Query System Explained
The Query System is the heart of RankLLM. It's how you discover what AI systems say about your brand, products, and industry. Master the query system to unlock powerful insights about your AI visibility.
What are Queries?
Queries are questions or prompts that we send to AI systems like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. The responses reveal how these AI models perceive and recommend brands in your industry.
AI Providers Queried
Response Analysis
Scheduling Available
Types of Queries
Different query types serve different purposes in understanding your AI visibility:
Recommendation Queries
Ask AI to recommend products or services in your category
Examples:
- • "What are the best CRM tools for small businesses?"
- • "Recommend project management software for remote teams"
- • "Which email marketing platforms offer the best automation?"
Use when: You want to see if AI recommends your brand for specific use cases
Comparison Queries
Compare your brand directly with competitors
Examples:
- • "Compare Slack vs Microsoft Teams for enterprise communication"
- • "What's the difference between Shopify and WooCommerce?"
- • "Asana vs Monday.com: which is better for agile teams?"
Use when: You need to understand your competitive positioning in AI responses
Feature Queries
Ask about specific features or capabilities
Examples:
- • "Which CRM has the best mobile app?"
- • "What project management tools integrate with Slack?"
- • "Which platforms offer unlimited email sends?"
Use when: You want to highlight your product's unique features or strengths
Problem-Solution Queries
Present a problem and ask for solutions
Examples:
- • "How can I automate my email marketing campaigns?"
- • "What's the best way to manage projects across time zones?"
- • "How do I improve team collaboration in a hybrid workplace?"
Use when: You solve specific problems and want to ensure AI knows it
Creating Effective Queries
The quality of your queries directly impacts the insights you receive. Here's how to craft queries that generate valuable data:
Query Structure Formula
[Context] + [Specific Need] + [Constraints/Preferences]
Example 1:
"I run a [small e-commerce business] and need[inventory management software] that[integrates with Shopify and costs under $100/month]"
Example 2:
"As a [marketing agency], what are the best[social media scheduling tools] for[managing multiple client accounts]?"
✓ Do's
- • Be specific about use cases
- • Include relevant context
- • Mirror how real users ask questions
- • Test different phrasings
- • Include budget or size constraints
✗ Don'ts
- • Avoid overly broad questions
- • Don't bias toward your brand
- • Skip unrealistic scenarios
- • Avoid yes/no questions
- • Don't use internal jargon
Using Query Templates
RankLLM provides pre-built templates to jumpstart your monitoring. Customize these to match your specific needs:
Industry Leader Template
Perfect for established brands wanting to maintain position
Challenger Template
Ideal for newer brands competing with established players
Use Case Template
Focus on specific problems your product solves
Advanced Query Strategies
1. Persona-Based Queries
Create queries from different user perspectives to understand varied AI responses:
- • "As a startup founder with limited budget..."
- • "I manage IT for a Fortune 500 company..."
- • "As a freelance designer..."
2. Temporal Queries
Track how AI responses change over time:
- • "What are the best [tools] in 2024?"
- • "What's new in [industry] this year?"
- • "Latest innovations in [category]"
3. Competitive Intelligence
Understand competitor positioning without directly naming your brand:
- • "Compare the top 5 [category] tools"
- • "Pros and cons of popular [solutions]"
- • "Which [tool] has the best customer support?"
Query Automation
Set It and Forget It
Automate your queries to run on a schedule and track changes in AI responses over time.
Daily Monitoring
For high-priority queries and volatile markets
Weekly Check-ins
Balance between data freshness and credit usage
Monthly Analysis
For trend tracking and long-term insights
Pro tip: Start with weekly automation for your top 5-10 queries, then adjust frequency based on how often responses change in your industry.
Best Practices
Diversify Your Query Portfolio
Use a mix of recommendation, comparison, feature, and problem-solving queries
Test Across All Providers
Different AI models may have different perspectives on your brand
Monitor Competitor Queries
Create queries that your competitors might be tracking too
Review and Refine Regularly
Update queries based on insights and changing market conditions
Act on Insights
Use query results to inform content strategy and product positioning
Ready to master queries?
Start with our templates and customize them for your brand's unique needs.
Go to Query Dashboard