Understanding Entities for SEO and AI Search
Many moons ago, search engine algorithms were once fairly simple. You typed in some words, they looked for pages using the same words, and returned a list of results. That way of searching has changed.
Today, Google and AI tools like ChatGPT are trying to understand things, not just text on a page. They look at who you are, what you do, how you are described, and whether you are a credible source. They build a picture, rather than matching a few keywords.
An entity is simply a thing that search engines can recognise and understand. A business. A person. A place. A product. A service. Even an idea. When a search engine understands your business as an entity, it no longer has to guess what your website is about. It has context.
In this guide, we will walk you through what entities are, why they matter for SEO and AI Search Optimisation and how to strengthen your own entity signals.
Table of Contents
Difference between keywords and entities
How do search engines understand entities?
What is an entity in SEO terms?
An entity is a real, identifiable “thing” that search engines and AI systems can understand and distinguish from other entities.
That thing might be a business, a person, a place, a product, a service or even a concept. The key point is that it is specific and distinct, not just a word on a page.
Your business can also be an entity. When Google or answer engines such as ChatGPT recognise your business as a real organisation, it can connect it to relevant information, such as your industry, location, services, and ownership.
This is very different from how traditional keyword-based SEO worked. In the past, search engines focused heavily on matching query terms to those on web pages. Now they look at meaning and relationships. They try to understand what something is, not just how often a phrase appears.
If your website and online presence clearly describe who you are and what you do, search engines can develop a much stronger understanding of your business. If that information is vague, inconsistent or missing, they are left to make assumptions.
What is the difference between entities and keywords?
Keywords are the words people use when they search.
Entities are the real people, businesses, places or things those words refer to.
This difference is subtle, but it changes how search engines and AI tools interpret information.
Here are some examples
| Keywords | Entities |
|---|---|
| Words or phrases people type into a search engine | A real, identifiable person, business, place or thing |
| Just text on a page | Something search engines recognise as having a specific identity |
| Can mean different things in different contexts | Refers to one specific thing |
| Understood mainly by matching wording | Understood by using context and connections |
| Help search engines find relevant pages | Help search engines understand who or what a page is about |
| Often focus on what people search for | Focus on what you are known for |
When search engines rely only on keywords, they have to make educated guesses based on the words they see on a page.
Take the word “apple”.
If someone searches for “calories in an apple”, they are clearly thinking about food. They want nutritional information, probably in a table, not a customer support phone number.
If someone searches for “Apple help”, they are almost certainly not looking for fruit-based customer service. They want help with an iPhone, a MacBook or an Apple ID.
The word is the same, but the meaning is completely different.
Entity understanding is how search engines tell the difference. When Google recognises 'apple' as a fruit, it links that search to food, nutrition, and health. When it recognises Apple as a company, it connects it to devices, software, support pages and official contact details.
Without entities, search engines would be guessing. With entities, they understand intent.
This is why a page can contain the “right” words and still struggle to perform. If the page is not clearly connected to the correct entity, search engines may not know when to show it, or may show it for the wrong reasons.
When your business is recognised as a distinct entity with a defined area of expertise, search engines can more accurately match it to relevant searches and questions. When it is not, visibility becomes inconsistent, no matter how carefully the keywords are chosen.
How do search engines understand entities
Search engines do not fully understand a business or a person after reading a single page. Their understanding is built gradually, by seeing the same signals repeated in different places and in different ways.
Think of it like meeting someone for the first time. One conversation gives you a rough idea of who they are. Multiple conversations, in different settings, over time, give you confidence that you understand them properly.
Search engines work in a similar way.
They look at your website first. Your pages, your wording, your structure, your internal links and how clearly you explain what you do all contribute to that initial understanding. If your services, expertise and focus are clear and consistent, that foundation is strong.
They then look beyond your website. Mentions of your business on other websites, in directories, in the press, on industry platforms and on trusted third-party sites all help reinforce what your business is and what it is known for. This is where activities like digital PR play an important role, because they help place your business in relevant, credible contexts that search engines already trust.
Over time, search engines connect these dots. They begin to associate your business with certain topics, services, locations and audiences. The more consistent those signals are, the clearer the picture becomes.
If you want help optimising your site for search and ai - why not get in touch with us to find out more about our SEO and AI search options.
How to improve entity understanding
Search engines and AI tools are constantly trying to answer a simple question: can this source be trusted to talk about this topic?
Entity signals help them decide.
These signals fall into a few key areas, and together they form the basis of trust and authority.
Clear identity signals
First, search engines need to be confident that your business or brand is real.
This includes:
A clear business name used consistently
An obvious explanation of what you do and who you do it for
A proper About page
Contact details and location where relevant
Information about who is behind the business
When these basics are missing or vague, search engines struggle to treat a business as a genuine entity. When they are clear, everything else becomes easier.
Consistent descriptions across the web
Search engines do not rely on your website alone. They compare how you describe yourself with how others describe you.
Consistency matters here:
The same services described in similar ways
The same business name, not multiple variations
The same focus and specialisms repeated across platforms
When your business appears consistently across directories, profiles, articles and third-party websites, it reinforces the same identity again and again. This consistency builds confidence.
Association with trusted topics and sources
Authority is not just about what you say about yourself. It is also about who and what you are connected to.
Search engines pay attention to:
The topics you regularly publish content about
The industries and niches you appear in
The other entities mentioned alongside you
Mentions or coverage from trusted publications or platforms
This is where visibility beyond your own website really matters. Being referenced in the right contexts helps search engines understand what you are an authority in, not just that you exist.
Evidence of real-world experience
Experience is a key part of trust.
Signals that demonstrate this include:
Case studies and real examples
Named authors or contributors
First-hand insights rather than generic advice
Clear signs that the business is actively operating
These signals help search engines and AI tools differentiate between theoretical content and content grounded in real-world expertise.
Structured signals that remove doubt
Some signals help remove ambiguity entirely.
Structured data, clear page structures and well-organised content help search engines understand:
Whether a page is about a service, a person or a business
How different pages relate to each other
What role your business plays in a wider topic
Learn more about how to implement structured markup here.
How to strengthen your entity signals
Strengthening entity signals does not require a complete website rebuild or technical overhaul. In most cases, it comes down to clarity and consistency.
Start with your website. Make sure it clearly explains who you are, what you do and who you do it for. Your About page, service pages and homepage should all reinforce the same core message, rather than introducing new or conflicting descriptions.
Be consistent wherever your business appears. Use the same business name, describe your services in similar terms, and avoid switching language depending on the platform. This consistency helps search engines connect all those mentions to the same entity.
Show evidence of real experience. Case studies, named authors, real examples and clear proof that your business is active all help build trust and authority. These signals make it easier for search engines and AI tools to treat you as a credible source.
Strengthen your presence beyond your own website. Mentions on relevant industry sites, directories and publications reinforce what your business is known for. Activities like digital PR are particularly effective because they place your business in trusted contexts that search engines already recognise.
Finally, make your structure easy to understand. Clear page layouts, sensible internal linking and well-organised content help remove ambiguity and reinforce meaning.
Small improvements, repeated consistently, are what build strong entity understanding over time.
Search engines and AI tools are no longer just matching words. They are trying to understand who and what they are dealing with, and whether that source can be trusted.
Keywords still matter, but entity clarity is what gives those keywords meaning. When your business is clearly understood as a real entity with a defined area of expertise, search engines can make confident decisions about when to show you, reference you and recommend you.
If you are unsure how clearly your business is currently understood, or want support strengthening your entity signals as part of a wider SEO or AI Search Strategy, get in touch with us to discuss our SEO services. We help businesses build long-term visibility by focusing on clarity, credibility and sustainable growth.
