Queries

Overview

Queries (/queries) implements a query fan-out model for AEO and GEO. You start with a primary topic or buyer question, and Obsurfable builds a tree of related sub-questions—definitions, comparisons, use cases, pricing, objections—that AI might retrieve answers for.

For each node you can attach URLs from your site and verify whether those pages actually satisfy the sub-query. Coverage ratings (strong, partial, weak, missing) and action plans show where your content meets intent—and where it falls short.

Who it's for

• Pro and Agency users planning content architecture around how AI decomposes topics
• SEO teams moving beyond single-keyword pages to comprehensive answer coverage
• Content strategists who want a visual map of intents before writing

Prerequisites

1. A Pro (or Agency) plan—Query trees are not available on Free.
2. (Recommended) Sitemap and llms.txt configured so you have URLs to attach and verify.
3. (Recommended) A site analysis run for richer context on your page inventory.

Step-by-step

Create a query tree

1. Go to Queries in the sidebar or navigate to /queries.
2. Click New query tree.
3. Enter a primary query or topic relevant to your market (e.g. "best project management software for startups").
4. Obsurfable generates a fan-out tree of related sub-questions.

Explore the tree

1. Open a tree at /queries/[id].
2. Browse nodes organized by intent—definitions, comparisons, how-to, pricing, and more.
3. Each node shows the sub-question AI might answer when retrieving on your primary topic.

Attach URLs to nodes

1. Select a node and attach one or more URLs from your site that should answer it.
2. Choose pages from your sitemap inventory or paste URLs directly.
3. Not every node needs its own blog post—one strong page can cover many sub-questions with clear sections.

Verify coverage

1. Click Verify on a node with attached URLs.
2. Obsurfable uses AI to assess whether the page actually satisfies the sub-query.
3. Review the coverage rating: strong, partial, weak, or missing.

Act on gaps

1. Nodes rated weak or missing surface action plans—what to add or change.
2. Use gaps to prioritize content updates or new pages.
3. Generate content from high-priority nodes when ready.

Manage query trees

1. Return to /queries to see all trees with node counts and last updated dates.
2. Create separate trees for distinct product lines, audiences, or funnel stages.

Tips

• Start with your highest-traffic or highest-intent primary topic—not every keyword needs a tree.
• Run Site analysis first so you know which URLs exist and how they're structured.
• Prefer one comprehensive page with clear H2/H3 answer blocks over dozens of thin pages.
• Re-verify nodes after publishing content changes to track improvement.
• Align query tree topics with company prompts for consistent monitoring.

FAQ

Is Queries available on the Free plan?

No. Query trees require Pro or Agency.

How is a query tree different from company prompts?

Company prompts are fixed buyer questions you monitor with Ask ChatGPT. Query trees decompose a primary topic into many sub-questions and check whether your site content covers each one.

Do I need a sitemap to use Queries?

You can create trees without one, but attaching and verifying URLs works best when you've configured Sitemaps and llms.txt and optionally run Site analysis.

What does verify actually check?

Verify reads the attached URL and assesses whether the page content satisfactorily answers the node's sub-question—not just whether the keyword appears.

How many query trees can I create?

There's no fixed low limit documented in the product—create trees for each major topic you want to map. Focus on quality over quantity.

Can I export or share query trees?

Query trees live in your workspace. Use annotations on nodes to capture decisions, and link to Content for drafts based on gap actions.