Session 0.5: Course Roadmap

Course → Module 0: The Entity Gap

Session 5 of 5

You have completed the diagnostic phase. You know what an entity is, where you sit on the legitimacy spectrum, what Google currently knows about you, and what you are losing by not being recognized. Now you need a plan.

This session maps the full course. Ten modules, each addressing one layer of entity authority. The sequence is deliberate. Each module builds on the work done in the previous one. Skipping ahead creates incomplete foundations that limit how far you can go.

Each layer builds on the previous one. Skipping ahead creates fragile authority.

The 10-Module Sequence

graph TD M0["Module 0: The Entity Gap"] --> M1 M1["Module 1: Identity Consistency"] --> M2 M2["Module 2: Structured Data"] --> M3 M3["Module 3: Entity Linking"] --> M4 M4["Module 4: Google Business Profile"] --> M5 M5["Module 5: Wikipedia and Wikidata"] --> M6 M6["Module 6: Brand SERP"] --> M7 M7["Module 7: Technical SEO"] --> M8 M8["Module 8: Site Architecture"] --> M9 M9["Module 9: Content and Social"] --> M10 M10["Module 10: Measurement"] style M0 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#8a8478,color:#ede9e3 style M1 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#c8a882,color:#ede9e3 style M2 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#c8a882,color:#ede9e3 style M3 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#c8a882,color:#ede9e3 style M4 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#6b8f71,color:#ede9e3 style M5 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#6b8f71,color:#ede9e3 style M6 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#6b8f71,color:#ede9e3 style M7 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#c47a5a,color:#ede9e3 style M8 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#c47a5a,color:#ede9e3 style M9 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#c47a5a,color:#ede9e3 style M10 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#c47a5a,color:#ede9e3

Module Breakdown

Module	Title	Sessions	Core Outcome	Prerequisite
0	The Entity Gap	5	Understand the problem and audit your baseline	None
1	Identity Consistency: NAP and Beyond	7	Identical identity signals across all platforms	Module 0 (baseline audit)
2	Structured Data: Speaking Google's Language	10	Comprehensive JSON-LD on all key pages	Module 1 (consistent identity to encode)
3	Entity Linking: Connecting Your Digital Presence	6	Bidirectional links between all owned properties	Module 2 (sameAs declarations need schema)
4	Google Business Profile	7	Fully optimized GBP with entity signals	Module 1 (NAP must be consistent first)
5	Wikipedia and Wikidata: The Entity Registry	7	Wikidata entry; Wikipedia readiness assessment	Modules 1-4 (need established presence)
6	Brand SERP Optimization	6	Controlled first page for branded search	Modules 1-5 (need entity assets to rank)
7	Technical SEO Baseline	7	Crawlable, indexable, fast, secure website	Module 2 (structured data must be crawlable)
8	Site Architecture for Entity Clarity	7	Entity-first site structure and internal linking	Module 7 (technical foundation must be solid)
9	Content and Social Foundations	8	Entity-supportive content and optimized social profiles	Modules 1-8 (content reinforces existing entity)
10	Measurement and Maintenance	10	Ongoing monitoring system and quarterly review process	All previous modules

Why This Order

The module sequence follows a logic that mirrors how Google builds entity understanding.

Identity first (Modules 1-3). Before Google can recognize you as an entity, it needs to find consistent information about you. If your name, address, and phone number differ across platforms, Google cannot confidently say these all refer to the same entity. Identity consistency is the foundation. Structured data tells Google what you are in its own language. Entity linking connects the dots.

Verification second (Modules 4-6). Once your identity is consistent and encoded in structured data, you need third-party verification. Google Business Profile is your local entity anchor. Wikipedia and Wikidata are the open entity registries. Brand SERP optimization ensures Google's public presentation of you is accurate and controlled.

Infrastructure third (Modules 7-9). Technical SEO ensures Google can actually crawl and index your entity signals. Site architecture organizes your website around entity clarity. Content and social profiles reinforce everything.

Maintenance last (Module 10). Entity authority is not a one-time project. It requires ongoing monitoring and periodic adjustments. The final module gives you the systems to maintain what you built.

Estimated Timeline

Completing all 10 modules at a reasonable pace takes approximately 3-6 months for most businesses. The variation depends on your starting point (from your Module 0 audit) and the complexity of your entity (a single-location business is simpler than a multi-brand organization).

The chart shows estimated weeks per module. Gold modules are the identity foundation. Green modules are verification. Orange modules are infrastructure and maintenance. Total: approximately 23 weeks, or about 5.5 months at a steady pace.

Three Phases, Three Outcomes

The course divides naturally into three phases, each with a measurable outcome you can verify.

graph LR P1["Phase 1: Foundation
Modules 1-3
~7 weeks"] --> C1["Checkpoint:
Consistent identity
across all platforms"] C1 --> P2["Phase 2: Verification
Modules 4-6
~6 weeks"] P2 --> C2["Checkpoint:
Knowledge Panel
triggered or improved"] C2 --> P3["Phase 3: Infrastructure
Modules 7-10
~9 weeks"] P3 --> C3["Checkpoint:
Full entity baseline
with monitoring"] style P1 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#c8a882,color:#ede9e3 style P2 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#6b8f71,color:#ede9e3 style P3 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#c47a5a,color:#ede9e3 style C1 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#ede9e3,color:#ede9e3 style C2 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#ede9e3,color:#ede9e3 style C3 fill:#2a2a28,stroke:#ede9e3,color:#ede9e3

At each checkpoint, you can re-run the baseline audit from Session 0.3 and measure your progress against your original scores. If the numbers are not improving, something in the preceding modules needs revisiting.

What This Course Does Not Cover

This is a baseline course. It establishes your entity foundation. It does not cover:

Advanced link building. We cover entity linking (connecting your own properties). Traditional backlink acquisition is a separate discipline.
Paid advertising. Entity authority is an organic strategy. Ads complement it but are not part of the framework.
Content marketing at scale. Module 9 covers foundational content. A full content strategy is beyond baseline scope.
Multi-entity management. If you have multiple brands or sub-entities, the principles here apply to each one individually. Multi-entity orchestration is an advanced topic.

The baseline is the prerequisite for all of those advanced strategies. Without it, advanced techniques have no foundation to build on.

Assignment

Review your baseline audit from Session 0.3. For each gap you identified, note which module in the roadmap addresses it.
Estimate your personal timeline. Given your starting point and available hours per week, when do you expect to complete each phase?
Set up a tracking document (spreadsheet or project management tool) with one section per module. You will use this throughout the course to track completion.
Identify any gaps from your audit that this course does NOT cover (e.g., advanced link building needs). Note these separately as follow-up projects.

Course Roadmap