The search results pop up, and there it is on the right-hand side of the screen: their business name, proudly displayed with their old logo, an address from two years ago, and a random, unflattering photo someone uploaded to Maps.
The energy in the room instantly shifts from excitement to concern.
If this scenario feels familiar, you’re not alone. That prominent box of information is Google’s Knowledge Panel—and for many brands, it’s a source of constant frustration. In a world where Google holds over 91.56% of the search market share, this panel isn’t just a search feature; it’s your client’s de facto digital business card, and getting it right is non-negotiable.
What is a Knowledge Panel, and Why Does it Get Things Wrong?
Think of a Knowledge Panel as Google’s attempt to create a quick, authoritative summary of a person, place, or organization (what it calls an “entity”). To do this, its algorithm, the Knowledge Graph, pulls information from countless sources across the web. It pieces together data from the company’s website, Google Business Profile, Wikipedia, news articles, and third-party directories to build what it believes is a factual consensus.
The problem? Sometimes, that consensus is wrong.
Inaccuracies happen when the Knowledge Graph finds conflicting information. An old address on a forgotten directory, a previous company name in a news article, or user-submitted photos can all pollute the data pool. Google’s algorithm does its best to sort it out, but without clear, consistent signals, it often makes mistakes.
And those mistakes have consequences. A BrightLocal study found that businesses with accurate information are 2.7 times more likely to be considered reputable. More alarmingly, research from Moz revealed that over 60% of consumers will stop engaging with a business if they find incorrect information online.
The Real-World Impact of an Inaccurate Panel
An erroneous Knowledge Panel isn’t just a minor cosmetic issue; it’s a direct threat to your client’s brand perception and revenue. It creates confusion, erodes trust, and can send customers to the wrong place—or to a competitor.
Common problems include:
- Outdated Logos & Branding: Displaying an old logo confuses customers and undermines rebranding efforts.
- Incorrect Contact Info: A wrong phone number or address can lead to lost sales and frustrated customers.
- Wrong Hours of Operation: Sending a customer to a closed storefront is a surefire way to lose their business forever.
- Competitor Information: In some cases, Google may even mistakenly link to a competitor’s website or show their photos.
Correcting these errors isn’t just about tidying up a search result; it’s about taking control of your client’s digital first impression.
Your Workflow for Correcting and Controlling Brand Entities
While you can’t directly edit a Knowledge Panel like a webpage, you can strongly influence it. The key is to send Google clear, consistent, and authoritative signals about what is correct. This process, known as “entity disambiguation,” boils down to a simple, three-step workflow.
Step 1: Direct Feedback and Official Claims
Your first step is to use the tools Google provides.
- Suggest an edit: Every Knowledge Panel has a “Feedback” or “Suggest an edit” link. Use it to report specific inaccuracies. Don’t just say “this is wrong.” State what is wrong and provide a publicly accessible URL that proves the correct information (e.g., the contact page on the official website with the right address).
- Claim the Panel: Some Knowledge Panels for organizations offer a “Claim this knowledge panel” option. If you see this, go through the verification process. This gives you a more direct line to suggest changes for certain elements, like the main image or logo.
- Master the Google Business Profile (GBP): For any business with a physical location, GBP is the single most important data source. Ensure it is fully filled out, verified, and 100% accurate. It’s your primary channel for telling Google the correct name, address, phone number, hours, and website.
Step 2: Reinforce the Truth on Their Home Turf (The Website)
Next, you need to make sure your client’s own website is an undeniable source of truth. The most powerful way to do this is by “speaking Google’s language” through structured data.
Schema.org provides a vocabulary of code that you can add to a website to explicitly define what your content is about. Instead of making Google guess that “123 Main Street” is an address, you can use Organization schema to label it as such.
This isn’t some niche trick; Schema.org is a collaborative project supported by Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo. Its adoption has grown by over 40% year-over-year because it’s the clearest way to help search engines understand entities. Properly implementing structured data is foundational to modern SEO.
For a business, you’d want to use Organization or LocalBusiness schema on the homepage or contact page, clearly defining:
- Official Name (name)
- Official URL (url)
- Logo URL (logo)
- Address (address)
- Phone Number (telephone)
- Social Media Profiles (sameAs)
This code, invisible to users, acts as a digital name tag for the business, leaving no room for algorithmic misinterpretation.
Step 3: Build a Chorus of Corroborating Signals
The final step is to ensure that other authoritative websites agree with the information you’ve provided. Google trusts consensus. If ten reputable sources list the same address for your client, and only one old, obscure directory has the wrong one, Google is more likely to trust the ten.
- NAP Consistency: Research in entity disambiguation shows that consistent Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) information across just 10 high-authority directories can resolve 85% of common entity conflicts. Audit top-tier directories like Yelp, industry-specific sites, and data aggregators to ensure uniformity.
- Authoritative Mentions: Secure mentions and links from reputable websites. A link from a local Chamber of Commerce or a news article about the business reinforces its legitimacy and location.
- Structured Citations: Create or update profiles on sources that Google trusts as entity hubs, such as Wikipedia and Wikidata. While getting a Wikipedia page can be challenging, a Wikidata entry is often more accessible and highly effective.
Managing these off-page signals is a core part of modern omnichannel SEO, aligning your client’s digital footprint across multiple platforms. For agencies juggling many clients, scaling this process is often the biggest hurdle—one where specialized white-label SEO services can provide the necessary executional power.
FAQ: Common Questions About Knowledge Panel Management
How long does it take for changes to appear?
Patience is key. Changes can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks to appear. Google needs to crawl the new information, process it, and update the Knowledge Graph. Consistent reinforcement is more effective than one-time fixes.
What’s the difference between a Google Business Profile and a Knowledge Panel?
A Google Business Profile is a tool you directly manage to provide information about a local business. A Knowledge Panel is an automatically generated search result that uses information from your GBP, but also from many other sources. You control your GBP; you can only influence your Knowledge Panel.
Can I remove a Knowledge Panel?
Generally, no. If an entity is notable enough for Google to create a panel, it’s unlikely you can have it removed. The goal isn’t removal but correction and control.
Is a Wikipedia page necessary to get a Knowledge Panel?
No, but it is one of the most powerful corroborating signals. Many brand Knowledge Panels exist without a Wikipedia page, but having an accurate one makes managing the entity significantly easier.
Taking Control of Your Client’s Digital First Impression
A client’s Knowledge Panel is the front door to their digital brand. Leaving it unlocked with wrong information allows anyone—or any algorithm—to define them.
By following this workflow—providing direct feedback, reinforcing the truth on their website with structured data, and building a chorus of consistent off-page signals—you can shift from reactively fixing errors to proactively controlling their brand. You’ll not only solve a frustrating problem for your clients but also demonstrate the profound value of a comprehensive, technically sound SEO strategy.
