Entity SEO
Entity SEO means optimising for the people, products, places and concepts a search engine recognises, rather than for keyword strings. Google maps content to entities in its Knowledge Graph, so clear entity signals help it connect your brand to a subject.
Why it matters for your rankings
Search moved from matching strings to understanding things years ago. Google knows that 'Apple' the company differs from the fruit, and that a page about crawl budget relates to indexing without using that exact phrase.
This changes what optimisation looks like. Covering a subject comprehensively and linking related concepts together matters more than repeating a target phrase. It also explains why brand mentions without links carry weight: they help establish your organisation as a recognised entity. For AI answer engines this is central, because they reason over entities and relationships rather than keyword frequency. Being an entity Google recognises, with consistent facts across the web, is what makes you quotable.
How to check it on your site
Check whether Google recognises you
Search your brand name and look for a knowledge panel. Its absence means Google may not have you as a distinct entity yet.
Add Organization schema
Mark up your name, logo, address, founding date and sameAs links to your verified profiles on the homepage.
Keep facts consistent
Your description, founding date and address should match across your site, LinkedIn, Crunchbase and any directory listing.
Build topical clusters
Cover a subject and its related concepts across linked pages rather than one isolated article per keyword.