How to use Query Fanouts

Written By Rankshift

Query fanouts aren't just interesting data: they're actionable insights you can use to improve your AI visibility. Here are the most effective ways to put them to work.

Discover hidden prompts you should be tracking

If you're monitoring AI visibility for a keyword, don't stop there. Look at the fanout queries to discover related prompts worth tracking separately.

For example, if you're tracking:

Primary prompt:

  • Best project management software

Fanouts might reveal you should also track:

Fanout-inspired prompts to add:

  • Project management software for remote teams

  • Asana alternatives β€’ Best PM software for agencies

  • Affordable project management tools

Strengthen your pages with fanout keywords

Fanouts often contain surprising keywords that the AI uses when searching for your topic. These are exactly the terms you should be incorporating into your content.

A practical example: if "Nederland 2026" appears repeatedly in your fanout queries, that's a clear signal to add the current year and country to your page's meta title, meta description, H1, and body content.

  • Add the current year to your page titles, headings, and meta descriptions to match freshness-seeking fanouts

  • Add location names if fanouts include a country or city that your page doesn't currently mention

  • Add specific product names, comparisons, or alternatives that frequently appear in fanouts

πŸ’‘ Fanout keywords with a year signal that AI models prioritize fresh content. Make sure your pages are regularly updated and that the year is visible in key on-page elements.

Build content around retrieval paths

Instead of relying on a single page, think about building a cluster of content that covers the full range of topics an AI might explore in your space.

For example, if you sell HR software, rather than one page for "Best HR Software", consider creating dedicated pages for:

Content cluster:

  • HR software pricing

  • HR software implementation

  • HR software for SMEs

  • HR software integrations

  • HR software alternatives

  • HR software reviews

This increases the probability that your brand gets retrieved somewhere in the fanout chain, even if you're not the top result for the primary prompt.

Find missing entities

Fanouts often reveal entities, brands, locations, topics. That AI models expect to see associated with a subject. If your content is missing these entities, AI models may overlook you even if your homepage performs well in traditional search.

For example, if you're an SEO agency in Belgium and the fanouts for "Best SEO agencies in Belgium" include:

Fanout queries:

  • SEO agency reviews

  • SEO agency pricing

  • SEO agency case studies

  • Technical SEO specialists Belgium

...and your website has no dedicated pages for reviews, pricing, or case studies, AI models may not retrieve your brand for those sub-queries, limiting your overall visibility.

πŸ’‘ Use fanout queries as a checklist: for each fanout that's relevant to your brand, ask yourself whether you have content that directly addresses it. If not, that's your next content opportunity.

Spot intent mismatches and create new pages

Sometimes a fanout query has a completely different intent than your original prompt. This is a signal that a separate, dedicated page would serve that query better than your existing content.

Example: You're tracking "CRM software for small businesses" but a fanout keeps surfacing "CRM software pricing comparison". If you don't have a pricing page, that's an opportunity, create one and optimize it specifically for that query.

πŸ’‘ When a fanout query has a different intent than your tracked prompt, don't try to force your existing page to rank for it. Create a new page that's purpose-built for that specific query.