Knowledge graph

By the Pickgap team · Updated Oct 15, 2026 · 1 min read

A knowledge graph is a database of entities, such as people, places, businesses and things, and the relationships between them. Google's Knowledge Graph powers the information panels in search and helps its AI understand who and what a query is about. Local businesses are represented largely through their Google Business Profile and consistent information across the web.

How it works

Instead of storing pages, a knowledge graph stores facts: "Bright Smile Dental" is a dentist, located in Raleigh, open on Saturdays, with a website at a particular address. Each fact connects one entity to another or to a value. Search engines use this to answer questions directly and to understand what a search is about.

Google's Knowledge Graph and local businesses

For local businesses, Google's understanding comes mostly from the Business Profile, plus what it finds on your website and across the web. The business panel you see on the right of desktop results, or at the top on mobile, is that understanding made visible.

Why it matters for AI

Google's AI surfaces draw on Google's structured understanding of businesses alongside web pages. Other AI systems build their own understanding from what they read. Either way, clear, consistent, well-linked facts make your business easy to represent accurately.

How to help

• Complete and verify your Google Business Profile.
• Keep name, address, phone and hours consistent everywhere.
• Add LocalBusiness structured data with sameAs links to your official profiles.
• Earn mentions on trusted sites that describe what you do.

See entity and schema markup for local businesses.