Weekly DigiKnow: Google Knowledge Graph

Google announced a significant change to their search engine on Wednesday, inserting a more “human” element into what is a daily activity for most. The Knowledge Graph, as Google calls it, aims to better understand users’ search queries by incorporating associated data and arranging results according to categories. Users can then click on their intended topic to refine their search results for more relevant content.

There are two major elements you’ll notice with the change. The first addresses ambiguity in searches. Let’s say you enter a search query of ‘kings’. You may be looking for one of the sports teams, the television series, or royalty. Previously, results for each of these possibilities would be returned together, with the order based on a combination of over 250 factors in Google’s algorithm. Now, Google will present users with a window on the right side of the page asking which entity they meant.

The second, and arguably more exciting change, comes from the 500 million+ people, places, and things in the Knowledge Graph, as well as their 3.5 billion attributes. They allow Google to deliver relevant content around a user’s search, offering a summary of key facts related to the topic.

Google’s Knowledge Graph has already started rolling out across the U.S. and will eventually go global. For more information, check out Google’s blog.

Sources: Google, Mashable

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