The 4 buyer query types every brand should track

"AI visibility" averaged across all queries is a vanity metric. The real picture appears when you split queries by shape — because each shape is a different decision stage, and each rewards different content.

The four shapes

1. Comparison queries — "X vs Y"

The buyer has narrowed to two options and wants to choose. These convert at the highest rate but they're also the most contested. Comparison pages on competitor domains often win these.

Optimization: publish your own "Brand X vs Competitor Y" pages. Be specific, fair, and include FAQ schema.

2. Recommendation queries — "best X for Y"

The buyer is in discovery. They want a curated list. Listicles dominate. If you're in the top 3 of the canonical listicle, you'll be in 80% of ChatGPT's answers.

Optimization: pursue inclusion in the top "best of" listicles on high-DR sites.

3. Problem queries — "how do I X"

The buyer has a job to do and isn't yet thinking in terms of products. These are the lowest-converting queries but they're where you build top-of-funnel awareness. HowTo content with examples and step-by-step structure wins.

Optimization: publish how-to guides with HowTo schema. Mention your product as one of the tools that solves the problem.

4. Feature queries — "tool with the best X"

The buyer is sophisticated and shopping on a specific attribute. These are rare but high-intent. Detailed feature comparison content wins.

Optimization: publish granular feature pages. Be specific about what you do and don't do.

The actionable insight

Your visibility on each query type tells you where you're winning the funnel and where you're not. A brand at 40% on recommendation queries but 5% on comparison queries has a clear problem: buyers can find them but lose them at the comparison stage. The fix is comparison pages, not more listicle outreach.

AEO Scanner tags each generated query with its shape and reports visibility split four ways. Use the split to decide what to ship next.