Google Knowledge Graph Search API
Session 10.3 · ~5 min read
The Knowledge Graph Search API is the definitive test of entity recognition. It lets you query Google's Knowledge Graph directly and see whether your entity has an entry, what type it is assigned, and what properties Google has stored. No other tool provides this level of direct access to Google's entity database.
What the API Returns
When you query the Knowledge Graph Search API with your company name, one of two things happens. Either Google returns an entity result with structured data (you are in the Knowledge Graph), or it returns no result (you are not). The response, when present, includes:
| Field | What It Contains | What It Tells You |
|---|---|---|
| name | Entity name as Google stores it | Whether Google uses your preferred name or a variant |
| @type | Schema.org type (Organization, Person, etc.) | How Google classifies your entity |
| description | Short entity description | What Google considers the defining description of your entity |
| detailedDescription | Longer description, often from Wikipedia | Whether Wikipedia or Wikidata is feeding your entity data |
| image | Entity image URL | What visual representation Google associates with your entity |
| url | Canonical URL for the entity | Whether Google connects your entity to your website |
| resultScore | Relevance score (numeric) | How confident Google is in the match |
An empty API response is a clear signal: your entity does not exist in Google's Knowledge Graph. This is not a technical failure. It means your entity signals are insufficient for Knowledge Graph inclusion.
How to Access the API
(console.cloud.google.com)"] --> B["Enable Knowledge
Graph Search API"] B --> C["Make API Request
(HTTP GET)"] C --> D{"Response?"} D -->|Entity found| E["Parse entity data:
name, type, description,
score, URL"] D -->|No result| F["Entity not in
Knowledge Graph"] E --> G["Compare against
your intended
entity profile"] F --> H["Review MVES gaps"] style F fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#c47a5a,color:#ede9e3 style E fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#6b8f71,color:#ede9e3
The API endpoint is straightforward. You need a Google Cloud API key (free to create) and the Knowledge Graph Search API enabled in your Google Cloud project. The request is a simple HTTP GET:
https://kgsearch.googleapis.com/v1/entities:search?query=YOUR+COMPANY+NAME&key=YOUR_API_KEY&limit=5
The response is JSON-LD format following schema.org standards. You can also use free tools like Kalicube's Knowledge Graph Explorer or Audits.com's Knowledge Graph Search tool to query without setting up an API key.
Interpreting Results
If your entity appears in the results:
- Check the @type. Is it "Organization," "Corporation," "LocalBusiness"? Does it match your intended entity type?
- Check the description. Is it accurate? Does it reflect your current business, or is it outdated?
- Check the URL. Does it point to your website? If it points to Wikipedia or another source, your website is not the canonical entity anchor.
- Check the resultScore. Higher scores indicate stronger match confidence. Compare your score to competitors.
If your entity does not appear: review your MVES completion status. The most common reasons for Knowledge Graph absence are insufficient external corroboration, missing or incorrect structured data, no Wikidata entry, and low branded search volume.
Competitive Comparison
Query the API for your top three competitors as well. This reveals the entity recognition gap. If competitors appear with complete entries and high result scores while you are absent, the gap is structural. You are not competing on content quality at this point. You are competing on entity infrastructure.
| Query | Your Company | Competitor A | Competitor B |
|---|---|---|---|
| In Knowledge Graph? | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in |
| Entity type | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in |
| Has description? | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in |
| URL linked? | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in |
| Result score | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in |
Migration Note
Google is migrating the Knowledge Graph Search API to the Cloud Enterprise Knowledge Graph product. The functionality remains the same, but new users should use the Cloud Enterprise Knowledge Graph API. If you already have access to the original API, it continues to work. The migration ensures the same functionality with enterprise-scale support.
Further Reading
- Google Knowledge Graph Search API - Official documentation and API reference.
- Knowledge Graph API Reference - Technical API endpoint documentation.
- Knowledge Graph API Explorer - Kalicube's free tool for querying the Knowledge Graph without API setup.
- Google Knowledge Graph Search Tool - Audits.com's free entity lookup tool for SEOs.
Assignment
Query the Knowledge Graph for your company and your top three competitors:
- Use the Knowledge Graph Search API (requires a Google Cloud API key) or a free tool like Kalicube's Knowledge Graph Explorer.
- If your company returns a result, examine every field: name, type, description, URL, and score. Is everything accurate?
- If no result appears, your entity is not in the Knowledge Graph. Review your MVES checklist from Module 4 and identify the gaps.
- Query your top three competitors. Fill in the comparison table above.
- Document the entity recognition gap between you and your competitors.