A knowledge panel is the information box Google sometimes shows on the side of desktop search results, or near the top on mobile, when you search for a well-known person, organization, place, or thing. It pulls together key facts like a logo, a short description, founding date, social profiles, and related searches.
You can't buy one or switch one on. But you can make it more likely that Google understands your brand well enough to show one, and you can help keep it accurate once it appears.
What is a knowledge panel?
According to Google's help page on knowledge panels, they are information boxes for entities in Google's Knowledge Graph, meant to give a quick snapshot of a topic based on what Google understands from the web. An entity is a distinct thing Google can identify, such as a company, a person, a book, or a city.
Panels are generated automatically. Google draws on many web sources and, for some topics, data partners that provide authoritative information. Verified entities can also suggest changes, and Google considers general user feedback.
Knowledge panels are related to but different from Google Business Profiles. Business Profiles are for businesses serving customers at a location or within a service area, and owners create and manage them directly. Knowledge panels cover a much wider range of entities and can't be created by hand.
Why knowledge panels matter
A knowledge panel is a strong sign that Google recognizes your brand as a distinct entity, not just a string of words. For branded searches, it takes up a lot of space on the results page and gives searchers quick, trusted context about who you are.
The same understanding matters for AI answers. When AI tools describe your company, they rely on how clearly your brand is defined across the web. The work that helps a knowledge panel appear, like consistent facts, structured data, and coverage on trusted sites, also helps AI systems describe you correctly. Google doesn't say a panel boosts rankings or AI visibility directly, so treat it as a byproduct of clear entity signals rather than a goal on its own.
How knowledge panels work
Where the information comes from
Google compiles panel facts from across the web, and panels update automatically as that information changes. Images may come from a featured photo chosen by a verified owner or from Google Images results.
The role of structured data
Google's Organization structured data documentation says markup can influence some visual elements, such as which logo appears in search results and your knowledge panel. It also recommends the "sameAs" property to point to your other official profiles. Google doesn't say this markup will create a panel, but it helps Google connect the dots.
Claiming and editing a panel
If a panel exists for you or your organization, Google's verification help page explains how to claim it. You search for the entity, select the option to claim the panel, and sign in to one of the official sites or profiles Google lists, such as YouTube, Search Console, Twitter, or Facebook. Once verified, you can suggest edits with supporting links and add other people as managers or contributors. Not every panel shows a claim option, and local businesses are pointed to Google Business Profile instead.
Knowledge panels in practice
Consider a hypothetical B2B software company that's been around for a few years. Searching its name shows its website and some reviews, but no panel. The team might take stock: is the About page clear about what the company is and who founded it? Is Organization schema in place with the logo and "sameAs" links? Are the company's details the same on LinkedIn, Crunchbase, and industry directories? Has the brand been covered by any independent publications?
Tightening those signals doesn't guarantee a panel, but it gives Google consistent, corroborated facts to work with.
How to improve your chances of a knowledge panel
- Publish a clear About page. State plainly what your organization is, what it does, where it's based, and who leads it.
- Add Organization schema. Include your name, logo, URL, address, contact point, and "sameAs" links to official profiles. See our schema markup guide.
- Keep facts consistent. Use the same name, description, and details on your social profiles, directories, and data sources.
- Earn independent coverage. Mentions in reputable publications corroborate who you are. Google builds panels from what the broader web says, not just what you say.
- Claim it when it appears. Verify through Google so you can suggest corrections and pick a featured image.
Common misconceptions
- "I can create my own knowledge panel." You can't. Google generates them automatically. You can only claim and suggest edits to one that exists.
- "Schema markup guarantees a panel." Structured data helps Google understand you, but Google makes no promise that it will produce a panel.
- "Verified owners control everything." Verified entities can suggest changes, but Google still reviews them and decides what to show.
- "A panel is permanent." Panels update as web information changes and can change or disappear.
How Butter approaches knowledge panels
Knowledge panels sit right next to our core GEO work. Every Butter plan includes knowledge graph submissions and schema markup guidance, which focus on defining your brand clearly and consistently in the places search engines and AI tools read. Our monthly off-page recommendations and AI-crawlable content citations help build the independent corroboration Google looks for. We can't promise a panel will appear, since that's entirely Google's call, but we work on the signals that make your brand easier to recognize.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a knowledge panel for my business?
You can't request one directly. Google creates panels automatically when it has enough consistent information about an entity. Clear About pages, Organization schema, consistent profiles, and independent coverage all help.
How do I change information in my knowledge panel?
If you're the subject or an official representative, claim the panel through Google and suggest edits with supporting links. Anyone else can use the feedback link on the panel to suggest a change for review.
Is a knowledge panel the same as a Google Business Profile?
No. A Business Profile is for businesses serving customers at a location or in a service area and is managed directly by the owner. A knowledge panel is generated automatically for many kinds of entities.