Brand Entity SEO for Tradesmen In 2026: Jason Barnard’s Guide to Becoming the Go-To Local Expert - On The James Dooley Podcast
Brand Entity SEO Explained for Tradesmen Websites (James Dooley Interviews Jason Barnard)
Published by: James Dooley. Host: James Dooley. Guest: Jason Barnard, Founder and CEO of Kalicube®. January 18, 2026
In 2026, Branded Entity SEO isn’t just for Fortune 500 companies. Jason Barnard, founder and CEO of Kalicube®, explains how local tradespeople - from plumbers to electricians - can leverage entity SEO to dominate their local markets and become the AI-recommended choice for customers.
Why Entity SEO Matters for Local Tradespeople
Jason Barnard emphasizes that entity optimization applies to everyone - from large corporations to local tradespeople.
“If machines understand who you are, what you do, who you serve, and that you are credible, they can offer you to your audience,” he explains. “If they don’t, your business is invisible in the digital marketplace.”
This concept isn’t abstract. For local businesses, the Google Business Profile is the most critical digital asset, acting as the entry point for AI and knowledge graph understanding.
The Knowledge Graph and AI Connection
Jason clarifies that there are multiple Knowledge Graphs at play. Google Maps itself is a Knowledge Graph, separate from Google’s main Knowledge Graph. Both play a role in AI-driven recommendations.
For tradespeople, this means:
- Google Business Profile: The foundation for AI to recognize your location and services.
- Bing Places: Overlooked but equally important, as AI scrapes these sources for structured information.
- LLM Training Data: Large language models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and AI Mode use search results and structured data to evaluate local businesses.
By making sure your digital assets are clear, credible, and complete, even small tradespeople can appear in AI-generated recommendations.
Entity SEO for Local Businesses: How It Works
Jason identifies three key components for local businesses:
- Knowledge Panels & Knowledge Graph IDs (KGMIDs):
Every entity - location, company, and owner - has its own identity within AI systems. Even local businesses benefit from having both a company KGMID and an owner KGMID, as authority flows from personal credibility to the business. - Website as a Proxy:
Your website acts as a hub that connects the Google Business Profile, company entity, and location. Clear, structured pages for services, reviews, and contact information signal to AI who you are and what you offer. - Niche Authority:
Out of over 1.7 million domains tracked by Kalicube, only 62,000 have real influence in Google’s Knowledge Graph. Jason explains that niche-focused domains - like a local plumbing association site - carry far more authority than broad, generic platforms.
Action Plan for Tradespeople in 2026
Jason Barnard provides a practical, Monday-morning action plan for local tradespeople to implement entity SEO:
- Claim and Nurture Your Google Business Profile: Ensure all details are accurate and complete.
- Mirror Your Profile on Your Website: Create dedicated pages for services, reviews, location, and posts.
- Focus on Niche Authority: Gain mentions and links from local associations or niche sites relevant to your trade.
- Build Your Personal Brand: Even if you don’t plan to scale, your reputation as a professional strengthens the business entity’s authority.
“The work you put into your Google Business Profile isn’t just for Maps - it translates across AI assistants and search engines, amplifying your reach and credibility,” Jason Barnard emphasizes.
The Long-Term Benefits
Jason Barnard stresses that entity SEO isn’t just about immediate visibility - it’s future-proofing your business. Personal branding and a well-structured digital footprint ensure that, even if you sell or pivot, your authority remains intact and can carry forward to new ventures.
“Your personal brand is an asset you carry with you forever. It allows you to build future businesses more efficiently and gain AI-driven recommendations consistently.”
Jason Barnard
