Google deprecates social profile markup for knowledge panels

Google is deprecating the use of social profile markup, which was once necessary for social media buttons to display in knowledge panels.

Many SEOs and web publishers over the years simply used social profile markup to handle these knowledge panels. Now Google says it will figure out these profiles either through your claimed profile or other automated means, but it will no longer look at your markup for this.

That means you need to watch your social knowledge panels in search and see if anything changes for your profile or the profiles you manage for your clients.

Google recommends you claim your knowledge panel through Google search. This is something Google allowed back in 2016 and still supports. Google posted a help document with clearer instructions on how to update your knowledge panel in Google search.

What if I don’t have ownership of a knowledge panel?

Only the verified owner of a knowledge panel can suggest edits. If you don’t own your own knowledge panel, gaining ownership is a fairly simple process. First, search for the entity you represent and find the knowledge panel you wish to claim. Then click on “claim this knowledge panel” at the bottom.

In order to claim ownership, Google will ask you to sign into other profiles associated with the entity such as Twitter, YouTube, or Search Console. After you sign in you’ll have ownership and will be able to manage your own knowledge panel.

Google notes that the order in which the social profiles are listed in a knowledge panel cannot be changed. You can only suggest the addition of new, or edit existing, social profiles.

Sources: Search Engine Journal, Google Webmasters and Search Engine Land.