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HomeGlossaryCategory query
Glossary

Category query

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Definition

A category query asks about the category rather than a company: "how to choose a GEO provider", "which bookkeeping firm is good". The user does not yet have a shortlist.

Why it matters

This is the commercially valuable layer, and the one a brand's own site cannot win alone — models answering category questions lean on third-party sources.

Related terms

Concepts that only make sense together

Brand query

A brand query names the company directly: "is XX reliable", "what does XX do". The user already knows the brand and is checking it.

 Authoritative source

An authoritative source is one a model treats as carrying weight: outlets with a real editorial process, encyclopedia entries, official registries and standards bodies. Authority here is behavioural — it is whatever models actually cite.

 Long-tail semantic keyword

A long-tail semantic keyword is a narrow, specific question — usually combining a category with a location, an industry or a situation. Individually low in volume, collectively large.

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