entity-seo-playbook

What this skill does

# Entity SEO Playbook

> Build entity authority so AI search surfaces your people, brand, and expertise — not just your pages. Based on Lily Ray's entity-first framework.

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

- **Establish an expert or brand as a recognized entity** in AI search results
- **Audit entity presence** across platforms (Google Knowledge Panel, Wikidata, LinkedIn, etc.)
- **Optimize for AI search** where entities outperform keyword-optimized pages
- **Build cross-platform authority** for a person, product, or organization
- **Improve citation probability** across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews
- **Develop a digital PR strategy** centered on entity recognition

This skill is particularly valuable for:
- Consultants and experts building personal brand visibility
- B2B companies where thought leaders drive trust
- Publishers optimizing for AI-era traffic
- Anyone whose Google Knowledge Panel is missing or incomplete

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## Methodology Foundation

**Source Expert:** Lily Ray (VP of SEO Strategy, Amsive Digital; columnist, Search Engine Land)

**Core Thesis:** Entity-first replaces website-first. AI search models surface entities — people, organizations, concepts — not URLs. Individual experts with cross-platform digital footprints get disproportionately cited by AI.

> "The shift isn't from SEO to GEO. It's from page-first to entity-first. AI models don't rank pages — they recognize entities and assess their authority across the entire web." — Lily Ray, The Search Session (Advanced Web Ranking)

**Supporting Research:**
- Google Search ranking code leak (2024) — site quality score correlates with brand search volume
- Mark Williams-Cook's signal decay thesis — link graphs and click data are eroding, entity signals are strengthening
- Metehan Yeşilyurt's AI bot analysis — different AI products retrieve entity information differently

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## What Claude Does vs What You Decide

| Claude Does | You Decide |
|-------------|------------|
| Audits entity presence across platforms | Which entities to prioritize |
| Identifies gaps in entity establishment | Content and PR strategy budget |
| Generates structured data recommendations | Which platforms to invest in |
| Creates entity-building content plans | Expert credentials and experience to highlight |
| Maps entity relationships | Strategic positioning decisions |

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## What This Skill Does

When invoked, I will guide you through:

1. **Entity Audit** — Assess current entity recognition across AI and search
2. **Entity Establishment** — Create or strengthen entity signals
3. **Cross-Platform Authority** — Build consistent entity presence
4. **Content Strategy** — Create entity-reinforcing content
5. **Measurement** — Track entity visibility in AI search

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## Instructions

### Phase 1: Entity Audit

Before building, assess where you stand.

#### Entity Recognition Checklist

```
GOOGLE KNOWLEDGE PANEL
[ ] Does the entity have a Knowledge Panel?
[ ] Is the information accurate and complete?
[ ] Are notable works/credentials listed?
[ ] Is the entity connected to related entities?

WIKIDATA / WIKIPEDIA
[ ] Does a Wikidata entry exist? (Q-number)
[ ] Is the entity described with proper claims and references?
[ ] Does a Wikipedia article exist? (if notable enough)

SCHEMA MARKUP
[ ] Is Person/Organization schema present on owned sites?
[ ] Does schema include sameAs links to official profiles?
[ ] Is author markup on all published content?

AI SEARCH TEST
[ ] Ask ChatGPT: "Who is [entity]?" — does it know them?
[ ] Ask Perplexity: "[entity] expertise" — what sources cited?
[ ] Ask Google AI Overview: "[entity] + topic" — are they mentioned?

CROSS-PLATFORM PRESENCE
[ ] LinkedIn profile complete and active?
[ ] Guest appearances on podcasts/webinars?
[ ] Published articles on third-party sites?
[ ] Conference speaking engagements listed?
[ ] Professional directory listings?
```

#### Entity Authority Score (Informal)

| Level | Description | Signals |
|-------|-------------|---------|
| **0 — Unknown** | AI doesn't recognize the entity | No Knowledge Panel, no AI mentions |
| **1 — Emerging** | AI has partial information | Some mentions, no consistent identity |
| **2 — Established** | AI recognizes and can describe | Knowledge Panel exists, AI answers are accurate |
| **3 — Authoritative** | AI cites as a source | Consistently referenced in AI responses on topic |
| **4 — Definitive** | AI uses as primary reference | Top-of-mind entity for the topic domain |

---

### Phase 2: Entity Establishment

#### For People (Experts, Consultants, Authors)

**Minimum viable entity:**
1. **Consistent name** across all platforms (exact same format)
2. **One authoritative bio page** on your own site with Person schema
3. **LinkedIn profile** matching the bio exactly
4. **Wikidata entry** with claims and references (if notable)
5. **Google Knowledge Panel** claimed via Google Search verification
6. **Author bylines** on published content with author schema

**Entity-reinforcing actions:**
- Publish on recognized third-party platforms (not just your blog)
- Get quoted as an expert in news articles (digital PR)
- Appear on podcasts — AI models digest audio transcripts
- Speak at conferences listed on structured event sites
- Create a consistent "About" statement used everywhere

#### For Organizations (Companies, Brands)

**Minimum viable entity:**
1. **Google Business Profile** complete and verified
2. **Organization schema** on website with sameAs to all official profiles
3. **Wikidata entry** with proper organizational claims
4. **Consistent NAP** (Name, Address, Phone) across directories
5. **Brand search volume** — actively build brand awareness outside search

#### For Products

**Minimum viable entity:**
1. **Product schema** on product pages
2. **Reviews on authoritative sites** — AI search heavily weights product reviews from trusted publishers
3. **Comparison content** mentioning the product alongside known competitors
4. **Third-party validation** — awards, certifications, expert reviews

> "Product review pages on authoritative publishers are MORE valuable now than before AI search. AI Overviews synthesize reviews — if you're not in the review set, you don't exist." — Lily Ray

---

### Phase 3: Cross-Platform Authority

AI models don't just crawl your website. They learn from the entire web. Cross-platform content is structural, not optional.

#### Platform Priority Matrix

| Platform | Entity Signal Strength | Why |
|----------|----------------------|-----|
| **LinkedIn** | High | Professional identity, endorsements, content |
| **Podcast appearances** | High | AI transcription creates entity co-occurrence |
| **Guest articles** | High | Third-party validation of expertise |
| **Conference talks** | Medium-High | Listed on event sites, referenced in recaps |
| **YouTube** | Medium | Transcripts + visual identity |
| **Twitter/X** | Medium | Real-time expertise signals |
| **Reddit (as expert)** | Medium | Cited by Perplexity frequently |
| **Professional directories** | Low-Medium | Structured entity data |

#### The Cross-Platform Consistency Rule

Every platform should reinforce the same entity identity:
- **Same name format** (don't be "John Smith" on LinkedIn and "J. Smith PhD" on your site)
- **Same expertise description** (consistent topic association)
- **Same profile photo** (visual entity recognition)
- **Cross-linking** — every profile links to the canonical entity page

---

### Phase 4: Content Strategy for Entity Authority

#### Entity-Reinforcing Content Types

| Content Type | Entity Signal | Example |
|-------------|--------------|---------|
| **Original research** | Strongest — unique data creates citation necessity | "Our analysis of 10,000 campaigns shows..." |
| **Expert interviews** | Strong — entity co-occurrence with recognized experts | "I spoke with [Expert] about..." |
| **Case studies** | Strong — first-hand experience signal | "Here