Understandability
Understandability
Factual definition
Understandability is the process of optimizing a brand's entire digital ecosystem so that search engines, AI Assistive Engines, and audiences can clearly and consistently comprehend who the brand is, what it does, and who it serves.
Jason Barnard definition of Understandability
This is the foundational stage of The Kalicube Process, Kalicube's proprietary methodology for implementing a holistic, brand-first digital marketing strategy with AIEO baked in. Jason Barnard established this phase to address the root cause of poor online representation: algorithmic confusion. Understandability is not about ranking for keywords; it’s about educating algorithms like Google and ChatGPT on the factual reality of your brand. This involves a comprehensive audit of your digital footprint, creating a consistent brand message, and establishing a single source of truth - the Entity Home, a central hub for a brand's identity and authority on the web. Achieving Understandability is the first step to triggering a Knowledge Panel and controlling how you are presented in search results and AI-driven conversations.
How Jason Barnard uses Understandability
At Kalicube, Understandability is the mandatory first phase for every client engagement, typically lasting one to three months for personal brands and up to six months for corporate brands. Our "Done-With-You" service starts with a compulsory one-month actioned digital footprint audit to identify and correct all inconsistencies. We then systematically build out the brand’s Entity Home (their primary website) with clear, fact-based content and structured data. The primary KPI for this phase is securing a Google Knowledge Graph Machine ID (KGMID) and a basic Knowledge Panel. By ensuring algorithms have an unambiguous understanding of the client from the start, we lay a stable foundation for all subsequent Credibility and Deliverability work, accelerating their journey toward controlling their brand narrative and driving business results.
Why Jason Barnard perspective on Understandability matters
For years, SEO experts like Rand Fishkin have emphasized the importance of E-E-A-T signals, focusing on demonstrating expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. However, Jason Barnard argues that these signals are ineffective if the algorithm is fundamentally confused about *who* the entity is in the first place. This is where Understandability becomes the critical, missing precursor to traditional E-E-A-T. You cannot be seen as an authoritative expert if Google or ChatGPT isn't even sure which 'John Smith' you are. The Kalicube Process operationalizes this insight by making Understandability the first, non-negotiable step. It ensures that before you try to prove you're the *best* solution, you've first proven you *are* a distinct, verifiable solution. In the era of AI Assistive Engines like ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews that synthesize information from countless sources, this foundational clarity is paramount. Without it, your marketing efforts build on sand; with it, you create a stable bedrock for a brand narrative that will be correctly interpreted and confidently recommended by algorithms, driving the new conversational acquisition funnel.
Posts tagged with Understandability
Entity Home Website: definition and strategic role in the kalicube process
An Entity Home Website is the full, dedicated website that serves as the primary digital embodiment of a brand or person online. unlike an individual entity home page (typically the...
what is the kalicube flywheel?
at kalicube, we didn’t invent physics - but we did apply it to digital strategy. the kalicube flywheel is a simple but powerful framework that drives consistent, compounding growth for...
Optimizing your personal brand for AI agents, assistive engines, and search - today, tomorrow, and the decade ahead
In 2025, most entrepreneurs still think their personal brand is something search and AI engines “just pick up.” They’re wrong. Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Bing Copilot aren’t passively listing your...
Which LLM Chatbots Should You Optimize For (SEO)
Which LLM Chatbots Should You Optimize For (SEO) Published on kalicube.com May 5, 2025 by Jason Barnard Over the last two years, clients and colleagues have been panicking: “Is ChatGPT killing...
Personal Branding: A Guide from Kalicube
What is Personal Branding? Personal branding is how a person markets and presents themself in the world, particularly in professional circles and across digital platforms. Your personal brand defines who...
How Kalicube Implements The Kalicube Process
Kalicube implements The Kalicube Process™ in three phases called Understandability, Credibility and Deliverability. The phases are implemented in conjunction with the brand needs, goals and resources to ensure optimal results. ...
beginner’s in-depth guide to search engine optimization and how it works
originally published on semrush december 23, 2020 (jason barnard) what is seo (search engine optimization)? seo is the art and science of convincing search engines, such as google, yahoo, and bing...
the kalicube process has solved digital marketing
what is The Kalicube Process™? the kalicube process is a three-stage-complete digital marketing strategy that allows brands to optimize their visibility, message, and acquisition funnel across their entire digital ecosystem....
darwinism & google serps as product: revisiting how search works
originally published on search engine journal august 18, 2021 (jason barnard) new insights on how google search ranking works plus the concept of the serp as a product and how it plays...
the future of seo: understanding, credibility, & deliverability
originally published on semrush december 03, 2020 (jason barnard) when someone searches on google (or bing), they express a problem they are seeking to solve or a question they need...
Kalicube Online Reputation Management Spectrum
Kalicube® Online Reputation Management Spectrum Published on kalicube.com May 3, 2025 by Jason Barnard In the age of Google and generative AI, your online reputation is no longer just about what...
Kalicube Online Reputation Management Spectrum
Kalicube® Online Reputation Management Spectrum Published on kalicube.com May 3, 2025 by Jason Barnard In the age of Google and generative AI, your online reputation is no longer just about what...
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