E-commerce
October 1, 2026
Wondering how to extract ChatGPT fan-out queries to improve your e-commerce content? These queries, which the model generates in the background to enrich its responses, reveal the platform's interpretations and priorities. By knowing them, you can align your content strategy with what ChatGPT considers relevant, and thus better capture online visitors.
Two free tools, the "ChatGPT Search Reasoning and Query Extractor" bookmarklet and the "ChatGPT Search Fan-out Helper" extension, allow you to visualize them. But beware, they only work for ChatGPT web searches and only on Google Chrome. So, how can you exploit this data for your store? On the agenda:
What is a ChatGPT fan-out query?
Why are these queries valuable for an online merchant?
How to install the bookmarklet from The SEO Pub?
How to use the Fan-out Helper extension?
What strategy should you adopt to convert these queries into sales?
Let's go.
Summary
What is a ChatGPT fan-out request?
Large language models, like ChatGPT, generate answers by querying immense public datasets. To answer a question, they do not just rely on the literal text of the query. They launch additional searches, called "fan-out queries," to find supplementary information likely to meet the user's implicit needs.
For example, for the query "best headphones for running," ChatGPT performed searches such as "Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 review running 2025" or "Beats Fit Pro 2025 review running." These queries go beyond the initial question, targeting reviews, tests, and comparisons. Google named this tactic "fan-out queries" in 2025, and it has become a valuable analysis tool for content publishers.
Understanding these queries helps you grasp how ChatGPT interprets topics and which sources it prioritizes. For an online merchant, this is a window into consumer expectations and the content angles to adopt in order to be visible in AI-generated answers.
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Why are these queries valuable for an online merchant?
Fan-out queries reveal the real search intent behind a question. By analyzing them, you understand what ChatGPT deems relevant to answer a user. This allows you to adapt your content to match these expectations, thereby increasing your chances of appearing in AI-generated responses.
For a merchant, this means you can identify the topics, formats, and keywords that truly matter to your audience. For example, if ChatGPT searches for "2025 reviews" and "sweat tests," you know that consumers want recent, detailed information. You can then create product sheets or articles that meet these specific needs.
Furthermore, these queries help you identify gaps in your content. If ChatGPT cannot find information on a particular aspect, it is an opportunity for you to position yourself. By filling these gaps, you become a reference for the AI, which can drive qualified traffic to your store.
How to install The SEO Pub bookmarklet?
The "ChatGPT Search Reasoning and Query Extractor" bookmarklet is a free tool offered by Mike Friedman, founder of Clicked Consulting and publisher of The SEO Pub newsletter. It comes in the form of a small script to add to your Chrome bookmarks. Its installation is simple and requires no technical skills.
To install it, open Chrome and create a new bookmark. Name it, for example, "ChatGPT Extractor". Then, replace the bookmark URL with the code provided on The SEO Pub page. Once that is done, the bookmarklet is ready to use.
Next, go to ChatGPT and perform a search that triggers a web search. Once the results are displayed, click on the bookmarklet. A new window will open, displaying ChatGPT's fan-out searches and reasoning. You can then view and export this data for analysis.
How to use the Fan-out Helper extension?
The Chrome extension "ChatGPT Search Fan-out Helper" is another free option to extract fan-out queries. Unlike the bookmarklet, it automatically saves the queries and sources used by ChatGPT, providing the URLs, titles, and descriptions. This gives you a complete view of the cited references.
To use it, install the extension from the Chrome Web Store. Then, perform a search on ChatGPT. The extension will collect the data in the background and display it in a dedicated interface. This allows you to view the history of queries and sources for each session.
This tool is particularly useful for merchants who want to track the evolution of queries over time. By comparing the data, you can identify emerging trends and adjust your content strategy accordingly. It is an effective way to stay up-to-date in a constantly changing environment.
How to interpret the reasoning of ChatGPT?
The SEO Pub's bookmarklet doesn't just display fan-out queries. It also reveals ChatGPT's reasoning, meaning the internal logic that guides its searches. For example, for the query "best headphones for running", ChatGPT noted: "The user is asking for a comparison of the best headphones for running. This implies recommending models with a secure fit, sweat resistance, and a transparency mode."
This reasoning is a goldmine for content creators. It shows how ChatGPT segments the request and which criteria it deems essential. You can then structure your product pages or articles to cover these aspects explicitly, thereby increasing their relevance in the eyes of the AI.
Furthermore, the reasoning indicates whether ChatGPT considers the query as "shopping" or not. This helps you prioritize your efforts: if the AI perceives a buying intent, you must ensure that your product sheets are optimized to meet this intent, with clear information on prices, features, and reviews.
What are concrete examples of fan-out queries?
Take the example of the query "best running headphones". The fan-out queries extracted by the bookmarklet include: "Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 review running 2025", "Beats Fit Pro 2025 review running", "Jabra Elite 8 Active review sweatproof", "Soundcore Sport X20 earbuds review", "Bose Ultra Open Earbuds running review", "best running headphones 2025 Runner’s World", "AirPods Pro USB-C 2nd gen running sweat test review", "Sony LinkBuds S running comfort review 2024", and "JLab Go Air Sport review running 2024".
These queries show that ChatGPT is looking for recent reviews, specific tests, and comparisons. It prioritizes sources like Runner’s World, a specialized magazine. For a merchant, this means that to be cited, you need to produce similar content: detailed reviews, field tests, and product comparisons.
By analyzing these examples, you can also identify the brands and models that frequently come up. This gives you an idea of which products to highlight in your store, or what articles to create to capture the attention of consumers who use ChatGPT for their purchasing decisions.
How to use this data to improve your SEO?
Fan-out queries are a valuable source of long-tail keywords. By integrating them into your SEO strategy, you can target highly specific queries that users type into ChatGPT, but also into traditional search engines. For example, "sweat test for running headphones" is a keyword you could use in a blog post.
To optimize your content, create pages that directly answer these queries. Use the exact terms in your headings, meta tags, and body text. This increases your chances of being cited by ChatGPT when it generates answers for similar questions.
Additionally, this data helps you understand the structure of ChatGPT's responses. If the AI favors lists and comparisons, you can adopt the same format for your articles. By aligning your content with the AI's preferences, you improve your visibility in AI-generated results, an increasingly important traffic driver.
How to integrate these queries into your content strategy?
Once the fan-out queries are extracted, you can use them to plan your editorial calendar. For example, if you sell headphones, you can create articles on "best headphones for running in 2025" or "comparison of sweat-resistant headphones". These topics directly address the queries that ChatGPT deems relevant.
Also, remember to regularly update your content. Fan-out queries evolve with trends and seasons. By monitoring these changes, you can adapt your articles to stay relevant. For example, before summer, queries about sports headphones may increase; prepare content accordingly.
Finally, use these queries to improve your product pages. Integrate keywords from the queries into your descriptions, titles, and attributes. This helps not only with SEO, but also with your shop's internal search, as explained in our article on e-commerce searchandising.
What are the pitfalls to avoid with these tools?
The first pitfall is to believe that these tools work everywhere. They are only compatible with Google Chrome and solely for ChatGPT web searches. If you use another browser or if ChatGPT does not trigger a web search, the tools will not work. Make sure you meet these conditions to obtain data.
Second pitfall: do not rely solely on these queries for your strategy. They represent an interpretation by ChatGPT, not an absolute truth. Use them as one indicator among others, cross-referencing them with your own analytics data and market trends.
Finally, beware of over-optimization. If you target too many keywords from fan-out queries, your content can become artificial. Keep a balance between AI optimization and quality for your readers. Useful and natural content will always perform better in the long run.
How can these queries improve the shopping experience?
Fan-out queries are not only useful for SEO. They can also improve the shopping experience on your store. By understanding what customers are looking for, you can personalize your product recommendations. For example, if queries show interest in sweat-resistant earbuds, you can highlight these products on your homepage.
In addition, this data helps you anticipate customer questions. If ChatGPT is looking for information on compatibility or battery life, you can include these details in your product descriptions. This reduces hesitation and speeds up the purchasing decision.
Finally, by aligning your content with fan-out queries, you create a consistent experience between what customers see in ChatGPT and what they find on your site. This consistency builds trust and increases conversion rates. To go further, discover how to increase sales with smart product recommendations.
How does Qstomy help leverage these queries for your store?
Qstomy, the Shopify AI agent, can help you transform these fan-out queries into concrete actions. By analyzing the purchase intents revealed by ChatGPT, Qstomy can guide your visitors to the right products, thanks to personalized recommendations and upsell or cross-sell suggestions. This increases the average cart value and improves the shopping experience.
Additionally, Qstomy can use this data to optimize your internal search. By integrating keywords from fan-out queries into synonyms and search rules, Qstomy helps your customers find what they are looking for more easily, thereby reducing friction and cart abandonment.
Finally, Qstomy can track packages and manage customer service, freeing up your time to focus on creating content optimized for AI. With more than 100 merchants supported, Qstomy is a reliable partner to take advantage of emerging trends and convert your visitors into buyers.
Checklist for integrating fan-out queries into your e-commerce strategy
Here is a checklist to integrate fan-out queries into your e-commerce strategy:
Install the tools: add The SEO Pub's bookmarklet and the Fan-out Helper extension to Chrome.
Extract queries: conduct searches on ChatGPT and collect data for your main products.
Analyze the reasoning: note the criteria ChatGPT deems important for each query.
Adapt your content: create articles and product sheets that address these queries.
Update regularly: monitor developments and adjust your strategy.
In short, ChatGPT's fan-out queries are a unique opportunity to understand consumer expectations and optimize your online presence. By leveraging them, you improve your SEO, your content, and your shopping experience.
FAQ
Are these tools free? Yes, the bookmarklet and the extension are both free.
Do they work on other browsers? No, they only work on Google Chrome.
Can I use these queries for other search engines? The queries are specific to ChatGPT, but they can inspire your global SEO strategy.
To go further: How does SEO work for e-commerce sites? - Qstomy, AI Chatbot for gift with purchase: check eligibility and conditions - Qstomy, AI Chatbot for questions about rejected or pending reviews - Qstomy, Collect customer reviews without over-soliciting buyers - Qstomy, E-commerce SEO strategy for category pages - Qstomy.
Enzo
October 1, 2026
