You can’t sign up for a Google Knowledge Panel. Google creates one automatically when its Knowledge Graph has enough reliable information about a person, business, organization or creative work. To improve your chances, publish a clear “entity home” page about yourself or your organization, add structured data (schema markup) to your website, keep your name and details consistent on trusted profiles, and earn mentions from reputable sources. If a panel already exists, search for yourself, click Claim this knowledge panel at the bottom, and verify through one of your official accounts.
Below is how Knowledge Panels work, the steps that help one appear, how to claim and edit a panel, and how it differs from a Google Business Profile.
What a Knowledge Panel is
A Knowledge Panel is the information box that appears on the right side of Google search results on a computer, or near the top on a phone, when you search for a well-known entity. It can show a photo, short description, website, social profiles, and facts such as founding date or notable works. The information comes from Google’s Knowledge Graph, which pulls from sources across the web.
Knowledge Panel vs Google Business Profile
| Knowledge Panel | Google Business Profile | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it’s for | People, organizations, brands, books, films and other entities | Local businesses with a location or service area |
| How you get one | Google creates it automatically | You create it at business.google.com |
| Can you edit it? | Suggest changes after claiming | Yes, directly |
| Shows | Facts, description, profiles | Address, hours, reviews, photos, map |
If you run a local business, a Google Business Profile is the faster route to a panel-style listing in search and Maps.
Steps that help a Knowledge Panel appear
- Create an entity home. Publish an About page on your own website that clearly states who you are or what your organization is, with consistent name, description, logo or photo, and links to your official profiles.
- Add structured data. Add Person or Organization schema markup to that page using JSON-LD. Include your name, logo or image, description, and a sameAs list linking to your official social profiles and other authoritative pages.
- Keep details consistent. Use the same name, title and description on your website, LinkedIn, social media, author bios and directories.
- Earn coverage from trusted sources. Interviews, news articles, industry publications and well-known directories help Google confirm facts about you.
- Use Wikidata carefully. Wikidata and Wikipedia are major sources, but they have notability rules. Don’t create promotional entries; they’re often removed and can hurt your credibility.
- Be patient. Panels can take months to appear, and Google decides when there’s enough information.
How to claim your Knowledge Panel
If a panel about you or your organization already appears:
- Sign in to your Google account and search for your name or organization.
- Scroll to the bottom of the panel and click Claim this knowledge panel.
- Follow the steps to verify. Google usually asks you to sign in to an official profile it already associates with the panel, such as a YouTube channel, Search Console property or social media account.
- Wait for Google to review your request.
Once verified, you can suggest changes to facts, the featured photo and the description.
How to suggest changes to a panel you don’t own
Click the three dots or Feedback link on the panel, select the item that’s wrong, and describe the correction. Google reviews feedback but doesn’t guarantee changes.
Common reasons a panel doesn’t appear
- Not enough independent sources mention the entity.
- The name is shared with someone or something more prominent.
- Information about you is inconsistent across the web.
- The structured data on your site has errors. Test it with Google’s Rich Results Test.
Related: change the cover photo on Google Business Profile.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Google Knowledge Panel free?
Yes. Google doesn’t charge for Knowledge Panels, and you can’t pay Google to get one. Be cautious of services that promise a guaranteed panel.
How long does it take to get a Knowledge Panel?
There’s no set timeline. It depends on how much reliable information exists about you. For many people and small organizations, it takes months or doesn’t happen.
Can I remove my Knowledge Panel?
You can’t delete one, but you can claim it and suggest changes, or ask Google to remove specific information that violates its policies.
Kermit Matthews runs Live2Tech from just outside Philadelphia. He is an IT specialist with over 20 years of experience, from a university help desk to small-business IT, IT management and his own consulting practice, and has written tech guides full time since 2020. Steps are checked against the current software on a real device or the maker’s official documentation. More about Kermit.