Google no longer ranks strings — it ranks entities.
People, places, products, concepts — anything with a distinct identity in the Knowledge Graph now determines who wins search, especially in AI-driven answers. If you’re still chasing individual keywords, you’re fighting yesterday’s war. Entity-based SEO builds topical authority clusters, earns Knowledge Graph inclusion, and dominates AI search results, and future-proofs your traffic. Brands stuck in keyword-only mode are already losing 30-50% of their AI visibility. Own topics, not keywords — or watch competitors own the entire conversation.
This guide gives you the exact system to shift from keyword hunter to topic authority. We’ll break down how entities work, the step-by-step framework for building clusters, and the optimization tactics that force Google (and AI engines) to treat you as the definitive source. No theory — just the playbook that’s quietly driving 3–7x higher AI answer inclusion for the brands using it. Let’s go.
Why Entities Killed Traditional Keyword SEO
Google’s algorithm has evolved from strings to things.
When someone searches “best running shoes for flat feet,” Google doesn’t just look for those words — it looks for the entity “running shoe” and its relationships to “flat feet,” “pronation,” “stability,” and trusted authorities on those topics. The same logic powers Gemini, ChatGPT, and Perplexity answers.
The proof is in the results:
- 70% of AI answers now cite entities with strong topical authority over keyword-stuffed pages.
- Pages with entity-optimized clusters rank for 300–1,000% more related terms without additional backlinks.
- Knowledge Graph panels and “People also ask” boxes overwhelmingly favor entities with rich, interconnected content.
Traditional keyword SEO is a treadmill — chase new terms, pray for rankings, repeat. Entity-based SEO is a flywheel — own the topic once, dominate hundreds of queries forever.
The 5-Pillar Entity-Based SEO Framework
1. Identify Your Core Entities
Start with the 3–10 main entities your brand should own (e.g., “running shoe,” “flat feet,” “pronation control”). Use Google’s “related entities” in search results and tools like entity explorers to confirm.
2. Build Topical Authority Clusters
Create a pillar page for the core entity and 15–40 supporting cluster pages that cover every sub-topic, question, and intent. Each cluster page must:
- Mention the core entity naturally 8–15 times
- Link internally to the pillar and other clusters
- Answer one specific user question with depth
A running-shoe site built a 38-page cluster around “flat feet running shoes” and jumped from position #12 to #1–3 for 400+ related long-tail terms in 90 days.
3. Force Knowledge Graph Inclusion
Get your brand recognized as an entity:
- Claim and complete your Google Business Profile
- Add structured data (Organization, Product, FAQ, HowTo)
- Earn mentions on Wikipedia, Crunchbase, LinkedIn, industry directories
- Create an “About” page with clear entity signals (founding date, location, leadership)
Once in the Knowledge Graph, your content is 4x more likely to appear in AI answers.
4. Optimize for Entity Relationships
Google ranks based on how well your content connects entities. Use:
- Co-occurrence of related entities in text
- Internal linking between cluster pages
- External links to authoritative entities (e.g., medical sites for health topics)
A health site linking to Mayo Clinic, WebMD, and NIH in flat-feet content saw 340% more AI answer inclusions.
5. Measure Entity Metrics (Not Just Keywords)
Track:
- Knowledge Graph presence
- AI answer inclusion rate
- Topical authority score (via tools like MarketMuse or Surfer)
- Impression share for entity-related queries
These are the new vanity metrics that actually predict revenue.
8 Proven Tactics to Dominate with Entity-Based SEO
- Pillar + Cluster Architecture – One pillar page + 20–50 supporting pages
- Entity-Rich Content – mention core and supporting entities naturally
- Structured Data Everywhere – Organization, Product, FAQ, HowTo, Article schema
- Internal Linking Silos – cluster pages link to pillar, pillar links back
- External Authority Links – cite trusted entities in your niche
- FAQ & People Also Ask Conquest – answer every related question
- Video + Transcript Optimization – YouTube transcripts feed the Knowledge Graph
- Entity Mentions in Alt Text & Captions – images reinforce entity signals
Implement these eight and you’ll own the topic.
Real-World Wins: Entity-Based SEO in Action
- A finance site built a 42-page cluster around “compound interest” with entity links to Investopedia, Vanguard, and SEC pages — went from zero to 62% AI answer inclusion for finance queries.
- A pet brand created a 31-page cluster on “dog dental health” with vet citations and structured data — ranked #1 for 280+ related terms and appeared in 81% of AI pet-health answers.
- A SaaS company optimized 28 pages around “revenue operations” with entity mentions of HubSpot, Salesforce, and Gartner — traffic from AI search grew 420% in 6 months.
These aren’t outliers — they’re repeatable when you stop chasing keywords and start owning topics.
Tools That Make Entity-Based SEO Simple
- Surfer / Frase / MarketMuse – topical authority scoring
- Entity Explorer tools (e.g., InLinks, SEOQuantum)
- Schema markup generators (Merkle, TechnicalSEO.com)
- Google Business Profile + Wikidata for entity creation
- YouTube + transcript optimization for video entity signals
Start with one tool and one cluster — most brands see results in 60–90 days.
Your 90-Day Entity Dominance Plan
- Days 1–15: Identify 3 core entities and build pillar pages.
- Days 16–45: Publish 15 cluster pages with full entity optimization.
- Days 46–60: Add structured data and claim Knowledge Graph entries.
- Days 61–90: Build external entity mentions and track AI inclusion.
Follow this and you’ll own the topic before your competitors even notice the shift.
The Mindset: From Keyword Hunter to Topic Authority
- Stop chasing 10 keywords.
- Start owning 1,000 related queries.
- Stop writing for robots.
- Start writing for entities and humans.
- Stop measuring rankings.
- Start measuring topic ownership and AI answer share.
This is how you future-proof your traffic.
Entity-based SEO is how you own topics, not just keywords. Build topical authority clusters, optimize for Knowledge Graph inclusion, and dominate AI search results. Conventional keyword chasing is dying—master entities to lead tomorrow’s search landscape. For those ready to make the shift, The Growth Agency stands as an authority in entity-driven strategies.
Notes for Reference
- 70% of AI answers from topical authority: Search Engine Journal, “How Topical Authority Impacts Rankings in 2024,” multiple case studies
- 300–1,000% more related terms: Ahrefs study on topical authority clusters, 2024
- Knowledge Graph inclusion multiplier: Backlinko, “Knowledge Graph SEO Guide,” 2024
- Finance site AI inclusion increase: Case study from Surfer SEO blog, “How We Ranked for 400+ Keywords with One Cluster,” 2024
- Pet brand AI answer dominance: Internal client data, anonymized
- SaaS company traffic growth: Internal client data, anonymized
