Google My Business is a powerful tool in the local SEO tool belt, helping businesses with a brick-and-mortar address get found within their community. But what if you’re a national brand? Do you have to miss out on that GMB-goodness? Not exactly! We’re exploring the differences between a local knowledge panel vs. brand knowledge panel to see how even national businesses can tap into the Google My Business strategy.
What is a Brand Knowledge Panel?
First up, what is the difference between a local knowledge panel vs. brand knowledge panel? Both appear on the right-hand side of the SERPs, displaying information relevant to your business, but there are some major disparities in what those details are and how they are pulled.
- Local knowledge panel: This view presents information about a location’s address, operating hours, and any Google reviews.
- Brand knowledge panel: This view gives an overview of your company as a whole, describing what you do or what you’re known for.
One way to look at a local knowledge panel vs. a brand knowledge panel is that the local focuses on the nitty gritty details customers need to get in touch with you, whereas the brand knowledge panel zooms out to display major highlights.
Unlike a local knowledge panel, which can be customized by you or your SEO provider to display the information you want, a brand knowledge panel is generated algorithmically, meaning you don’t have as much control. So how can you make sure this summary is telling the right story?
How to Get a Brand Knowledge Panel
A local knowledge panel is only available to businesses with a physical location from which they operate with customers, so national brands that either have franchised locations or corporate offices will have to vie for a brand knowledge panel instead.
Building a brand knowledge panel involves mixing in some social media strategy into your SEO efforts. Why? Your brand panel will be generated not only by the content you create to get found in the SERPs but also from other authoritative sites such as LinkedIn. Google always wants to present the most relevant information, so in this case it will pull from multiple reputable sources to ensure it gets things right.
So how can you generate a brand knowledge panel that meets your standards? Get active on LinkedIn! Posting a regular stream of relevant content will help solidify your standing in the industry, proving to both search engines and potential clients that you know your stuff.
Not sure where to start? LinkedIn in the place to showcase:
- Expertise: Through case studies, white papers, and long-form blog content
- Business developments: Through updates on how you’re blazing new trails
- Career opportunities: Through job postings for open positions
One thing to note is that generating a solid brand knowledge panel takes time. Algorithms won’t find your content the second you start posting, so don’t get discouraged if it takes awhile for all your hard work to pay off! Over time, Google will pick up on what you’re doing and create a knowledge panel that reflects those efforts.
Sync Your Social and Local SEO with LDM!
Need help ensuring your digital presence is up to date? The award-winning team at Launch Digital Marketing offers interconnected SEO and social media services that target your goals and get you where you want to be. We love helping small businesses throughout Chicagoland and beyond level up their digital marketing, so contact us for a free consultation!
