What Is Question Fan-Out?
Question fan-out is an AI search system course of that splits a consumer question into a number of sub-queries, collects info for every sub-query, then merges related info right into a single response.
AI search methods (also referred to as LLMs) like Google AI Mode and ChatGPT use question fan-out to enhance the standard of their responses.
Right here’s an illustrative instance of how question fan-out works:
Question Fan-Out in Google AI Mode
Google popularized the time period “question fan-out” when introducing Google AI Mode, a conversational AI interface obtainable inside Google Search.
Within the Google I/O 2025 keynote speech, Head of Search Elizabeth Reid stated: “AI Mode isn’t simply supplying you with info—it’s bringing a complete new degree of intelligence to look. What makes this potential is one thing we name our question fan-out method.
“Now, underneath the hood, Search acknowledges when a query wants superior reasoning. It calls on our customized model of Gemini to interrupt the query into completely different subtopics, and it points a large number of queries concurrently in your behalf.”
Once you search in Google AI Mode, you may see the mannequin run a number of net searches as a part of its reasoning course of.
On this instance, Google appears to separate the consumer’s question into eight searches:
This question fan-out allows Google’s AI to offer a extremely particular response:
In conventional search outcomes, Google seems for the perfect direct match to the consumer’s question. However as this instance exhibits, a passable match doesn’t all the time exist.
Why Do LLMs Use Question Fan-Out?
LLMs use question fan-out to higher fulfill search intent (what the consumer needs). Contemplating completely different angles and interpretations of the consumer’s question permits the AI system to offer richer responses that cater to customers’ express and implicit needs.
Within the instance beneath, ChatGPT addresses numerous kinds of intent to maximise the response’s helpfulness:
Question fan-out additionally allows AI methods to reply complicated, layered queries that have not been clearly answered on-line earlier than. As a result of the system can mix a number of items of data to attract new conclusions.
Right here’s a snippet of a ChatGPT response to a extremely particular question:
Why Does Question Fan-Out Matter in Advertising?
Question fan-out issues in advertising and marketing as a result of it allows AI methods to generate extremely particular responses, which can scale back customers’ reliance on different info sources.
This implies AI responses can have an enormous affect on shopper choices. And making certain your model is featured favorably in related conversations may very well be key to reaching and fascinating your viewers—particularly as AI adoption will increase.
In the event you optimize your content material for question fan-out, you could possibly improve your AI visibility by means of:
- AI mentions: mentions of what you are promoting inside AI responses
- AI citations: linked references to your content material alongside AI responses
Right here’s an instance of an AI point out and an AI quotation in ChatGPT:
Question fan-out requires a specialist method as a result of it really works in a different way than conventional search algorithms. That stated, optimizing for question fan-out can enhance your efficiency in conventional search, too.
Optimize for Question Fan-Out
To optimize for question fan-out, you must establish core subjects, cowl these subjects comprehensively, write for pure language processing (NLP) algorithms, and use schema markup.
That is along with following different LLM optimization greatest practices.
1. Establish Core Matters
First, establish core subjects to construct your AI visibility round. This can allow you to to focus your optimization efforts extra successfully.
I like to recommend that you just begin with subjects straight associated to what you are promoting and what you provide. This helps you:
- Management how your model is portrayed in AI-generated responses
- Present up throughout key phases of the purchaser’s journey, the place visibility and affect matter most
- Leverage your authority, since these are areas the place you are clearly the professional
You possibly can establish an important model subjects by means of Semrush’s AI website positioning Toolkit. For instance, you may discover that individuals are extra desirous about social duty than expertise and innovation.
When you’ve recognized brand-related subjects, increase into associated areas aligned along with your model’s experience. Ensuring to prioritize primarily based on what you are promoting targets and viewers pursuits.
For instance, at Semrush, we publish content material about our digital advertising and marketing instruments and broader digital advertising and marketing subjects.
2. Plan Matter Clusters
Matter clusters are teams of interlinked webpages that work collectively to cowl a core subject comprehensively. They’re made up of a central pillar web page, which gives a broad overview of the core subject, and several other cluster pages, which cowl related subtopics.
Matter clustering lets you handle a number of queries which may be generated by means of related question fan-outs, that means you’ll have a larger probability of that includes in AI responses.
It additionally lets you construct topical authority, which might encourage AI methods to prioritize your solutions over others.
You possibly can create thoughts maps to plan your subject clusters. Like this:
In the event you need assistance figuring out subtopics, use Semrush’s Matter Analysis instrument. All you should do is enter your core subject alongside along with your goal nation.
The instrument will present an inventory of subtopics with particular questions for every. These questions will allow you to to create complete content material, as described within the subsequent step.
3. Create Useful, Complete Content material
Creating useful, complete content material is vital to answering the various sub-queries that may end result from question fan-out.
Break down every subtopic into much more particular questions. Then handle these intents by means of subsections of your web page.
Right here’s an illustrative instance of a core subject splitting into subtopics and people subtopics splitting into particular queries:
You possibly can establish particular intents to cowl by:
- Performing key phrase analysis—e.g., utilizing a instrument to see what queries individuals sort into Google
- Taking a look at opponents’ content material—e.g., seeing what rivals cowl of their FAQs
- Exploring related on-line communities—e.g., seeing what questions customers ask in related boards
- Consulting your staff—e.g., asking your customer support staff what questions come up most
In the event you use Semrush’s AI website positioning Toolkit, you may uncover particular brand-related questions that individuals ask in LLMs. Addressing these queries in your content material could allow you to affect prospects at key phases of the shopping for journey.
4. Write for NLP
AI methods use pure language processing (NLP) to grasp written content material, so writing for NLP will help you seem in AI responses.
Listed here are some recommendations on writing for NLP:
- Write in chunks. Chunks are self-contained, significant sections of content material that may stand on their very own and be simply processed, retrieved, and summarized by an AI system. Write in full sentences and restate context the place useful.
- Present definitions. Once you introduce a brand new idea, present a transparent and direct definition. This can assist AI methods perceive what you’re speaking about, and so they could search out definitions as a part of the question fan-out course of.
- Construction content material successfully. Add descriptive subheadings to interrupt your content material into sections and use heading tags to indicate their hierarchy. This can assist AI methods establish content material associated to extremely particular queries. You too can use tables and lists to create simply parsable info.
- Use clear language. Use clear, conversational language. Keep away from jargon, overly complicated sentence constructions, and pointless fluff. This can make it simpler for AI methods to grasp your content material and extract helpful info.
5. Use Schema Markup
Schema markup means that you can add machine-readable labels to several types of information on a web page, and these labels might assist AI methods interpret your content material extra precisely.
For instance, you need to use Product schema to label a product’s title and picture. And use Provide schema to label the product’s value and availability.
Like this:
This schema could make it simpler for AI methods to extract related info it makes use of for answering product-related queries. Like so:
Head to Schema.org to establish schema sorts that could be related to your web site. You too can discover recommendation on how one can implement structured information.
Bonus: Mini Case Examine
The Stripe web site demonstrates many rules of question fan-out optimization.
For instance, the web site has options pages tailor-made to completely different enterprise phases, enterprise fashions, and use instances. These pages have subsections that present direct, detailed info on related subtopics.
This detailed and diversified info probably helps AI methods acknowledge Stripe’s relevance to varied intents and extract helpful info for fanned-out queries.
The Stripe web site additionally covers related subjects by means of its weblog, buyer tales, assist heart, newsroom, and different sources.
Within the information beneath, Stripe makes use of clear structuring to interrupt down a posh subject. And gives clear, direct explanations all through.
Stripe considerably outperforms its opponents by way of AI search visibility, in response to information from Semrush’s AI website positioning Toolkit. This is because of a wide range of components, however the breadth and depth of high quality on-site content material might play an necessary position.
Begin Measuring Your Efficiency in AI Search
Measure the success of your question fan-out optimization technique with Semrush’s AI website positioning Toolkit.
The toolkit exhibits your share of voice for a collection of non-branded queries throughout a number of AI platforms. This exhibits how usually LLMs point out you versus (or alongside) your opponents.
You possibly can even see in case your model is talked about first, second, or additional down in response to particular prompts.
The instrument gives perception into your model’s portrayal in AI responses, too.
Working to emphasise what you are promoting’s strengths and mitigate its weaknesses means that you can generate extra optimistic protection in AI responses. And finally appeal to extra prospects.
