Entity mapping
An entity map is a working document that lists every entity your site needs to cover (your organization, people, products, places and topics) with its identifiers, key attributes, relationships and the one page that is its primary home. It turns entity research into a content, linking and schema plan, and becomes the source of truth for consistent facts.
What goes in an entity map?
| Column | Example |
|---|---|
| Entity name and aliases | Example Co; Example Company |
| Type | Organization / LocalBusiness subtype |
| Identifiers | Site @id, Wikidata Q-ID, Knowledge Graph ID |
| Key attributes | Founded 2009; HQ San Diego; phone |
| Relationships | founder → Jane Doe; serves → San Diego County |
| Primary page | /about |
| Supporting pages | /team, /locations/san-diego |
| Profiles (sameAs) | LinkedIn, Wikidata, industry directory |
| Status | Panel? Wikidata item? Facts consistent? |
The template is practitioner practice. Practitioner practice
How do you build one?
- Collect: gather entities using the finding entities methods.
- Identify: add Wikidata and Knowledge Graph IDs where they exist ([1][2]).
- Classify: choose the most specific schema.org type for each.[3]
- Assign: give each core entity one primary page; avoid two pages competing for the same entity.
- Relate: write down the relationships you will express in text, links and markup.
- Standardise facts: agree the canonical name, address, dates and descriptions.
How does the map drive the site?
- Content: gaps show where a page is missing (topical authority).
- Internal links: every mention links to the entity’s primary page (guide).
- Schema: each entity gets one
@id, reused site-wide (@id). - Off-site: the standard facts are copied to profiles and citations (NAP).
How often should you update it?
Whenever facts change (new address, new leader, new service) and at least at each audit. Out-of-date facts are a common source of wrong knowledge panels and AI answers. Practitioner practice See freshness on AEO.wiki.
Frequently asked questions
Is an entity map the same as a keyword map?
No. A keyword map assigns queries to pages; an entity map assigns things, with identifiers and facts. Most sites benefit from both.
What tool should I use?
A spreadsheet is enough. The important part is one agreed source of truth for names, facts and primary pages.
See also
References
Pages accessed September 29, 2026 unless a date is given. See all sources and our editorial policy.
- ^ "Help: Items". Wikidata.
- ^ "Google Knowledge Graph Search API". Google for Developers.
- ^ "Data model". Schema.org.