Query Explorer Dashboard

🎯 Quick Summary

Query Explorer is your AI citation discovery and tracking hub
Find which queries cite you, competitors, or nobody (opportunity gaps)
Test new queries in real-time across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity
Track citation performance over time with historical data
Identify high-value query opportunities for optimization

🔑 Key Concepts at a Glance

Query Explorer: Dashboard for discovering and tracking AI citations
Citation Status: Cited, Not Cited, Competitor Cited
Query Gap: High-value query where you should be cited but aren't
Share of Voice: Your citation % vs competitors for a query set
Query Score: AI-predicted citation opportunity value (0-100)

🏷️ Metadata

Tags: platform, dashboard, query-explorer, citation-tracking Status: %%ACTIVE%% Complexity: %%MODERATE%% Max Lines: 450 (this file: 445 lines) Reading Time: 10 minutes Last Updated: 2025-01-18

What is Query Explorer?

Purpose

Query Explorer is the central hub for:

Discovery: Find queries where AI platforms cite your content
Monitoring: Track citation performance over time
Gap Analysis: Identify missed opportunities (should cite, but don't)
Competition: See where competitors get cited instead
Optimization: Prioritize content improvements by opportunity value

The Query Problem

Before Query Explorer:

Question: "Is my content getting AI citations?"
Challenge: Test manually across 4+ AI platforms
Process:
1. Open ChatGPT → Ask query → Check for brand mention
2. Open Claude → Ask same query → Check again
3. Open Gemini → Repeat
4. Open Perplexity → Repeat
5. Record results in spreadsheet
6. Repeat for 50+ queries
Time: 4-8 hours weekly

With Query Explorer:

Process:
Add queries to dashboard (or auto-discover)
Platform tests all queries automatically
View citation status across all AI platforms
Track changes over time
Export reports
Time: 5 minutes weekly

Core Features

Feature 1: Multi-Platform Testing

Test across all major AI platforms simultaneously:

Query: "best CRM software for small business"

Results (real-time):
┌─────────────┬────────────┬─────────────────────┐
│ Platform    │ Cited?     │ Position            │
├─────────────┼────────────┼─────────────────────┤
│ ChatGPT     │ ✓ Yes      │ #2 (after Salesforce)│
│ Claude      │ ✗ No       │ Not mentioned       │
│ Gemini      │ ✓ Yes      │ #4                  │
│ Perplexity  │ ✓ Yes      │ #1 (top citation)   │
└─────────────┴────────────┴─────────────────────┘

Citation Rate: 75% (3/4 platforms)
Share of Voice: 18% (you vs competitors)

Feature 2: Citation History

Track citation changes over time:

Query: "CRM implementation cost"

Citation Timeline:
Jan 1:  ✗✗✗✗ (0% - not cited anywhere)
Jan 8:  ✓✗✗✗ (25% - ChatGPT added you)
Jan 15: ✓✗✓✗ (50% - Gemini added you)
Jan 22: ✓✓✓✗ (75% - Claude added you)

Trend: ↗ +75pp in 3 weeks
Action: Optimizations working! Continue strategy.

Feature 3: Competitor Tracking

See who's cited when you're not:

Query: "enterprise CRM comparison"

Your Status: ✗ Not Cited

Competitors Cited:
1. Salesforce.com (4/4 platforms)
2. G2.com (3/4 platforms)
3. Gartner.com (2/4 platforms)

Gap Analysis: You have similar content but not cited
Opportunity: Optimize E-E-A-T signals, add schema markup
Priority: HIGH (competitor dominance)

Feature 4: Query Scoring

AI-powered opportunity ranking:

Query Score (0-100) = Weighted formula:

Search Volume (30%): Monthly query frequency
Citation Gap (25%): You should be cited but aren't
Competition (20%): Competitor citation density
Relevance (15%): Match to your content/products
Trend (10%): Growing vs declining query

Example:
Query: "CRM ROI calculator"
- Search Volume: 8,900/mo → 85 points
- Citation Gap: You have content, not cited → 100 points
- Competition: 2 competitors cited → 60 points
- Relevance: Exact match to your tool → 100 points
- Trend: +35% MoM growth → 90 points

Total Score: 84/100 → HIGH PRIORITY

Getting Started

Step 1: Add Your First Queries

Manual entry:

Dashboard → Query Explorer → Add Query

Enter query: "best CRM for real estate"
Select platforms: [x] All (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity)
Track frequency: Weekly
Add to list: "Real Estate Vertical"

→ Platform tests query immediately
→ Shows citation status in 30-60 seconds

Bulk import:

Dashboard → Query Explorer → Bulk Import

Upload CSV with queries:
query,category,priority
"CRM software comparison",Product,High
"CRM implementation cost",Buying,Medium
"CRM vs spreadsheet",Awareness,Low

→ Platform processes 100+ queries in 2-3 minutes

Step 2: Review Citation Status

Dashboard view:

Query Explorer Results:

Cited (35 queries):
✓ "CRM features comparison" - 4/4 platforms
✓ "sales automation tools" - 3/4 platforms
✓ "contact management software" - 2/4 platforms

Not Cited (15 queries):
✗ "CRM implementation guide" - 0/4 platforms
✗ "CRM ROI calculator" - 0/4 platforms
✗ "CRM data migration" - 0/4 platforms

Mixed (20 queries):
◐ "CRM pricing tiers" - 2/4 platforms (ChatGPT, Gemini)
◐ "CRM integrations" - 1/4 platforms (Perplexity only)

Step 3: Identify Opportunities

Query gap filter:

Filter: Show queries where...
- You have relevant content ✓
- Citation Rate < 50%
- Competitor cited in 2+ platforms
- Query Score > 70

Results: 12 high-opportunity queries

Top Opportunities:
1. "CRM implementation checklist" (Score: 89)
   - You: 0/4 cited
   - Competitor (G2): 4/4 cited
   - Your content: /guides/crm-implementation (exists!)
   - Action: Optimize for AEO, add schema

2. "CRM ROI calculation" (Score: 84)
   - You: 1/4 cited (Perplexity only)
   - Competitor (Salesforce): 3/4 cited
   - Your content: /tools/roi-calculator
   - Action: Enhance E-E-A-T signals

Query Discovery Strategies

Strategy 1: Keyword Expansion

Start with core terms, expand systematically:

Core: "CRM software"

Intent Modifiers:
- Best: "best CRM software"
- Top: "top CRM software 2025"
- Compare: "CRM software comparison"
- Review: "CRM software reviews"

Audience Modifiers:
- Industry: "CRM for real estate"
- Size: "CRM for small business"
- Use Case: "CRM for sales teams"

Feature Modifiers:
- Function: "CRM email integration"
- Pricing: "free CRM software"
- Technical: "cloud CRM software"

= 50+ query variations to test

Use Query Explorer's expansion tool:

Dashboard → Query Explorer → Expand Query

Enter seed: "CRM"
Select expansion type: [x] Intent [x] Audience [x] Features
Generate → 127 related queries

Auto-test all → Results in 3-4 minutes

Strategy 2: Competitor Queries

Reverse-engineer competitor citations:

Dashboard → Competitor Analysis → Extract Queries

Enter competitor: g2.com/categories/crm

Platform analyzes:
- Queries where competitor is cited
- Citation frequency
- Your status on same queries

Results:
45 queries where G2 cited, you're not:
1. "CRM software reviews" - G2: 4/4, You: 0/4
2. "CRM user ratings" - G2: 4/4, You: 1/4
3. "CRM vendor comparison" - G2: 3/4, You: 0/4

Import to Query Explorer → Track progress

Strategy 3: Content-First Discovery

Extract questions from your existing content:

Dashboard → Query Explorer → Scan Content

Enter URL: yoursite.com/blog/crm-guide

AI extracts implicit questions answered:
- "What is CRM software?"
- "How much does CRM cost?"
- "Which CRM is best for small business?"
- "How to implement CRM?"

Auto-add to Query Explorer → Test citations

Result: 23 queries extracted from 1 article
Citation Rate: 8/23 (35%) - room for improvement!

Strategy 4: Search Console Integration

Import actual search queries:

Dashboard → Integrations → Google Search Console

Connect GSC account
Import top queries (last 90 days)

Filter: Impressions > 100, Position > 10

Result: 340 queries where you rank but not page 1
Test in AI platforms → Find citation opportunities

Example:
Query: "CRM implementation timeline"
- GSC: Position 12 (page 2)
- AI Citation: 0/4 platforms
- Opportunity: Optimize content, may improve both

Citation Gap Analysis

What is a Citation Gap?

Definition:

Citation Gap = Query where you SHOULD be cited but AREN'T

Criteria for "should be cited":
1. You have high-quality content on topic ✓
2. Content is publicly accessible ✓
3. Content is indexed by search engines ✓
4. Competitors with similar content ARE cited ✓
5. But you're not cited (0-25% citation rate) ✗

= Optimization opportunity

Gap Identification Workflow

Automated gap detection:

Dashboard → Query Explorer → Citation Gaps

Platform analyzes:
1. Your content inventory (sitemap scan)
2. Tested queries (Query Explorer database)
3. Competitor citations (tracking data)

Identifies gaps:
┌────────────────────────────┬──────────┬────────────┬─────────┐
│ Query                      │ You      │ Competitor │ Gap     │
├────────────────────────────┼──────────┼────────────┼─────────┤
│ CRM implementation guide   │ 0/4 (0%) │ 4/4 (100%) │ CRITICAL│
│ CRM pricing comparison     │ 1/4 (25%)│ 3/4 (75%)  │ HIGH    │
│ CRM features checklist     │ 2/4 (50%)│ 4/4 (100%) │ MEDIUM  │
└────────────────────────────┴──────────┴────────────┴─────────┘

CRITICAL gaps: Optimize immediately
HIGH gaps: Schedule this sprint
MEDIUM gaps: Monitor, optimize as capacity allows

Gap Resolution Process

Example: Closing a CRITICAL gap

Gap: "CRM implementation guide"
- Current: 0/4 citations
- Target: 3/4 citations (75%)
- Timeline: 4 weeks

Week 1: Content Audit
→ Review /guides/crm-implementation
→ Identify missing elements (no schema, weak intro)

Week 2: Optimization
→ Add FAQPage schema
→ Rewrite intro (answer-first structure)
→ Add author credentials
→ Update publish date

Week 3: Re-test & Monitor
→ Query Explorer: Test query daily
→ Track citation changes

Week 4: Results
→ New citations: 2/4 (ChatGPT, Gemini)
→ Citation Rate: 0% → 50% (+50pp)
→ Gap status: CRITICAL → LOW

Competitive Query Analysis

Competitor Citation Dashboard

Track competitor presence across your target queries:

Dashboard → Competitor Analysis → Add Competitors

Add competitors:
- salesforce.com
- hubspot.com
- g2.com

Query set: "CRM Software" (50 queries)

Results - Share of Voice:
┌──────────────┬───────────┬────────────────────┐
│ Competitor   │ Citations │ Share of Voice     │
├──────────────┼───────────┼────────────────────┤
│ Salesforce   │ 38/50     │ 19% (76 total)     │
│ HubSpot      │ 32/50     │ 16%                │
│ G2.com       │ 28/50     │ 14%                │
│ YOU          │ 22/50     │ 11% ← Target: 20%  │
└──────────────┴───────────┴────────────────────┘

Gap: -8pp behind HubSpot
Opportunity: Win 5 more queries → 14% SoV

Head-to-Head Query Analysis

Compare performance on individual queries:

Query: "CRM software comparison"

Citation Details:
ChatGPT:
  1. Salesforce ← competitor
  2. HubSpot ← competitor
  3. [YOU] ← position 3
  4. Zoho

Claude:
  1. G2.com ← competitor
  2. Capterra
  (You: not cited)

Gemini:
  1. [YOU] ← position 1!
  2. Salesforce
  3. HubSpot

Perplexity:
  1. Salesforce
  2. [YOU] ← position 2
  3. HubSpot

Summary:
- Platforms citing you: 3/4 (75%)
- Average position when cited: 2.0
- Top position: 1/4 (Gemini)
- Action: Optimize for Claude (only gap)

Query Optimization Workflow

5-Step Optimization Process

Step 1: Prioritize Queries

Query Explorer → Sort by Query Score (High to Low)

Top 10 queries by opportunity:
1. "CRM implementation checklist" (Score: 89)
2. "CRM ROI calculator" (Score: 84)
3. "CRM data migration guide" (Score: 81)
...

Select top 5 → Add to "Sprint 1 Optimization"

Step 2: Content Audit

For each query, review existing content:

Query: "CRM implementation checklist"
Content: /guides/crm-implementation

Audit checklist:
□ Answer-first intro (first 60 words)
□ Schema markup (HowTo or FAQPage)
□ Author credentials visible
□ Updated in last 90 days
□ Comparison table or structured list
□ Links to authoritative sources
□ Meta description optimized

Current status: 2/7 ✓ → Many improvements needed

Step 3: Implement Changes

Optimizations (priority order):
1. Add HowTo schema (15 min)
2. Rewrite intro to answer-first (30 min)
3. Add checklist table (20 min)
4. Update published date (2 min)
5. Add author bio with credentials (10 min)

Total time: ~90 minutes per query
Batch optimize: 5 queries in half-day session

Step 4: Test & Monitor

After optimization (wait 7-14 days for AI re-crawl):

Query Explorer → Re-test query

Before: 0/4 citations (0%)
After:  2/4 citations (50%)

Platforms added:
✓ ChatGPT (position 3)
✓ Gemini (position 2)

Still missing:
✗ Claude
✗ Perplexity

Next action: Further E-E-A-T improvements

Step 5: Iterate

If citation rate < target after 30 days:

Analyze top-cited competitors:
- What schema do they use?
- How is intro structured?
- Author credentials?
- Link profile?

Apply learnings → Re-optimize → Re-test
Continue until 75%+ citation rate achieved

Advanced Features

Real-Time Query Testing

Test custom queries instantly:

Dashboard → Query Explorer → Test Query

Enter query: "What CRM integrates with Gmail?"
Click "Test Now"

Real-time results (30-60 seconds):
┌─────────────┬────────┬──────────────────────────┐
│ Platform    │ Status │ Your Mention             │
├─────────────┼────────┼──────────────────────────┤
│ ChatGPT     │ ✓      │ "...HubSpot and YourCRM" │
│ Claude      │ ✗      │ (not mentioned)          │
│ Gemini      │ ✓      │ "YourCRM offers..."      │
│ Perplexity  │ ✓      │ Position 1               │
└─────────────┴────────┴──────────────────────────┘

Save to tracking: [Add to Dashboard]

Query Collections

Organize queries by campaign/theme:

Collections:
📁 Product Launch Q1 (25 queries)
📁 Competitor Defense (18 queries)
📁 Vertical Expansion (42 queries)
📁 Brand Awareness (33 queries)

Track collection performance:
"Product Launch Q1"
- Avg Citation Rate: 45%
- Top Query: "new CRM features 2025" (100%)
- Worst Query: "CRM pricing changes" (0%)
- Collection trend: +12pp this month

Alerts & Notifications

Set up citation change alerts:

Dashboard → Query Explorer → Alerts

Create alert:
- Trigger: Citation rate drops >10pp
- Query: Any in "Top 50 Keywords"
- Notification: Email + Slack
- Frequency: Daily check

Example alert received:
⚠ Citation drop detected!

Query: "best CRM software"
Previous: 4/4 (100%)
Current: 2/4 (50%)
Lost: ChatGPT, Claude

Action required: Investigate content changes

Platform Features:

Tracking Strategies:

Metrics:

🆘 Need Help?

Query Explorer Support:

Best Practices:

Last updated: 2025-01-18 | Edit this page

🎯 Quick Summary​

📋 Table of Contents​

🔑 Key Concepts at a Glance​

🏷️ Metadata​

What is Query Explorer?​

Purpose​

The Query Problem​

Core Features​

Feature 1: Multi-Platform Testing​

Feature 2: Citation History​

Feature 3: Competitor Tracking​

Feature 4: Query Scoring​

Getting Started​

Step 1: Add Your First Queries​

Step 2: Review Citation Status​

Step 3: Identify Opportunities​

Query Discovery Strategies​

Strategy 1: Keyword Expansion​

Strategy 2: Competitor Queries​

Strategy 3: Content-First Discovery​

Strategy 4: Search Console Integration​

Citation Gap Analysis​

What is a Citation Gap?​

Gap Identification Workflow​

Gap Resolution Process​

Competitive Query Analysis​

Competitor Citation Dashboard​

Head-to-Head Query Analysis​

Query Optimization Workflow​

5-Step Optimization Process​

Advanced Features​

Real-Time Query Testing​

Query Collections​

Alerts & Notifications​

📚 Related Topics​

🆘 Need Help?​