Google Things to know schema

The Google Search endpoint returns Google’s “Things to know” blocks as result.thingsToKnow, on desktop and mobile, with no flag and at no extra cost. A block lists facets of the query’s topic, each a label with a question under it. thingsToKnow is omitted when the SERP has no such block.

Things to know block in Google Search — Things to know in Google Search

Most answers are not returned: Google loads them, often AI-generated, only when the user expands a facet. When Google ships a web answer with the page instead (a passage, a list or a table from a website), the facet has it as answer. On desktop every facet under Google’s “Things to know” heading is returned. Mobile shows the same facets without the heading; there, sections that only look like facets, such as cast, movies, stats or where to go, are not returned. The knowledge panel’s own topic clusters (albums, awards, …) are in result.knowledgeGraph.thingsToKnow, not here. Sections that hold content of their own, such as latest posts, short videos or images, are returned by their own keys.

Structure

thingsToKnow is an array of blocks, in page order. A page rarely shows more than one.

Field	Type	Description
`facets`	array	The facets of the block, in order

Field	Type	Description
`label`	string	The facet’s label, as shown (`Fees`)
`question`	string	The line under the label, as shown. Usually a question (`What are the fees associated with a mortgage calculator?`), sometimes a phrase or a list (`Leatherback sea turtle, +9 more`). Absent when Google shows none
`searchLink`	string	The Google search for the question, as Google links it
`answer`	object	The web answer Google shows when the facet is expanded, when it ships with the page. See Answer

Answer

Field	Type	Description
`title`	string	Title of the source page
`link`	string	URL of the source page
`redirectLink`	string	Google’s redirect to the source page, when Google links it through one
`displayedLink`	string	The source’s URL as Google shows it (`https://www.goldengate.org › color-art-deco-styling`)
`heading`	string	A short answer (`International Orange`) or the title of a list or table
`snippet`	string	The passage
`list`	string[]	The items, when the answer is a list
`table`	string[][]	The rows, header row first, when the answer is a table
`date`	string	The date Google shows for the source, as shown (`Apr 11, 2024`)

Each field but title and link is absent when Google shows none.

Response example

A response to mortgage calculator in the United States, on desktop:

{
  "success": true,
  "result": {
    "thingsToKnow": [
      {
        "facets": [
          {
            "label": "Formula",
            "question": "What is the formula for a mortgage calculator?",
            "searchLink": "https://www.google.com/search?…&q=what+is+the+formula+for+a+mortgage+calculator&…"
          },
          {
            "label": "Fees",
            "question": "What are the fees associated with a mortgage calculator?",
            "searchLink": "https://www.google.com/search?…&q=what+are+the+fees+associated+with+a+mortgage+calculator&…"
          }
          // …
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

A facet with a web answer, from golden gate bridge in the United States, on desktop:

{
  "label": "Color",
  "question": "What is the color of the Golden Gate Bridge?",
  "searchLink": "https://www.google.com/search?…&q=what+is+the+color+of+the+golden+gate+bridge&…",
  "answer": {
    "title": "Bridge Features | Golden Gate",
    "link": "https://www.goldengate.org/…/color-art-deco-styling/",
    "redirectLink": "https://www.google.com/goto?url=…",
    "displayedLink": "https://www.goldengate.org › color-art-deco-styling",
    "heading": "International Orange",
    "snippet": "Morrow undertook color studies, which resulted in the specification of the unique Golden Gate Bridge International Orange because it blended well with the nearby hills and contrasted with the ocean and sky."
  }
}

Overview

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Google

Perplexity

Google AI Mode

Bing AI Mode

Gemini

Google News

Async tasks

Utilities

Google Things to know schema

Structure

Facet

Answer

Response example

​Structure

​Facet

​Answer

​Response example

Structure

Facet

Answer

Response example