Local Search
March 12, 2018
Shea Park
Google Knowledge Panel

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Have you ever performed a Google search for your business and noticed your information appear in the right side of the page?  Google calls this a “Knowledge Panel“.  The information shown is from your Google My Business listing, or sometimes from Wikipedia or other reference websites.  Usually the Knowledge Panel will show your Google My Business listing including photos, street view photo, map, hours of operation, website URL and more.

If you haven’t already claimed your Google My Business listing, you should do it right now — it’s easy and free!

How Can I Improve My Knowledge Panel?

If you haven’t updated your Knowledge Panel it might have old yucky photos, perhaps an old telephone number, wrong address, old website URL, no or incorrect hours of operation.  The first thing is to make sure your contact details are correct including:

  • Business address
  • Days and hours open
  • Telephone number
  • Website URL
  • Appointment URL (if applicable)

Show Off Your Business With Great Images

  • Logo – this is your business identity so make it good – square, at least 250 PX x 250 PX or larger.
  • Cover photo – ideal size is 1080 PX x 608 PX, or upload larger size and use Google’s crop feature to size it down.
  • Location photos – show your business exterior, business interior, amenities, personnel/staff photos, action photos/people at work/on location – upload high-resolution, full-size photos and let Google resize down if needed.
  • Video – showcase your business to the world!

Post Your News & Events On Google

Did You Know – you can create short posts in your Google My Business and have them displayed in your Knowledge Panel?  You can display your latest news, events and blog articles for all the world to see!

  • Posts are like mini blog snippets, linking to a page to learn more or take an action.
  • Posts expire after 7 days.
  • Be sure to include a featured image.
  • Click here to learn more.

Get Positive Reviews!

Think of it like a popularity contest.  More reviews, especially those great 5-star reviews, improve the appearance and “ranking” of your Knowledge Panel in Google Search.  Be sure to ASK your customers to leave you a good review on Google (and Yelp or anywhere else your business is listed).

  • Consider using a third party service like BirdEye to manage your online reviews and reputation.