Query fan-out
Query fan-out is when an answer engine turns one user prompt into several search queries, retrieves results for each, and combines them into one answer.
A prompt like "best project management tool for a small agency" may fan out into searches for tool lists, pricing, reviews and comparisons. Pages that answer one of those sub-queries well can be cited even if they never target the full prompt.
For content, this rewards covering the sub-questions of a topic explicitly, with headings a retriever can match, rather than writing one broad page.
Related terms
Measure query fan-out for your brand
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