Query Fan-out

Query fan-out is the set of web searches an AI answer engine runs before it writes an answer, and AnswerixAI shows those searches for your tracked prompts. When someone asks a question, some engines break it into several smaller searches, read the results, and combine them into one answer. The Query Fan-out tab on the Prompts page lists them, so content and SEO teams can see which queries actually feed the AI answers they want to appear in. Open Prompts in the sidebar and choose the Query Fan-out tab.

Where does fan-out data come from?#

AnswerixAI records fan-out while it tracks your prompts. When an AI engine reports the searches it ran for an answer, AnswerixAI stores them with that answer. The data is observed, never predicted: every sub-query on the tab is a search an engine actually ran for one of your prompts.

Not every engine reports its searches, and engines don't search for every question. Fan-out comes mostly from Copilot and Perplexity, and only for some prompts. If no tracked answer triggered a search, the tab shows No fan-out captured yet.

What does the Query Fan-out tab show?#

The AnswerixAI Query Fan-out tab shows the sub-queries AI engines searched for your tracked prompts in two views: By prompt, which groups them under each prompt, and High frequency, which ranks every sub-query by how often it was searched. The tab follows the page's Date Range filter: 24h (default), 7d, 30d, 90d or Custom, up to 90 days.

What does the By prompt view show?#

The By prompt view (the default) lists your tracked prompts, starting with the prompts whose answers triggered the most sub-queries:

Expand a prompt to see its sub-queries, with the Engine that ran each one, how many Times searched, the Intent, and a Track button. Use Search prompts… to find a prompt.

What does the High frequency view show?#

The High frequency view lists every sub-query across all your prompts, sorted by how often it was searched:

Use Search sub-queries… to filter the list. Sub-queries that differ only in capitalization or spacing are counted as one.

How is intent classified?#

AnswerixAI classifies each sub-query with the same intents used for prompt volumes: Comparison, How-to, What is, Best / Top, vs. / Review, Recommendation, Problem Solving and Other. Intents load in the background after the table appears, so a cell may show a dash for a moment.

How do I track a sub-query as a prompt?#

1. Find the sub-query in either view.
2. Click + in the Track column.

AnswerixAI adds the sub-query as a new tracked prompt for your brand, on the same AI platforms as your most recently added active prompt. The row then shows Tracked, which links to the new prompt. The new prompt counts toward your plan's prompt limit and has no topic until you assign one. Only admins and managers can track sub-queries.

Where else does fan-out appear?#

AnswerixAI also shows query fan-out in three other places: the result page for a single AI answer, the Observed fan-out queries on a content opportunity, and the Fan-out section of a report.

• Result page: the full view of one AI answer lists its searches under Query fan-out, with the platform that ran each one. See Visibility.
• Content: a content opportunity shows Observed fan-out queries for its prompt. See Content.
• Reports: reports can include a Fan-out section. See Reports.

How can I use query fan-out?#

Query fan-out helps you in three ways: it shows the angles AI engines check behind a question, it points to new prompts worth tracking, and it tests your content plan against the searches that actually feed AI answers.

• Find the questions behind the question. Sub-queries show the specific angles an engine checks, such as pricing, alternatives or reviews. Cover those angles on the page you want cited.
• Pick new prompts to track. A sub-query searched across many answers is real demand. Track it to measure your visibility for it directly.
• Compare with your content plan. Check whether you have a page that answers each high-frequency sub-query well.

Which plans include Query Fan-out?#

Query Fan-out is available on every paid plan. What you see depends on the engines your plan tracks. Perplexity runs on every paid plan. Microsoft Copilot runs on Growth, Business and Enterprise, so Starter plans see fan-out mainly from Perplexity.