> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.geogen.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Query Fanouts

> Understanding how AI models research your brand and why it matters for GEO

# What are Query Fanouts?

**Query Fanouts** are the web search queries that AI models like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Gemini execute when generating responses to user prompts. When a user asks an AI a question, the model often performs real-time web searches to gather up-to-date information before formulating its answer.

<Info>
  Query Fanouts give you unprecedented visibility into *how* AI models research your brand, competitors, and industry topics in real-time.
</Info>

## How Query Fanouts Work

When users ask AI assistants questions like *"What's the best project management tool?"* or *"Compare Monday.com vs Asana"*, the AI doesn't always rely solely on its training data. Instead, many modern AI models:

1. **Parse the user's intent** - Understanding what information is needed
2. **Generate search queries** - Creating one or more web searches to find current information
3. **Execute the searches** - Querying the web for relevant results
4. **Synthesize the results** - Combining the information into a coherent response

Geogen captures step 2 and 3 - the actual search queries the AI generates and executes. These are your **Query Fanouts**.

## Example Query Fanouts

For a prompt like *"What are the best CRM tools for small businesses?"*, an AI might generate these query fanouts:

| Query                                   | Purpose                   |
| --------------------------------------- | ------------------------- |
| `best CRM software small business 2024` | Find current rankings     |
| `HubSpot CRM pricing`                   | Research specific product |
| `Salesforce small business reviews`     | Gather user sentiment     |
| `CRM comparison small teams`            | Find comparison content   |

## Why Query Fanouts Matter for GEO

Understanding Query Fanouts is crucial for **Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)** because they reveal:

### 1. 🔍 The Exact Searches AI Uses

Unlike traditional SEO where you guess which keywords users might search, Query Fanouts show you the **exact queries** AI models use to research your topic. This is the ground truth of how AI gathers information.

### 2. 📊 Content Gap Opportunities

If an AI is searching for `[your competitor] vs [your brand] comparison` but can't find quality comparison content, that's a content opportunity you can fill.

### 3. 🎯 Keyword Intelligence

Query Fanouts reveal the language patterns AI models use when researching topics. These patterns often differ from human search behavior, giving you unique optimization opportunities.

### 4. 📈 Brand Monitoring

See when and how often AI models are actively researching your brand, products, or industry. Spikes in query fanouts for your brand can indicate trending interest.

### 5. 🏆 Competitive Intelligence

Discover which competitors are being researched alongside your brand and understand the competitive landscape from the AI's perspective.

## Optimizing for Query Fanouts

Based on Query Fanout data, you can optimize your content strategy:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create Comparison Content" icon="scale-balanced">
    If AIs frequently search for `[Brand A] vs [Brand B]`, create authoritative comparison pages that answer these queries.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Answer Specific Queries" icon="circle-question">
    Build content that directly answers the specific questions AIs are searching for about your industry.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Optimize for AI Keywords" icon="robot">
    Use the exact language patterns from query fanouts in your content to match what AIs are looking for.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Build Topic Authority" icon="award">
    Create comprehensive content clusters around topics that trigger frequent query fanouts.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Query Fanouts vs Citations

It's important to understand the difference between Query Fanouts and Citations:

| Aspect                 | Query Fanouts                    | Citations                       |
| ---------------------- | -------------------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| **What they are**      | Search queries AI executes       | URLs AI references in responses |
| **When they occur**    | Before the response is generated | Within the final response       |
| **What they show**     | How AI researches topics         | What sources AI trusts          |
| **Optimization focus** | Content discoverability          | Source authority                |

<Tip>
  **Pro Tip:** Cross-reference your Query Fanouts with Citations. If AI is searching for topics related to your brand but citing competitors, you have a clear optimization opportunity.
</Tip>

## Accessing Query Fanout Data

You can access Query Fanout data in several ways:

### In the Dashboard

Navigate to your entity's Query Fanouts tab to see all the search queries AI models are executing related to your prompts.

### Via the API

Use the `/query-fanouts` endpoint to programmatically access Query Fanout data:

```bash theme={null}
GET /v1/query-fanouts?entityId=YOUR_ENTITY_ID&period=30d
```

See the [API Reference](/api-reference/query-fanouts) for full documentation.

## Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Monitor regularly">
    Query Fanout patterns can shift as AI models update. Check your data weekly to identify new trends.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Segment by model">
    Different AI models (ChatGPT vs Perplexity vs Gemini) may use different search strategies. Analyze them separately.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Track over time">
    Historical Query Fanout data helps you understand seasonal trends and measure the impact of your GEO efforts.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Combine with other metrics">
    Use Query Fanouts alongside visibility scores and citation data for a complete picture of your AI presence.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

<Note>
  Query Fanouts are captured in real-time as our system monitors AI responses to your configured prompts. The more prompts you have active, the more Query Fanout data you'll collect.
</Note>