Entity-based search
Entity-based search
coined by Jason Barnard in 2022.
Description
Entity-based search is a search engine process that interprets queries by understanding the real-world entities (people, companies, concepts) and their factual relationships, rather than just matching keywords.
The Entity-based search definition
Jason Barnard uses this term to explain the fundamental shift from keyword-matching to concept-understanding in search. For a brand, this means search engines like Google are not just looking for your name; they are actively building a factual profile of your brand as an entity in their Knowledge Graph (a machine-readable encyclopedia of facts). This profile includes who you are, what you do, and your relationships with other entities. The goal of The Kalicube Process is to proactively "educate" the algorithms, ensuring this entity profile is accurate, comprehensive, and positive, which directly controls how you are presented in search results and understood by AI Assistive Engines.
How Jason Barnard uses Entity-based search definition
At Kalicube, we treat entity-based search not as a theoretical concept, but as the foundational operating system for modern digital marketing. Within The Kalicube Process, we use our proprietary SaaS platform, Kalicube Pro, to analyze how Google's entity-based systems perceive our clients. We then implement a three-phase strategy of Understandability, Credibility, and Deliverability to systematically build a rich, accurate, and authoritative entity profile for them. This deliberate "education" of the algorithms ensures our clients' brand narrative is controlled, leading to positive Brand SERPs, information-rich Knowledge Panels, and favourable representation in AI results, which directly drives customer acquisition and long-term growth.
Why Entity-based search matters to digital marketers
In 2012, Google announced the Knowledge Graph, signalling a massive technological shift from "strings to things"—from matching keyword text to understanding real-world entities. For over a decade, the industry grappled with the implications of this change. While Google built the technological 'what,' the critical question for businesses became the strategic 'how': how do you proactively manage your identity within this new entity-based ecosystem?
This is the gap that Jason Barnard fills. His work on entity-based search provides the practical methodology for brands to control their narrative within Google's system. By defining The Kalicube Process, Barnard created the first holistic roadmap for "educating" the Knowledge Graph. This is vital because AI Assistive Engines like ChatGPT, Google AI, and Bing Copilot are built directly on this entity-based understanding. Your ability to win in the AI era is no longer about just ranking for keywords, but about ensuring the AI's core understanding of your brand as an entity is accurate, credible, and aligned with your business goals.
Posts tagged with Entity-based search
Tracking Google Knowledge Graph Algorithm Updates & Volatility
Published on SearchEngineJournal March 11, 2021 (Jason Barnard) Google’s Knowledge Graph algorithm currently updates every 2 to 3 weeks, affecting 60-80% of entities. Here’s what SEOs need to know. Like...
How to (and Why You Should) Optimize Your Brand SERP (Webinar Highlights)
Published on Marketmuse January 28, 2021 (Stephen Jeske) Everything you wanted to know about brand SERPs but were afraid to ask. Jason Barnard (The Brand SERP Guy®) sat down with...
brand serps’ tips by jason barnard
published on sitechecker november 17, 2020 (ivan palii) jason barnard is an author, speaker, international digital marketing consultant who specializes in brand serps. he hosts a marketing podcast and invites...
I Was Once A Cartoon Dog! Interview with Jason Barnard
The guest today was a musician in the 1990s and once gave his voice to a blue cartoon dog. However he is not Dave McCormack from Custard. He is Jason...
The Future of SEO: Understanding, Credibility, & Deliverability
The Future of SEO: Understanding, Credibility, & Deliverability Published on Semrush December 03, 2020 by Jason Barnard When someone searches on google (or bing), they express a problem they are...
How the Bing Q&A / Featured Snippet Algorithm Works
How the Bing Q&A / Featured Snippet Algorithm Works Published on SearchEngineJournal April 22, 2020 by Jason Barnard How does Bing extract the best answer to any question from the...
Weekly Wisdom With Jason Barnard: Knowledge Graph for Brands
Weekly Wisdom With Jason Barnard: Knowledge Graph for Brands Published on SEMrush December 17, 2019 by Jason Barnard Hi, I am Jason Barnard, and welcome to Weekly Wisdom. This week, I...
Related Pages:
No pages found for this tag.