How do you deal with Google knowledge graph showing competitor for a generic query?
-
Search for keywords like criminal defense lawyer detroit or criminal defense lawyer detroit mi and Google knowledge graph is highlighting one competitor. No maps results are shown. How have others dealt with this situation? I know others have noticed this too: http://www.webpronews.com/sometimes-googles-knowledge-graph-highlights-brands-for-generic-queries-2013-10
-
Hi Adam
Sorry for the confusion - what I was getting at is the reason your competitor may be appearing for a generic keyword is because (if they are local to you) they have shown Google that they are associated with a certain keyword and are located by the searcher. For instance, when I search a generic term like "coffee" in my search, I get 5 businesses that pop up around me, or within a close proximity of me, in Chicago.
Same when I search "mechanic", "wine", and "ice skating". Depending on what you are searching, I was saying that local search optimization can have a heavy hand in what appears in the SERPs for your search.
Now, beyond that, Google also takes into consideration branding. Even then, elements of what I was speaking of above still stand.
Here are a couple of references:
Brands, Google Plus and the Knowledge Graph: A Love Triangle (Moz)
Understanding the Knowledge Graph and Optimizing it for Your Brand (Kahena)What I am getting at here, is your competitor may be a big enough brand that Google is associating them with that broad/generic search you are talking about.
If I am not answering your question, again, I apologize and will step back - but I just think these elements above are worthy of your time and research, and will assist you in your chances of appearing as well. Take a look at your competitor though to see if they are taking the same steps - I am willing to bet they are!
Hope this helps a bit more - good luck!
-
Thanks, but your answer gives basic local SEO tactics, and doesn't answer my question. My question is what to do when a competitor is shown in the Knowledge Graph for a generic search (they should only be showing in the knowledge graph if they are searched for by name). For some reason Google is confusing the generic keyword with this company's name, it seems.
-
Hi Adam
I would take a look at the following:
Google My Business - You may already be on this and have your client's business set up on this, but in case you don't, this a great place to start. Google uses the information from your profile and location to help your business rank for local searches that pertain to your industry. Here are some great tips from Google My Business and Search Engine Watch to help you get started, or to check your current situation. I would also make sure your categories are correct.
Moz Local + Whitespark - These are citation services that assist your business and it's locations get listed correctly. Moz offers managed citations - meaning if you change your business address or information, you can quickly change this in your listings. Whitespark doesn't offer managed listings, but they do focus on niche and industry driven listings. I would evaluate both and see which one works best for you.
Schema.org - Schema.org is a markup language for search engine crawlers to help them better find and understand important information on a website. You can mark almost anything on your website up from company name, address, telephone number, and logo, to images, videos, keywords, titles, biographies, job titles, and more. It's pretty indepth and will take some work, but the payoffs are pretty spectacular.Ultimate Local SEO Audit - Local search is a never ending task. That being said, you should routinely be checking your information on the web to ensure that it's correct and up to date as search engines use this information in their listings, such as Knowledge Graph. This resource from Moz will be an extremely handy and valuable tool going forward.
Beyond that Adam, I would say check your competitor's listings, social engagement, content, and even their traditional PR tactics. I would also check both your backlink profiles in Majestic to see if they have listings or partnerships/accreditation/certifications/endorsements you don't, and start applying those opportunities in your digital and traditional marketing efforts.
There's a lot here, so if you have any more questions, let me know. Hope this helps! Good luck!
Got a burning SEO question?
Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
Video SEO: Should I add Video Transcriptions to You Tube Videos Even with Google CC?
So, You Tube allows plenty of room from descriptions. I think 5,000 characters. Google does a poor Closed Caption of our audio. Should I also be adding accurate transcriptions to the description field in YouTube to help my Video SEO. What are the pro's cons and is it worth doing?
Image & Video Optimization | | BlairKuhnen1 -
Google Shopping
i am searching a tool which shows me the price ranking of my products in google shopping. that means when i type in a product which i sell in google shopping on which place is my ranking for this product. google has a free api to read this out but i just cant find a service that shows my ranking.
Image & Video Optimization | | droelfzwuenf0 -
Getting a Google Places listing verified on an automated phone system.
I've been having issues getting my Google Places/+ listing verified as we have an automatic phone system. If you call our office you have to dial a number to reach an actual human being or before you can leave a message. Whenever the Google Bot calls we aren't able to receive our Google Place verification code. Currently.. there is no option to send a postcard.. which is weird because for awhile that was the only option. Has anyone had any success on an automated phone system & how did you do it? Thanks!
Image & Video Optimization | | DCochrane0 -
Google Places ranking not making sense
With regard to the proximity to the city centre if you google 'chartered accountants swansea' you will see that the 2nd google places listing 'drpaccountants' are located way out of the city centre and they have no photos, reviews etc Where as on my listing it has a 100% completed profile but am way down the results, when many of the top places results are very basic http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=chartered%2Baccountant%2Bswansea&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CGIQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.harrisbassett.co.uk%2F&ei=sp-mTraQEoiz8QPBqMzVDw&usg=AFQjCNG1C-xsNxgM6vWj1geoxv_u4KbD0g What else needs to be done apart from getting reviews? I have added lots of local citations to the likes of Yelp, Qype, Hotfrog etc but none are showing under the listing on google places? Also is there a reason why the description field is not being populated in the google places account? As from some of the other top places listings it seems to be picking this up from their website? The other issue is under the dashboard it displays 0 impressions and 0 actions is this normal? What is my places listing missing or have I done everything I possibly can and just have to wait for Google to re-rank the places results? I
Image & Video Optimization | | idv0 -
Local SEO: What is the largest Google Places bulk upload you have ever done?
Hi All, One of my clients recently requested my team at our agency to do a bulk up load of business locations. We did the bulk upload and it came to around 652 or so locations in the form. I have done some serious bulk uploads in the past around 500 locations but never this high. My question is to SEO moz what is the largest bulk upload or single upload you have done on Google Places?
Image & Video Optimization | | JamesNorquay0 -
Why is here no extra section for Google Shopping
does really nobody care for the most important search result for shops beside organic result? google shoping results mostly pop up in organic results on 3rd place. Vertical SEO Video, Image, Local etc. etc. is not really Shopping Results!
Image & Video Optimization | | kynop0 -
Google Place pages and regular listings in search results
I'm trying to clarify something about search results which contain local listings. Here is the search string for Google that will give you the same results that I am seeing - http://www.google.co.uk/search?&q=letting agents glasgow&pws=0 Of the results that are returned, some of them have data which seems to be related to their Google Place page but the "title" links directly to their website. What I wanted to know is, "Is it their actual website that has given them those rankings" or "Are they listed where they are because of a well optimized and ranked Places page?
Image & Video Optimization | | XSMedia0 -
Optimizing Google Places
Hey everyone, Trying to improve my Google Places page for the Pet Medical Center of Las Vegas but am having trouble knowing where to start. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot that can be customized. Maybe I am missing something. http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1370&bih=718&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=pet+medical+center+of+las+vegas&fb=1&gl=us&hq=pet+medical+center+of&hnear=0x80beb782a4f57dd1:0x3accd5e6d5b379a3,Las+Vegas,+NV&cid=13431404354265657899 Does the small description act like the SERP in Google searches? Trying to rank for Vet Las Vegas. Any ideas?
Image & Video Optimization | | PMC-3120870