Entity Signal Checklist
Part of entity-optimizer. See also: knowledge-graph-guide.md
Complete checklist of entity signals organized by priority and verification method. Use this as a systematic audit guide — work through each signal, verify its status, and note actions needed.
Priority 1: Foundation Signals (Must-Have)
These signals form the minimum viable entity identity. Without them, search engines and AI systems cannot reliably identify the entity.
On-Site Structured Data
| # |
Signal |
Verification Method |
Pass Criteria |
| 1 |
Organization or Person schema on homepage |
Run Google Rich Results Test on homepage |
Schema present with name, url, logo, description |
| 2 |
sameAs property links to all authoritative profiles |
Inspect schema markup |
Links to Wikipedia, Wikidata, LinkedIn, social profiles |
| 3 |
Consistent @id used across all pages |
Inspect schema on 5+ pages |
Same @id (typically homepage URL + #organization) on every page |
| 4 |
About page exists with entity-rich content |
Manual review |
First paragraph defines entity clearly; includes founding date, key people, mission |
| 5 |
Contact page with verifiable information |
Manual review |
Physical address, phone, email — matches other directory listings |
Key External Profiles
| # |
Signal |
Verification Method |
Pass Criteria |
| 6 |
Wikidata entry exists |
Search wikidata.org |
Entry with label, description, key properties, and references |
| 7 |
Google Business Profile (if applicable) |
Search "[entity] Google Business" |
Claimed, verified, complete profile |
| 8 |
LinkedIn company/person page |
Search LinkedIn |
Complete profile matching entity name and description |
| 9 |
CrunchBase profile (for companies/products) |
Search crunchbase.com |
Entry with description, founding info, key people |
| 10 |
Primary industry directory listing |
Search top 3 industry directories |
Listed with correct entity information |
Branded Search Presence
| # |
Signal |
Verification Method |
Pass Criteria |
| 11 |
Branded search returns correct entity |
Google "[entity name]" |
Entity's website is #1; Knowledge Panel appears or SERP clearly identifies entity |
| 12 |
No disambiguation confusion |
Google "[entity name]" |
No other prominent entity dominates results for the same name |
| 13 |
Branded search volume exists |
Check ~~SEO tool |
Measurable branded search volume (any amount > 0) |
Priority 2: Authority Signals (Should-Have)
These signals establish the entity as recognized and authoritative. They separate a "registered entity" from a "known entity."
Knowledge Graph Depth
| # |
Signal |
Verification Method |
Pass Criteria |
| 14 |
Google Knowledge Panel present |
Google "[entity name]" |
Knowledge Panel displayed with correct information |
| 15 |
Knowledge Panel attributes complete |
Review Knowledge Panel |
Key attributes filled (founded, CEO, location, industry, etc.) |
| 16 |
Knowledge Panel image correct |
Review Knowledge Panel |
Preferred image displayed |
| 17 |
Wikipedia article (or strong notability path) |
Search Wikipedia |
Article exists, or entity has 3+ independent reliable sources for future article |
| 18 |
Wikidata properties complete |
Review Wikidata entry |
10+ properties with references |
Third-Party Validation
| # |
Signal |
Verification Method |
Pass Criteria |
| 19 |
Authoritative media mentions |
Google News search for entity |
3+ mentions in recognized publications |
| 20 |
Industry awards or recognitions |
Search "[entity] award" |
At least 1 verifiable award or recognition |
| 21 |
Co-citation with established entities |
Search for entity alongside competitors |
Appears in "X vs Y" comparisons, listicles, or industry roundups |
| 22 |
Speaking engagements or publications |
Search event/conference sites |
Appears as speaker, author, or contributor |
| 23 |
Reviews on third-party platforms |
Check G2, Trustpilot, Yelp, etc. |
Reviews exist with reasonable volume and rating |
Content Authority
| # |
Signal |
Verification Method |
Pass Criteria |
| 24 |
Topical content depth in target areas |
Site search for target topics |
10+ pages covering target topics in depth |
| 25 |
Author pages with credentials |
Review author pages |
Author schema, credentials, sameAs to external profiles |
| 26 |
Original research or data published |
Review content |
At least 1 piece of original data/research cited by others |
| 27 |
Entity mentioned in own content naturally |
Search site for entity name |
Entity name appears contextually (not just in header/footer) |
Priority 3: AI-Specific Signals (Must-Have for GEO)
These signals specifically help AI systems recognize, understand, and cite the entity.
AI Recognition
| # |
Signal |
Verification Method |
Pass Criteria |
| 28 |
ChatGPT recognizes entity |
Ask "What is [entity]?" |
Correct description returned |
| 29 |
Perplexity recognizes entity |
Ask "What is [entity]?" |
Correct description with source citations |
| 30 |
Google AI Overview mentions entity |
Search branded + topical queries |
Entity appears in AI-generated overview |
| 31 |
AI description is accurate |
Compare AI output to entity's self-description |
No factual errors in AI's response |
| 32 |
AI associates entity with correct topics |
Ask "[entity] expertise areas" |
Correct topic associations returned |
AI Optimization
| # |
Signal |
Verification Method |
Pass Criteria |
| 33 |
Entity definition quotable in first paragraph |
Review About page and key pages |
Clear, factual, self-contained definition suitable for AI quotation |
| 34 |
Factual claims are verifiable |
Cross-reference claims with external sources |
All claims about entity can be verified via third-party sources |
| 35 |
Entity name used consistently |
Audit all platforms |
Identical name format everywhere (no abbreviations in some places, full name in others) |
| 36 |
Content is crawlable by AI systems |
Check robots.txt for AI bot access |
Not blocking GPTBot, ClaudeBot, or other AI crawlers (unless intentional) |
| 37 |
Fresh information available |
Check update dates |
Key entity pages updated within last 6 months |
Priority 4: Advanced Signals (Nice-to-Have)
These signals provide marginal gains but demonstrate thoroughness and maturity.
Extended Knowledge Base Presence
| # |
Signal |
Verification Method |
Pass Criteria |
| 38 |
Multiple language entries in Wikidata |
Check Wikidata labels |
Labels and descriptions in languages matching target markets |
| 39 |
DBpedia entry |
Search dbpedia.org |
Entry exists (auto-generated from Wikipedia) |
| 40 |
Google Knowledge Graph ID known |
Search Google Knowledge Graph API |
Entity has a kg: identifier |
| 41 |
ISNI or VIAF identifier (for persons) |
Search isni.org or viaf.org |
Identifier exists and links correctly |
Social Entity Signals
| # |
Signal |
Verification Method |
Pass Criteria |
| 42 |
Social profiles bidirectionally linked |
Check website links to social AND social links to website |
Both directions verified on all platforms |
| 43 |
Consistent entity description across social |
Compare bios on all platforms |
Same core description, adapted for platform length limits |
| 44 |
Social engagement demonstrates real audience |
Review engagement metrics |
Engagement patterns consistent with genuine audience (not bot-like) |
Technical Entity Signals
| # |
Signal |
Verification Method |
Pass Criteria |
| 45 |
Entity homepage has strong backlink profile |
Check ~~link database |
Homepage DR/DA above industry median |
| 46 |
Branded anchor text in backlinks |
Analyze anchor text distribution |
Entity name appears naturally in inbound link anchor text |
| 47 |
Entity subdomain consistency |
Check all subdomains |
Same entity schema and branding across all subdomains |
How to Use This Checklist
Work through signals by priority tier. For each signal, mark status as ✅ (present and correct), ⚠️ (present but incomplete), or ❌ (absent). Focus on completing each priority tier before moving to the next.
Priority Action Matrix
| Current State |
Focus Area |
Expected Timeline |
| Most Priority 1 signals ❌ |
Priority 1 foundation signals only |
2-4 weeks |
| Priority 1 mostly ✅, Priority 2 mixed |
Priority 2 authority signals |
1-2 months |
| Priority 1-2 mostly ✅ |
Priority 3 AI-specific signals |
2-3 months |
| Priority 1-3 mostly ✅ |
Selective Priority 4 for completeness |
Ongoing |
| All tiers mostly ✅ |
Maintenance + quarterly re-audit |
Quarterly review |