Research Tools

Understanding Query Fan-Out

Understanding Query Fan-Out Query Fan-Out is one of the most powerful concepts in AI search optimization, and AI Rankia is the only platform that lets you analyze it directly. What is Query Fan-Out? When you ask an AI "best AI SEO tools," the AI doesn't search for that exact phrase. Instead, it decomposes your query into multiple sub-queries and searches for each one separately. Here are real sub-queries captured by AI Rankia for the prompt "best AI SEO tools": | Sub-query generated by AI | Model | |---------------------------|-------| | best AI SEO tools 2026 | Claude Search | | best AI content optimization tools 2025 | Gemini Search | | top AI SEO software for content keyword research technical SEO 2026 | Gemini Search | | best generative AI tools for SEO 2025 | Gemini Search | | best AI writing tools for SEO 2026 | Gemini Search | | Surfer SEO alternatives AI 2026 | Gemini Search | | latest AI SEO tools 2025 2026 trends | Gemini Search | The AI then synthesizes results from all these sub-queries into a single answer. If your content ranks well for 3 out of 12 sub-queries but a competitor covers 9 out of 12, the competitor gets cited — even if you rank higher on Google for the original keyword. Why it matters Traditional SEO optimizes for individual keywords. AI search optimizes for topic coverage — your content needs to answer the full fan-out, not just the parent query. This is the fundamental shift that makes GEO different from SEO. How to use Query Fan-Out in AI Rankia 1. Go to your Prompt Monitoring dashboard 2. Select any monitored prompt 3. Click the Query Fan-Out button to generate sub-queries (5 credits) 4. AI Rankia shows you the sub-queries that AI models generate for that prompt 5. For each sub-query, you can enrich with visibility data (1 credit per enrichment) What to do with Fan-Out data Find your coverage gaps: If you're missing from 7 out of 12 sub-queries, those 7 are your content roadmap. Don't create a page per sub-query. Fan-out queries are synthetic — they change between users and sessions. Instead, look for patterns: if 4 sub-queries are about pricing, create one comprehensive pricing page that covers all pricing angles. Strengthen existing content. If your blog post ranks for "best CRM" but misses sub-queries about integrations, add an integrations section to that same post rather than creating a new page. Check competitor coverage. Look at which brands appear across the most sub-queries. That's your benchmark for topical completeness. Credit cost | Action | Cost | |--------|------| | Generate Query Fan-Out sub-queries | 5 credits | | Enrich each sub-query with visibility data | 1 credit each | A typical analysis: 5 credits to generate + 10 enrichments at 1 credit = 15 credits total for a deep understanding of one prompt's fan-out landscape. One of the highest-ROI tools in the platform.

Mentions Opportunities (Citation Finder)

Mentions Opportunities (Citation Finder) The Mentions Opportunities tool finds high-authority websites that cite your competitors in AI search results but don't cite you. These are your best opportunities to earn new citations and improve AI visibility. How it works 1. Go to GEO Tools → Mentions Opportunities in the sidebar 2. Enter your domain and your competitors' domains 3. AI Rankia analyzes AI search results across your monitored prompts 4. The tool identifies websites and pages that AI models reference when answering queries in your space 5. You get a list of citation sources ranked by authority and frequency What you'll see For each citation opportunity, the tool shows: - Source URL — the page that gets cited by AI models - Frequency — how often this source appears across different prompts and models - Which competitors benefit — which of your competitors are cited alongside this source - Your status — whether you're already cited by this source or not How to act on the results High-authority sources that cite competitors but not you are your priority: 1. Read the source page to understand what it covers 2. Check if you have equivalent content on your site 3. If not, create it — the source tells you exactly what AI considers authoritative 4. If you do, check if it's comprehensive enough. AI models cite pages that cover topics thoroughly with clear structure and data 5. Consider reaching out to the source for a mention, guest post, or listing Sources that cite you but not competitors are your competitive advantages. Keep that content updated. Citation Share of Voice Use Citation Share of Voice (3 credits) alongside Mentions Opportunities to see what percentage of total AI citations go to you vs. competitors. This is the clearest single metric for your competitive position. Recommended workflow Before spending 50 credits on Mentions Opportunities, build context with cheaper tools first: | Step | Tool | Cost | What it tells you | |------|------|------|-------------------| | 1 | Generate Action Plan | 1 credit | Quick wins and priority areas | | 2 | AI Overview Ranked Keywords | 3 credits | Which keywords trigger AI Overviews | | 3 | LLM Readiness Audit | 3 credits | Technical blockers to fix first | | 4 | Query Fan-Out | 5 credits | Sub-query gaps to understand | | 5 | Mentions Opportunities | 50 credits | Full citation gap analysis | This progression goes from cheapest to most expensive, building context at each step so the 50-credit investment gives you maximum actionable value. Credit cost 50 credits per full analysis. The most expensive research tool, but the output directly translates to outreach targets and content creation priorities.

AI Prompt Discovery

AI Prompt Discovery Not sure what prompts to monitor? AI Prompt Discovery automatically suggests relevant prompts based on your brand, industry, and website content — so you don't have to guess what your customers are asking AI. How to use it 1. Go to AI Prompt Discovery in the sidebar 2. Make sure your Brand Project is configured with your brand name, website, and industry 3. AI Rankia generates a list of suggested prompts that potential customers in your space would ask AI engines 4. Review the suggestions and add the most relevant ones to your monitoring list What makes a good prompt AI Prompt Discovery generates prompts that match how real people talk to AI: - Conversational questions: "What's the best tool for tracking SEO performance?" rather than just "SEO tool" - Comparison queries: "Mailchimp vs ConvertKit for small businesses" - Problem-solving queries: "How do I get more organic traffic to my e-commerce site?" - Recommendation queries: "Best alternatives to [competitor name]" Tips for building your prompt list - Start with 5-10 core prompts that represent your most important customer questions - Mix broad and specific: Include both "best CRM software" and "best CRM for real estate agents under $50/month" - Include competitor comparisons: "Is [your brand] better than [competitor]?" - Cover the full funnel: Awareness prompts ("what is AEO"), consideration prompts ("best AEO tools comparison"), and decision prompts ("is AI Rankia worth it") - Add prompts in your target languages: AI responses vary by language and region Keyword Intelligence integration For deeper keyword research, combine AI Prompt Discovery with the Keyword Intelligence tool (SEO Tools → Keyword Intelligence, 1 credit). Keyword Intelligence shows search volume and difficulty data, which helps you prioritize which prompts to monitor first — focus on prompts with both high search volume and relevance to your business. Credit cost AI Prompt Discovery uses credits from your keyword analysis budget (3 credits per discovery run). The suggested prompts are free to review — you only spend monitoring credits when you add them to your active monitoring list.