The search giant Google has gone back to its roots with the launch of a new technology – “Google Knowledge Graph”. The technology, launched on May 16, leverages the idea of a “semantic Web” focused entirely on user experience. Now when users input a search query on Google, relevant and related information about that query will be provided in a box to the right of the results page. These results will go above and beyond what has previously been provided on search results pages. While users will benefit from more relevant and accessible search results, marketers may see changes in their organic rankings and side-site metrics.

1. The Google Knowledge Graph –
Moving Toward a “Semantic
Web”
Highlights By: Chloe Ravat, Coordinator| Sara Collis, Associate Director
Insights and Innovation
 Google has rolled out new search June 18, 2012
technology called the
Knowledge Graph.
Summary
 The Knowledge Graph is based The search giant Google has gone back to its roots with the
on three components: 1) Find the launch of a new technology – “Google Knowledge Graph”.
Right Thing, 2) Get the Best The technology, launched on May 16, leverages the idea of
Summary and 3) Go Deeper and a “semantic Web” focused entirely on user experience. Now
Broader. when users input a search query on Google, relevant and
related information about that query will be provided in a
 A new “direct answers” box will box to the right of the results page. These results will go
appear on the results page, above and beyond what has previously been provided on
providing key facts and related search results pages. While users will benefit from more
information about the search relevant and accessible search results, marketers may see
query. changes in their organic rankings and side-site metrics.
 This new search effort will provide Key Information
both advantages and
disadvantages for marketers. By gathering information from already-established online
public databases such as Wikipedia, the CIA World
 Marketers may see changes to Factbook and Freebase (whose parent company,
their SEO rankings as this Metaweb, Google acquired in 2010), Google has assembled
technology rolls out; marketers an aggregate of online knowledge. This knowledge has
should also be aware of been collated into a super-database consisting of 500 million
performance changes in their objects or “entities” and a further 3.5 billion facts about those
paid search, click-through rates objects as well as the relationships that connect them. Based
and site traffic metrics. on what previous users have searched for, Google
Knowledge Graph utilizes this database and now provides
an information box to the right of the results page that
displays key facts as well as related items connected to the
search query.

2. The Knowledge Graph is built on three theoretical pillars:
1) Find the Right Thing: This facet of
the tool aims to remove ambiguity
from search queries by providing
the user with related searches that
use the same keywords. The
example Google gives in its official
blog1 is “Taj Mahal.” A user may
be looking to find information on
the famous landmark, the blues
musician or a casino. Using the
aggregate of knowledge at its disposal, the Knowledge Graph will recognize this ambiguity
and allow the searcher to choose the right topic in order to gain relevant results.
2) Get the Best Summary: Depending on what you search for, Google will now provide a
“direct answers” box on the right-hand side of the search results page, containing relevant
information about the search query. The Knowledge Graph recognizes that “Albert Einstein,”
for example, is not just a set of keywords but a person; a revolutionary scientist with real-world
connections to other people and objects. Information in these boxes has been pulled from
and organized according to what Google has found other users have sought next in
connection to the original search query.
3) Go Deeper and Broader: This is Google’s way of encouraging spontaneous unearthing of
information through a search query: the idea that the discovery of one thing will lead to the
discovery of another. For example, a user might search for “Disneyland” looking for directions.
Through the links in the direct answers box they can learn which are the most popular rides
and their durations. It is information they had not intended to find but is provided in addition to
the answers they originally sought.
Questions and Opportunities
1
Google Official Blog: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/introducing-knowledge-graph-things-not.html
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3. This technology will no doubt have implications for consumers and marketers. While the
technology facilitates search results and enables a streamlined user experience, marketers
may see changes in their search rankings and click-through rates from the search engines.
Additionally, privacy issues regarding this new technology have already sparked push-back
from the industry and may or may not limit uptake of Knowledge Graph over time. In this
regard, there are implications across the following areas.
User Experience: Users of Google Search will benefit from Knowledge Graph. Google
has developed it to ease and improve the user experience, making search faster,
easier, more relevant and more enjoyable.
User Privacy: Under the new privacy policy2, when users are signed in to their Google
account, their search history is automatically tracked to allow for personalized results.
This includes integration of social Google+ information into searches, YouTube viewing
history and more targeted ads. Many feel that collecting this kind of data may reveal
more about users than they would wish or even realize. For example, search results may
indicate age, interests, sexual orientation and health concerns. As a result, we can
expect backlash to follow regarding Google’s privacy policies.
SEO Marketing: The implications for search marketers are considerable. Google Penguin
is a search algorithm aimed at filtering and eliminating websites that appear in search
results but that violate the Google Webmaster Guidelines. As a result of its 1.1 update
rolled out on May 25, many sites have seen decreased search rankings, which in turn
have led to declines in site traffic. As with the Graph itself, search results shown on
Google under the new Penguin algorithm are now centered more around the validity,
authenticity and relevance of content, rather than tactics such as keyword-stuffing and
cloaking. The Penguin update works alongside the Knowledge Graph, supporting it to
offer the user better-quality, more relevant results. Additionally, Google appears to be
imposing a higher standard for Web content on sites that rely heavily on search for
traffic. SEO marketers should keep an eye on ranking as Knowledge Graph gains
ground, and make optimizations accordingly.
Marketing Analytics: The Knowledge graph may both hurt and help performance
metrics. It is possible that marketers will see changes in click-through rates in organic
and paid search. This is because Google is essentially changing the user experience on
the search results page, and offering more options to follow through on. Analysts should
pay attention to click-through and visitor rates (in addition to rankings) to assess the
impact from this new technology. It is also possible that the new search experience will
provide insights into new keyword opportunities and consumer interests related to a
particular product or category. These insights could be used to optimize content
strategy, keyword strategy and copy strategy.
Above all, the Knowledge Graph technology will make search easier, more relevant and more
enjoyable for its users. Consumers should see an improvement in the search experience as a
2
Google’s updated Privacy Policy as of March 1 2012: http://www.google.com/policies/privacy/
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4. whole, but due to the privacy policy may have more information revealed about their search
habits than they would like. Marketers, too, may yield benefits and insights from the new
technology, but should be aware of possible changes to organic and paid search rankings, as
well as site-side performance.
About RTC
RTC is a full-service direct and relationship marketing agency based in Washington, D.C., in the
heart of Georgetown, with an additional office in New York. RTC boasts more than 45 years’
worth of innovative, targeted solutions that grow its clients’ brands and help them forge
lasting, valuable relationships with their customers. What distinguishes RTC is its unique ability to
analyze data and research on both a rational and emotional level, and to leverage insights
gleaned from that data to motivate customers and prospects to take action. RTC’s clients
include AARP, Procter & Gamble and Sunovion, as well as other major brands in the
pharmaceutical, financial services and telecom industries.
To learn more about RTC, please visit www.RTC agency.com or follow the Twitter feed
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