The AI Query Opportunities feature finds real questions people ask AI where the answers are incomplete, then recommends content you should create to fill those gaps.

What This Feature Does

Discovers content opportunities where:

  • Users actively ask AI chatbots about topics in your space
  • AI platforms give generic or incomplete answers
  • Few or no authoritative sources are cited
  • Creating comprehensive content could get you cited

Unlike keyword research tools that show search volume, this shows AI search volume — how often people ask AI about a topic, not Google.

Finding Opportunities

Navigate to Analytics > AI Visibility > Query Opportunities or click AI Query Opportunities in the main AI Visibility dashboard.

First-Time Setup

Before opportunities can be discovered:

  1. Configure brand keywords in Settings > General > Brand Keywords
  2. Verify SEO integrations are active (Settings > Integrations)
  3. Click Discover Opportunities Now to run your first analysis

Discovery takes 1-2 minutes. The system:

  • Queries AI mention databases for real user questions
  • Analyzes which queries have weak AI answers
  • Filters for relevance to your business
  • Cross-checks Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity for additional gaps
  • Scores each opportunity (0-100) by winability

Understanding Opportunity Scores

Each opportunity gets a score (0-100) based on:

AI Search Volume (0-50 points): Higher volume = more people asking this question.

Gap Bonus (0-40 points): Fewer cited sources = easier to win.

First-Mover Bonus (+10 points): Zero cited sources = no competition yet.

Already Cited Penalty (-20 points): Your domain already appears for this query.

Score Interpretation

70+ (Green): High-value opportunity. Few competitors, strong search volume. Prioritize these.

40-69 (Yellow): Moderate opportunity. More competition but still winnable if you create superior content.

0-39 (Gray): Low-priority. Either low volume or too many established sources. Consider only if highly relevant.

Opportunity Details

Each opportunity shows:

Query: The actual question users ask AI. Example: "how to choose sustainable swimwear materials"

AI Search Volume: Estimated monthly volume for this query across AI platforms.

Current Cited Sources: Number of domains AI platforms currently cite. Lower is better.

Gap Description: What's missing from current AI answers. Auto-generated explanation of why the opportunity exists.

Recommended Angle: Specific content approach to win the citation. Example: "Create comprehensive guide comparing material sustainability scores with data tables."

Platform Gaps (C, G, P): Shows which AI platforms give weak answers:

  • Red letter = platform doesn't mention your brand (opportunity)
  • Green letter = platform already cites you (no action needed)
  • C = Claude, G = Gemini, P = Perplexity

Taking Action

Creating a Brief from an Opportunity

Click Create Brief next to any opportunity. The system:

  1. Generates a custom content brief
  2. Includes the AI query as the target keyword
  3. Adds opportunity context to the brief analysis
  4. Marks the opportunity as "Brief Created"
  5. Redirects you to the brief page

The brief includes:

  • Full opportunity analysis
  • Recommended content angle
  • Suggested structure for AI pickup
  • Competitive analysis if available

Dismissing Opportunities

Click the X button to dismiss irrelevant opportunities. Dismissed opportunities:

  • Move to the "Dismissed" tab
  • No longer appear in "New" filter
  • Don't get auto-recreated on next discovery run

When to dismiss:

  • Query not relevant to your business
  • Too generic or broad to address credibly
  • Competitor advantage is too strong
  • Already have content covering this topic

Filter Tabs

New: Opportunities discovered but not acted on yet. Start here.

Brief Created: Opportunities where you've already created a content brief. Track progress here.

Dismissed: Opportunities you've rejected. Hidden from main view but retrievable if needed.

All: Complete list across all statuses.

Discovery Frequency

Scheduled: Opportunities are discovered automatically weekly (Enterprise), biweekly (Professional), or monthly (Starter).

Manual: Click Discover New to run discovery anytime. Useful when you've added new brand keywords or entered a new topic area.

Last Analyzed: Top of page shows when opportunities were last refreshed.

Opportunity Expiration

Opportunities expire after 14 days from discovery. Why:

  • AI landscape changes rapidly
  • New competitors may fill the gap
  • Query trends shift quickly

Expired opportunities are automatically removed. If the gap still exists, it will reappear on the next discovery run.

Best Practices

1. Act Fast on High-Score Opportunities

Opportunities with scores 70+ won't stay open long. Other platforms and content creators discover these gaps too. Create briefs within 3-5 days of discovery.

2. Focus on First-Mover Opportunities

Zero cited sources means AI platforms have no authoritative answer. These are the easiest wins. Your content could become the primary source cited.

3. Check Cross-Platform Gaps

If all three platforms (Claude, Gemini, Perplexity) show red, the gap is universal. High probability of pickup across multiple AI platforms if you create strong content.

4. Review Dismissed Opportunities Monthly

Dismissed opportunities may become relevant later as your business evolves. Review the "Dismissed" tab quarterly and reactivate any that now fit your strategy.

5. Match Opportunities to Content Themes

Cross-reference opportunities with your Content Themes (Settings > Content Strategy). Opportunities aligned with existing themes integrate better into your content calendar.

6. Don't Ignore Moderate-Score Opportunities

Yellow opportunities (40-69) can still drive significant AI visibility if the topic is central to your business. Higher competition means you need deeper, more comprehensive content to win.

7. Use Opportunity Context in Briefs

The brief created from an opportunity includes the gap analysis and recommended angle. Don't delete this context — it guides the content generator to create citation-worthy content.

Content Angle Recommendations

The system suggests specific angles based on gap analysis. Common patterns:

"No comprehensive guide exists": Create definitive resource with data, examples, case studies.

"Current sources are outdated": Focus on recent data, 2025-2026 examples, current best practices.

"Generic answers lack specifics": Include data tables, comparison charts, specific methodologies.

"Expert perspectives missing": Add expert quotes, original research, survey data, case studies.

"Unclear structure": Use clear H2 sections, numbered lists, step-by-step formats that AI can parse easily.

AI Pickup Optimization Tips

Content created from opportunities has higher AI pickup potential if you:

1. Answer the Query Directly First

AI platforms extract the first clear answer they find. Put the answer in the first paragraph, then elaborate below.

2. Use Schema Markup

Structured data helps AI platforms identify key facts. Add FAQ schema, HowTo schema, or Article schema.

3. Include Data Points and Statistics

AI trusts quantifiable information. Add percentages, dollar amounts, timeframes, comparison data.

4. Create Clear Heading Hierarchy

AI parses H2s and H3s to understand content structure. Use descriptive headings that match common questions.

5. Add Expert Credentials

Author bios with expertise signals increase trust. AI platforms prioritize content from recognized authorities.

6. Use Tables and Lists

Structured formats (numbered lists, comparison tables, bullet points) are easier for AI to extract and cite.

Understanding Discovery Limits

Seed Keywords: Discovery analyzes up to 10 brand keywords per run.

Queries Per Keyword: Checks up to 20 real user queries per keyword (200 max per run).

Relevance Filtering: ILLIXIS filters out irrelevant queries. Typical 30 raw queries to 10-15 final opportunities after filtering.

Cross-Platform Checks: Only top 5 opportunities get Claude/Gemini/Perplexity gap analysis.

FAQ

Q: Why don't I have any opportunities? Check:

  1. Brand keywords are configured (Settings > General)
  2. Keywords are relevant to your business
  3. SEO integrations are active (Settings > Integrations)
  4. At least one discovery run completed

If all above are true but no opportunities appear, your brand keywords may be too competitive (all gaps already filled) or too generic (no specific user queries).

Q: What's a good opportunity score?

  • 70+: Prioritize immediately. High-value, low-competition.
  • 50-69: Create content if relevant to your business.
  • 40-49: Consider only if highly aligned with strategy.
  • Below 40: Usually not worth the effort unless niche-specific.

Q: Can I manually add opportunities? Not directly. The system discovers opportunities automatically. However, you can create a brief for any topic manually and optimize it for AI pickup using the same principles (clear structure, data, expertise signals).

Q: Why did my opportunity disappear? Opportunities expire after 14 days. Either:

  • Competitors filled the gap (more sources cited now)
  • Query trend declined
  • Your site now ranks for it (detection prevented re-creation)

If the gap persists, it will reappear on the next discovery run.

Q: How do I know if content created from an opportunity succeeded? Track in AI Visibility Dashboard:

  1. Run weekly AI visibility scans
  2. Check "Recent Mentions" for queries matching your opportunity
  3. Monitor citation status (cited vs. visible but not cited)
  4. Check cross-platform presence (Claude, Gemini, Perplexity)

Give it 2-4 weeks after publishing for AI platforms to pick up new content.

Q: Can I edit the opportunity details before creating a brief? No. The brief creation is one-click. However, after the brief is created, you can edit all fields including the recommended angle, target keyword, and content structure.

Q: What if an opportunity is only partially relevant? Create the brief but modify the angle. The gap analysis gives you the "what" (query demand exists), but you control the "how" (content approach). Adjust the brief to match your expertise and brand voice.

Q: Why are some opportunities marked "already cited"? The discovery process checks if your domain appears in current AI citations. If you already rank, the opportunity still shows (with lower score) so you can see competitive context, but it's lower priority.

Q: How often should I run discovery? Enterprise: Weekly (auto-scheduled) Professional: Biweekly (auto-scheduled) Starter: Monthly (auto-scheduled)

Manual runs are useful when:

  • Adding new brand keywords
  • Entering a new market or topic area
  • Launching a new product or service

Q: Can I export opportunities? Not currently. Opportunities are designed for immediate action (create brief, dismiss). If you need to share, take screenshots or copy details into a spreadsheet.

Related Features

  • AI Visibility Dashboard: Track whether content created from opportunities gets cited by AI
  • Content Briefs: Opportunities auto-generate briefs optimized for AI pickup
  • Maya: Ask Maya "show me AI opportunities" for natural language access
  • Weekly Planner: AI opportunities appear in weekly content recommendations

Getting Help

No opportunities appearing? Check:

  1. Brand keywords configured (Settings > General)
  2. SEO integrations active (Settings > Integrations)
  3. Discovery run completed (check "Last Analyzed" date)
  4. Keywords aren't too broad (try more specific terms)

Questions about opportunity quality? Ask Maya: "Explain this AI opportunity" with the query text for contextual analysis.

Want to understand platform gaps? Review the AI Visibility Dashboard help guide for details on how Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity tracking works.

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AI-Optimized Brief Recommendations | Help Center | ILLIXIS™ | ILLIXIS