Query fan-out & internal linking

When someone asks an AI “What’s the best X?”, the AI doesn’t look for one page. It breaks the question into many small checks first. That split is query fan-out. Think of the main question as a tree: price, features, setup, mistakes to avoid, and alternatives. If your site already answers those small parts — and those pages link to each other — the AI can pull a safer, clearer answer from you.

Example: someone asks, “best espresso machine under €300.” The AI checks things like: what counts as “best,” which models are actually under €300 in the EU, which grinders are included, how loud they are, how easy they are to clean, warranty rules, and common failures. One question becomes many mini-questions.

Internal links make this work. They help crawlers and LLMs discover related pages fast, understand how each piece fits, and trust your site as a complete source on the topic. A good hub page that links to focused child pages (and children that link back to the hub and to siblings) gives machines a clean path to follow.

“GEO” (getting visible in AI search) isn’t a new trick, even though a lot of people are screaimng SEO is dead, and GEO is the new King. Good GEO = good SEO — It’s solid SEO basics with sharper edges: cover a topic deeply, write a short summary at the top of each page, and connect related ideas with clear, human anchors. Do that, and both Google and AI systems can assemble your pages into the answer people see.

Internal linking for fan-outs

I want to show you why internal links make a big difference when Google or an AI tool tries to answer a question.

Discovery. Links are the roads on your site. Google and AI follow those roads to find related pages fast. More clear roads = more of your good pages get seen.

Context. Pages that sit next to each other add meaning. One page gives a definition, another gives an example, a third adds limits or costs. Linked together, they give stronger, clearer answers.

Authority. A hub page that points to many focused child pages says, “we cover this topic properly.” Consistent links in and out of that hub tell machines you’re a reliable source.

Freshness. When you link new posts from your hub, crawlers find them sooner. Fresh pages get tested faster, which helps you show up earlier.

Answer assembly. AI often pulls small parts from several pages. If your subpages are connected, it can stitch those parts into one useful answer.

If your site has those child answers and they’re linked together, you become a better source for both Google and AI.

Here’s a simple picture to keep in mind:

Root intent
 ├─ Budget
 ├─ Specs
 ├─ Maintenance
 ├─ Where to buy
 └─ Alternatives

Your job is to cover these branches and connect them with clear links. Do that, and you make it easy for search engines—and AI—to choose your pages.

Anchors & page structure that AIs understand

Two things make your pages easy for Google and AI tools to use: clear link text (anchors) and a clean page structure. Here’s the combined, plain-English playbook.

1) Anchors that tell the truth (no spam)

• Be descriptive. Use anchors that match the promise of the page:

  • Good: eligibility rules 2025, maintenance costs, download form (PDF)

  • Not great: click here, read more, best guide

• Vary the wording, keep the intent.

  • eligibility rules 2025 → who qualifies this year → requirements & documents
    All three point to the same idea without repeating the same phrase.

• Write for humans first. Ask: “If I click this, do I know exactly what I’ll get?” If yes, it’s good for LLMs too.

• Avoid stuffing. One clear anchor beats five keywordy ones.

2) Page structure for answerability (copy this)

Give machines a neat, predictable layout so they can lift answers safely.

• Top box (2–3 sentences): a plain-language answer to the main question. This is the “extractable” bit AIs love.

• Body with clear headings: each H2 maps to a sub-question (the “fan-out” branches).

• One-sentence summary under each H2: opens the section with the takeaway before details.

• Helpful links between sections: use the descriptive anchors above to connect related answers.

• Schema where it fits: add FAQ, HowTo, or Article schema to reinforce structure.

• Cite sources when needed: short references/footnotes if you quote rules, data, or regulations.

3) A simple template you can paste

Title: Heat Pump Incentives 2025 — Who Qualifies & How to Apply

Summary box (2–3 sentences):
Most households qualify if income is below X and the unit meets standard Y. Apply online with forms A and B; decisions take ~3 weeks.

H2: Who qualifies in 2025?
One-sentence summary: Households under income X with approved installers qualify.
Details…
Link: eligibility rules 2025

H2: Documents & forms
One-sentence summary: You need ID, proof of residence, and form A; download below.
Link: download form (PDF)

H2: Costs & maintenance
One-sentence summary: Expect €Z upfront and €Y/year maintenance; see breakdown.
Link: maintenance costs

H2: Deadlines & timeline
One-sentence summary: Submit by March 31; typical review is ~3 weeks.

FAQ schema / references (if applicable)

Are AIs using your content?

How to tell you’re showing up in AI search (GEO proxies)

• Answer cards / featured snippets: You win more snippets on the hub and its children. Track weekly; rising wins = good fan-out coverage.

• Brand mentions in AI overviews/aggregators: Your name/domain appears inside “AI summary” boxes or roundup sites. Save screenshots; note the query and page used.

• Engagement lift after query spikes: When a topic trends, your hub + children see impressions/clicks rise together in Search Console. That sync is a strong hint AIs are pulling/contextualizing your pages.

• Your “answerable paragraphs” get reused: Short top-box answers are quoted or paraphrased (with or without a link). Set alerts and keep examples.

Common mistakes (and how to fix them fast)

• One mega “complete guide,” no children → Split into a hub + focused child pages. Link hub → child and child → hub. Add a short summary box to each.

• Anchors like “click here” → Replace with intent-rich anchors (e.g., “eligibility rules 2025”, “maintenance costs”, “download form (PDF)”).

• No links to new posts → From the hub, link every new post within 24–48h. Also add new → evergreen links inside the fresh post.

• Thin comparison pages → Add a pros/cons list, specs table, and a “when to choose X vs Y” section. Link to the detailed child pages.

• Dead links left unfixed → Redirect 404/410s or relink to a live alternative. Run a monthly sweep so you don’t leak authority.

Bottom line: When your topic is covered by a hub with connected child pages—and each page has clear, descriptive anchors—Google and LLMs can assemble your content into answers. Watch the signals above and keep closing the gaps.

Final thoughts

GEO isn’t magic dust, and it's nothing new. It’s the same solid SEO you already know — done with a bit more care. If you cover a topic’s fan-out (the real sub-questions people have), write a clear 2–3 sentence summary at the top of each page, and connect those pages with straightforward internal links, both Google and AI systems can stitch your work into confident answers.

If you want one simple plan: pick a topic, make a hub page, create 5–10 focused child pages, add descriptive anchors between them, and keep things fresh (fix dead links, link new posts from the hub within 48 hours).

Same fundamentals—new distribution. Keep it tidy, keep it human, and you’ll show up where it matters.

Focus on good SEO — and GEO will follow.