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AI & Search Visibility

What are query fan-outs?

The hidden web searches AI runs before it answers, and how to use them to get recommended.

Written By Tom van den Heuvel

Last updated 10 days ago

Before ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity answer a question, they often run their own web searches first. Those hidden searches are called query fan-outs.

Example: to answer "best baby shampoo for cradle cap?", ChatGPT might search for "cradle cap shampoo pediatrician recommended" and "gentle baby shampoo reviews", then build its answer from what it finds.

So fan-outs show you what AI actually looks for when it decides who to recommend.

Where to find them

Go to AI & Search Visibility → AI Search → Query Fan-Out. You'll see the fan-out searches for each of your tracked prompts, per platform.

Screenshot of query fan-out page

How to use them

  • Spot what matters to AI. If fan-outs keep including words like "pediatrician recommended", "vegan", or "under $50", those are the criteria AI is checking. Make sure your product content states them clearly.

  • Create content that matches. Turn fan-outs into Article Autopilot topics or product FAQs, so your store is a page AI finds when it runs those searches.

  • Compare platforms. Each AI searches differently. A fan-out that only shows up on one platform tells you what that platform cares about.

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