Are Keywords Enough in the Age of Entity SEO?

What is entity SEO and how does it work in Google entity SEO systems?

An entity is simply the “thing” we’re talking about. It can be a brand or company, a person, a product or service, a place, a topic, a niche, or a specific field. 

So entity SEO is optimization that focuses not only on the words we write, but also on who is speaking, what they are known for, and how well Google and artificial intelligence tools can understand this message. In other words, entity SEO is about your entire online presence – how you appear as an “entity.”

Entity vs. keywords

Keyword → what phrases are used in the text?

Entity → what is this text about, what does it mean?For some, the keyword “Asteri” may mean nothing. However, as an entity, it could be an AI SEO agency, a specific brand, or a team that already has a certain reputation and operates in a specific niche. The goal of AI/Google entity SEO is to help Google and AI understand this context, rather than just noting that the word “Asteri” appears in the text.

What is entity SEO made of?

AI and Google entity SEO strategy is a multi-layered approach that connects everything that shapes the overall identity of a business on the internet. Certain elements are fully controlled by the brand itself, while others are less independently managed but still usually reflect the overall business activity, quality, and reputation:

1. On-site identity. In other words, everything that is visible on the website itself:
   • Who you are (About page).
   • What you do (Services and product category pages).
   • A consistent, expert tone.
2. Off-site identity. Google and AI are not limited to your website – it is just as important whether you “live” in a broader ecosystem.
   • Mentions in the media, interviews, conferences.
   • Links from thematic, authoritative sources.
   • Social networks.
   • Reviews, partnerships.
3. Technical, structural elements. How algorithms can read your identity in the “language of mathematics.”
   • Structured data.
   • Well-organized brand and people profiles: Google Business Profile, LinkedIn, etc.
   • Consistent use of names, terms, and tags.
   • Internal website structure and internal links.

How do Google and AI “scan” your brand?

Once Entity SEO principles are in place, what actually changes in the way Google and AI algorithms “scan” your brand? Very simply, the flow usually looks like this:

1. Topic and niche. What do you talk about most? Does your content clearly revolve around a specific area or problem?
2. What’s behind the domain? Is it obvious who you are and what you do? Can someone quickly understand what problem you solve and for whom?
3. Are you mentioned elsewhere? Does your name show up beyond your own website – in the media, niche sites, podcasts, interviews, directories, partnerships?
4. Who is the face behind the content? It’s not just the logo that matters. Are your founders and experts consistently associated with this topic across the internet, or do they look like “just another profile”?
5. Are you algorithm-friendly? Do technical signals – site structure, structured data, consistent naming – make it easy for algorithms to recognize you as a distinct entity?

If most of these boxes are ticked, and there isn’t a clearly stronger competitor in the same niche, the result is simple: you become more visible in Google and in AI-driven search results.

Do you always need entity SEO, or can you just niche down?

When you look at entity SEO principles, one thing is clear: a single optimized category page or a short blog post is not going to cut it anymore. But does that mean every business has to jump straight into a full entity-based SEO strategy? Not necessarily. If your business is small and your budget is even smaller, it might be more logical to start with smaller, focused steps – for example, with basics-first SEO.

Entity SEO is usually a must-have if:

• you operate in a competitive niche, with many similar businesses and a lot of content on the same topic;
• you’re in B2B or the deals you work with are higher-value, meaning that trust, reputation and perceived expertise matters more than ever.
• you invest in expert content and thought leadership – you write in-depth articles, create educational resources, appear on podcasts, speak at conferences;
• you’re aiming for visibility not only in Google, but also in AI-generated answers (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot, etc.);
• your goal is long-term digital authority, not just a few lucky keyword wins that can disappear with the next update.

For businesses operating in specific regions, local entity SEO becomes especially important, as it combines entity signals with strong local SEO keyword research foundations. Without proper keyword research for local SEO, even strong entity signals may not translate into local visibility.

Entity SEO vs. keyword SEO: which are you actually doing?

It often seems that we are “doing SEO,” but in reality, all attention is focused only on keywords and individual texts. Keyword SEO and entity based SEO differ in what we actually optimize – individual phrases or the entire brand identity on the internet.

However, even in an entity-driven world, the SEO keyword research process still plays a foundational role. Understanding what is keyword research in SEO and why keyword research is important for SEO helps structure content clusters that strengthen your entity rather than dilute it.

To summarize, the table below will help you quickly check where you currently stand – keyword SEO, entity SEO, or somewhere in between.

Aspect	Keyword-focused SEO	Entity-focused SEO
Main goal	To be visible for specific keywords.	To be recognized as a clear, reliable entity in a specific niche.
Main question	What keywords do we want to be found by?	Who are we and what topic do we want to be associated with?
Content	Many separate topics based on different keywords.	Topics are clustered and formed by strengthening one clear niche.
About and services	Descriptions are keyword-oriented.	Specialization and unique features are communicated more clearly.
Visibility outside the website	Focus mainly on the content on the website, external links are created to strengthen DR.	Important mentions in external sources to strengthen brand authority.
People behind the brand	Authors and founders may be mentioned, but are not always seen as authorities.	The founder or experts are constantly associated with a specific topic.
How you appear to Google and AI	The website is seen as a well-organized resource for specific queries.	The brand is seen as a clear entity that can be cited and recommended more widely.

Frequently asked questions