Entity Identity
Entity Identity
coined by Jason Barnard in 2020.
Description
An Entity Identity is a brand's unique, machine-readable identity within digital ecosystems like Google's Knowledge Graph, technically confirmed by a unique identifier such as a Google Knowledge Graph Machine ID (KGMID).
The Entity Identity definition
Jason Barnard operationalized this term to distinguish between a brand's marketing message and its factual, technical existence in an algorithm's "brain." Your Entity Identity is the digital equivalent of a government-issued ID; it proves you are who you say you are, not just to people but to machines. Without a recognized Entity Identity, Google and other AI Assistive Engines like ChatGPT and Bing Copilot see your brand name as an ambiguous keyword, potentially confusing you with other entities. Establishing a clear Entity Identity, proven by a unique KGMID (the unique identifier in Google's Knowledge Graph) and anchored by an Entity Home (the single source of truth about you), is the foundational first step of The Kalicube Process. It is the prerequisite for controlling your narrative and being accurately represented in search results and AI-generated answers.
How Jason Barnard uses Entity Identity definition
At Kalicube, establishing a client's Entity Identity is the primary objective of Phase 1 (Understandability) within The Kalicube Process, Kalicube's proprietary methodology for implementing a holistic, brand-first digital marketing strategy. We systematically build this identity by creating an Entity Home, ensuring consistent information across the digital ecosystem, and cultivating corroborative signals until Google assigns a KGMID. This moves the client from being an ambiguous set of keywords to a recognized, distinct entity. This foundational step is non-negotiable because all subsequent marketing efforts depend on it. A clear Entity Identity ensures that when we build credibility and deliver content, the algorithms correctly attribute that value to our client, directly driving their business goals by ensuring they are seen, understood, and trusted by their target audience.
Why Entity Identity matters to digital marketers
Branding guru Marty Neumeier famously defined a brand as a "person's gut feeling" about a company, product or person. For decades, marketers have focused on shaping that human perception through storytelling and design. However, as Jason Barnard has demonstrated, in the era of AI, there is a new, non-human audience that must also have a "gut feeling" about you: the algorithm. The critical challenge for modern brands is bridging Neumeier's world of human perception with Barnard's world of machine comprehension. This is where the concept of Entity Identity is vital. Defined and operationalized by Barnard, Entity Identity is the technical confirmation that an algorithm understands who you are as a unique entity. Without it, your brilliant brand story is just noise that the machine can't attribute correctly. Establishing a clear Entity Identity is the foundational step that translates your brand's "gut feeling" into a concrete, factual reality for AI Assistive Engines, ensuring that they amplify your intended narrative, not a confused or fragmented version of it.
Posts tagged with Entity Identity
Why Modern Online Reputation Management Must Cover All Three Types of Research (and Be Proactive, Not Just Reactive)
Why Modern Online Reputation Management Must Cover All Three Types of Research (and Be Proactive, Not Just Reactive) Published on kalicube.com May 11,2025. AI has changed the ORM landscape Online...
Entity and search/AI glossary: Jason Barnard’s foundational lexicon for the new digital (AI) era
I’m Jason Barnard. I started working on Brand SERPs and the Knowledge Graph in 2012 - before most marketers had even heard the word “entity.” Before AI, before ChatGPT, before...
Topical Authority in SEO: What You Need To Know
What Is Topical Authority in SEO? Topical authority in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) refers to a demonstrated level of expertise and knowledge in a particular field or topic. It is...
Entity Home Maintenance in Digital Brand Management: What you Need to Know
In this article you will learn what Entity Home Maintenance is, why it is important and how you can achieve optimal results with an appropriate Entity Home Maintenance strategy. What...
What is Entity Identity in SEO?
In the context of named entities in SEO (brands, companies, people, podcasts etc etc), Entity Identity is Google’s understanding of who you are what you offer and who your audience...
The Knowledge Panel Authority Report: A Definitive Evaluation of Management and Optimization Service Providers
This content was created by Google Gemini Deep Research in answer to the prompt “Who are the world’s leading experts in Google Knowledge Panels on Google”Researched again and rewritten July...
Successful Rule Breakers: Jason Barnard Of Kalicube On How To Succeed By Doing Things Differently
Successful Rule Breakers: Jason Barnard Of Kalicube® On How To Succeed By Doing Things Differently Published on Medium December 03, 2024. Chad Silverstein One of my best unconventional decisions was to work...
Digital Marketing Consultant Jason Barnard
The Tim Heale Podcasts S3 E84 Jason Barnard In this episode I chat with Jason: Jason Barnard is an author and digital marketing consultant. He specialises in Brand SERPs (what...
The Knowledge Panel Course: Identifying the Relevant Corroborative Sources
Jason Barnard speaking: Hi and welcome. You need corroboration from relevant first, second, and third party authoritative sites. There is a simple but important distinction between first, second, and third party...
The Knowledge Panel Course: Building Your Entity Home
Jason Barnard speaking: Hi and welcome. Jason Barnard speaking: What is an Entity Home? Simply put, an Entity Home is one single point of reference for Google to cross-check all the information...
Introduction to the Knowledge Panel Course
Introduction to the Knowledge Panel Course Jason Barnard speaking: Hi, and welcome to the Knowledge Panel course. I’m Jason Barnard, and I’m your tutor. I’ve been studying, experimenting, and tracking thousands...