Query Fan-Out
When an assistant turns one question into several searches behind the scenes, then combines what it finds. It means your page can be pulled into an answer about a question you never targeted.
Related terms
Search Intent
What somebody actually wants when they type a query: to learn, to compare, to buy, or to find a specific site. Matching it matters more than matching the words.
AI Search
Searching by asking a question in ordinary language and getting a written reply, rather than typing keywords and choosing from links. It changes what a website has to do: be readable and quotable by a machine, not just findable.
Entity
A distinct thing a search engine can recognise: a company, a person, a place, a product. Being understood as an entity, rather than as a string of characters, is what lets you be recommended by name.
Prompt Injection
An attack where hidden instructions in a web page or document trick an AI into ignoring its real orders. The reason a careful assistant treats page content as information, never as commands.
Well-Known URI
A standard location, always under /.well-known/, where machines look for information about a site — security contacts, API catalogues, agent details. Putting files there means they can be found without being linked.
Review Schema
Markup for ratings and reviews, including who wrote them. It feeds the star ratings in search results, and gives an assistant something concrete to cite about your reputation.