in your SEO strategy
How to avoid common mistakes in entity SEO
A common mistake in entity SEO is over-optimizing for specific entities.
This can result in content that feels forced or artificial, which search engines can detect.
Instead, focus on natural language and contextual relevance.
Additionally, avoid relying solely on structured data alone.
High-quality, in-depth content should be the foundation of your strategy. Incorporate E-E-A-T guidance. Producing good content can boost your site’s authority by also earning quality-based backlinks.
Make sure you’re also using things like meta information and internal links strategically—don’t miss these little details!
LEARN MORE: Clearscope was built to do just this. The platform guides you to create content that sharply meets search intent. See how Clearscope can help you grow and protect your organic traffic.
The Future of SEO is Entity-Centric: Additional things you need to know
Integrating entities into content strategy and on-page SEO is crucial.
Consider when to use an entity-based vs. a keyword-based approach.
An understanding of entity relationships in your topic areas is important.
Track metrics and measure your results.
1. Integrating entities into content strategy and on-page SEO is crucial.
To fully embrace entity-based SEO, integrate entity optimization into your content strategy.
This includes targeting relevant entities alongside keywords in your on-page SEO.
For instance, if you’re writing about digital marketing, incorporate entities like [Google Ads], [SEO strategy], and [content marketing] to boost relevance.
Additionally, using directories that list related entities can improve your online presence.
For example, if you’re a SaaS company, you’d want to explore inclusion on directory sites like G2, CrunchBase, or Builtwith.
2. Consider when to use an entity-based vs. a keyword-based approach.
Entity-based and keyword-based strategies each have their place.
While entity SEO excels at providing depth and context, keyword research is still valuable for capturing search volume.
Use keyword targeting when creating content aimed at ranking for specific search queries, and entity optimization when you want to enhance your content’s relevance and authority in a broader context.
3. A good understanding of entity relationships in your topic areas is important.
Entity relationships, like synonyms or related entities, are important for expanding your content’s reach.
For example, knowing that "SEO" is closely related to "digital marketing" can guide your content creation, ensuring you cover interconnected topics that provide comprehensive value to readers.
Highlighting these connections can improve your web pages' performance—making it easier for your target audience to discover your site.
And that’s what we all want, right?
4. Track metrics and measure results.
Success in any SEO practice can and should be tracked using metrics.
For an entity-based approach, pay attention to metrics like Knowledge Panel appearances, improved rankings for entity-focused queries, and higher engagement with rich snippets.
Tools like Clearscope or Google Search Console can help monitor your content’s progress and refine your strategy. (Hint: The Clearscope Content Inventory makes this incredibly easy. Sign up for a demo.)
Monitoring changes in ranking factors is key, whether you're optimizing for voice search, meta tags, or physical object entities.
Common questions about entities as related to SEO
Q: How do search engines use entities to improve search results?
Search engines use entities to understand the broader context of queries.
By broadening your approach to content production to include entities instead of just keywords, Google can match results more accurately to user intent, improving search quality.
Q: How does understanding entities improve SEO strategy?
Understanding entities allows you to optimize content that aligns with Google’s Knowledge Graph, which can boost your chances of being featured in enhanced SERP features like rich snippets or Knowledge Panels.
Q: How does google use entities to understand and rank web content?
This question truly deserves a long and complex answer—maybe even a formal lecture. It’s a fairly scientific process. However, I’m going to give you a short TL;DR answer here:
Google’s algorithms use entities to discern relationships and relevance.
By creating content that is entity-rich, marking up content with schema, and linking to reputable entity sources, you can increase your chances of ranking well in your topic.
Additional resources
• Google Knowledge Graph Search API from Google Developer Guides
• Intro to How Structured Data Markup Works | Google Search Central from Google Search Central
• How Google’s Knowledge Graph Works from Knowledge Panel Help
• Google Knowledge Graph (Wikipedia example)
