sameAs: the identity property

sameAs is a schema.org property that links your page to other URLs about the exact same entity — Wikipedia, Wikidata, your official profiles. It asserts identity, not reference, so search engines and AI models can disambiguate your brand from similarly named companies and reconcile it in the Knowledge Graph. One claim, one entity, zero ambiguity.

What is sameAs in schema?

Embedded in your Organization or Person markup as a JSON-LD array, each sameAs entry makes one strong claim: this page is us, not merely about us. When similarly named companies compete for the same name, that claim pulls your entity into sharp focus and confirms which record in the graph is yours.

sameAs vs. hyperlinks: an ordinary link points to a resource; sameAs asserts that two URLs represent the identical entity. It exists for identity reconciliation, not for referencing sources.

How does sameAs help AI models recognize your brand?

A consistent sameAs graph gives a model like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, or Claude two matching endpoints — your site and, say, your Wikidata entry — so facts gathered from one attach cleanly to the other. Before speaking about your brand with confidence, the model looks for corroborating identity signals; fewer ambiguous entities in the graph means fewer wrong-brand answers.

When should you avoid using sameAs schema?

Skip sameAs for pages that merely mention your entity — press coverage, news articles, or directory listings where you are not the primary subject. The property is reserved for pages that represent the exact, identical entity. A reputable domain is not enough; the page itself has to be about you.

How do you implement sameAs schema?

Declare sameAs as a JSON-LD array inside your Organization or Person markup, listing only URLs that represent the identical entity. Note: The URLs below are fictional placeholders.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Example Brand",
  "url": "https://www.example.com",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Example_Brand",
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123456",
    "https://www.linkedin.com/company/example-brand"
  ]
}

sameAs vs. citations: what is the difference?

sameAs asserts identity; citations assert reference. A press article that quotes your brand is a source about you, not a page that is you. Reserve sameAs for pages about the exact entity, and let ordinary links and citations handle everything else.

Note: While Google uses sameAs for identity reconciliation, it does not guarantee that sameAs will trigger specific search features.

Which targets are valid for sameAs?

How do you verify a sameAs URL?

Run every candidate through three checks before adding it:

• Does the URL represent the exact entity?
• Is the page authoritative (official profile or wiki)?
• Is the content up-to-date and consistent?

Related terms