Query fan-outs
See the background web searches AI models run while answering your tracked prompts, and use them to find the queries worth ranking for.
Updated September 30, 2026
When an AI assistant answers a question, it often runs its own web searches first. These background searches are called query fan-outs. The Query Fanouts tab shows the searches AI models generated while answering your tracked prompts, so you can see the real queries behind each answer.
Open Query Fanouts
Open your project and select the Query Fanouts tab.
Columns
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Background search | The search query the AI model ran. |
| Originating prompt | The tracked prompt that triggered it. |
| Model | The AI model that ran the search. |
| Tools used | The features used in the answer: Search, Map, Shopping or Ads. |
| Collected | When the answer was collected. |
Use Search queries or prompts to find specific terms, and the Model filter to focus on one AI model.
How to use fan-outs
- Find content gaps: if models search for "best budget app for students" and your site has no page on that topic, that's a page worth creating.
- Compare models: different assistants phrase their searches differently.
- Feed your keyword work: fan-out queries show the language AI uses to research your category.
Not every model reports its background searches. If the table is empty, your models may not have produced any yet, or your prompts haven't been checked.
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