Starting yesterday, Google started showing Knowledge Graph results from Freebase in the search results for my name, Bill Hartzer. What’s interesting to note is that this is the first time that I’ve seen a direct example of Google using Freebase data. We’ve known for quite some time that Google owns Freebase, but for the first time I have proof that Google’s pulling data from Freebase.
Here’s an example of the Knowledge Graph, specifically Freebase data, in the search results:
When you search for my name, Bill Hartzer, in Google (even when logged out of Google), you’ll see the Knowledge Graph data show up on the right side of the search results. What’s interesting is that the data itself is from Freebase. How do we know? Well, the “Internet Marketer” profession is a listing on my Freebase page.
The “siblings” data, my brother, also is listed in Freebase. So that information is only coming from my Freebase listing.
The “born” information, which is wrong, by the way, is from Freebase. The listing in Freebase has since been corrected (I corrected it today) and it should, in the future, show “Stamford, Connecticut”. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for Google to update this information on my search results.
It’s clear to me that Freebase is definitely being used now by Google, and therefore it’s imperative that you go ahead, right now, and get a Freebase listing if you haven’t done so already.
Several years ago, I started my Freebase listing, and even talked with Rebecca and a few others about the importance of getting listed in Freebase. It’s taken a few years, but we finally have Freebase showing a Knowledge Graph listing right alongside my name. If that’s not incentive enough, I don’t know what is.
Here are a few other posts about Freebase that are worth reading:
Why SEOs Need to Pay Attention to Freebase
Bing Knowledge Graph