Query Type Alignment: Writing for Definitional, Procedural, and Evaluative Queries

Retrieval can use lexical, semantic, entity, and structural signals; it is not accurately described as keywords versus answers. SiteNexis uses query-type alignment as an editorial diagnostic: a definitional question needs a clear definition, while a procedural question needs an ordered action sequence. The framework evaluates whether a section directly serves its declared reader task without claiming to reproduce a provider's private retrieval logic.

To apply the framework, write the page's primary question in one sentence, label its query type, and inspect the first section without the title or navigation. If that section cannot answer the question on its own, move the definition, procedure, comparison criteria, or factual scope into the section before adding secondary query types.

The Six Query Types

• Definitional — "What is X?" — state the entity, its category, and the attributes that distinguish it
• Comparative — "Is X better than Y?" — name both options, use consistent criteria, and state where each option fits
• Procedural — "How do I X?" — identify prerequisites, order the actions, and describe the observable result
• Evaluative — "Is X suitable?" — disclose the criteria, trade-offs, scope, and limitations behind the judgment
• Factual — "When was X?" or "How much is X?" — keep the value with its unit, effective date, and source where one is required
• Navigational — "Where can I find X?" — make the canonical identity, destination, and relevant location or contact context unambiguous

Why Single-Page Content Often Fails Multiple Query Types

A typical product page is written to convert — it describes features, benefits, and pricing in a narrative format optimized for human persuasion. This format is poorly aligned with definitional queries (no explicit entity definition), procedural queries (no numbered steps), and evaluative queries (no structured pros/cons). Aligning a page to multiple query types requires restructuring, not just rewriting.

Query Type Analysis in SiteNexis

The Conversational Readiness score in SiteNexis measures query type alignment across six query types for each page. It identifies which query types the page is currently well-aligned to, which it is misaligned to, and recommends structural changes that would improve alignment for the highest-value query types for the page's topic.