Definition block template for "what is X" queries
Reshape the "what is X" page so the first paragraph is the clean, self-contained definition answer engines lift — and the rest is the evidence.
- Sanity / CMS
- Google Docs
- Notion
- ChatGPT
- Perplexity
Rewrite our "what is an ai marketing agent" page with a definition block.
- Read the pageDefinition buried in paragraph 3 of the intro
- Rewrote definition-firstClean definition in the first sentence under the H1
- Added FAQPage schema6 supporting blocks marked up
- Verified the liftDefinition now lifts in ChatGPT and Perplexity
The definition moved from paragraph three to sentence one, and the page now lifts in ChatGPT and Perplexity where it did not before. The supporting blocks carry FAQPage schema, and the H1 matches the "what is an ai marketing agent" prompt exactly.
A definition block template serves the definitional query — "what is an ai marketing agent" — which is the one AI answer engines route most. The fix is to make the first paragraph under the H1 the definition, self-contained and answer-first, so an engine can lift it whole. The rest of the page is the evidence that supports the definition; the definition is the part that gets quoted.
What is a definition block template?
A rewrite pattern that puts a clean, self-contained definition in the first paragraph under the H1, then supports it with the rest of the page. The definition is the part an engine lifts; the rest is the evidence that makes the lift credible.
Rewrite the definition
- Put the definition in the first sentence under the H1
- Make it self-contained — true with no surrounding context
- Support with evidence in the rest of the page
Mark up and ship
- Add a question-shaped H1 that matches the prompt
- Pair with FAQPage schema for the supporting blocks
- Validate that the definition lifts in AI answers
Why does definitional query content need a rewrite?
Because most "what is X" pages bury the definition under a narrative intro. An answer engine lifts the first sentence, so a page that takes three paragraphs to define loses the lift to a competitor that defines in one. The rewrite makes the first sentence the definition.
How do "what is" blocks match AI prompts?
The prompt is "what is X"; the heading is "What is X?"; the first sentence is the definition. The match is exact, which is why definitional pages earn the lift more often than narrative pages that cover the same ground.
What makes a definition extractable for llm definition extraction?
Self-containment. The sentence reads true with no surrounding context — no "as we discussed", no "the table above", no "in this article". An engine that lifts a context-dependent sentence gets a broken answer, so it skips those pages.
How the definition block template fits your stack
The agent reads the page from your CMS, proposes the definition-first rewrite, and emits the visible copy with FAQPage schema for the supporting blocks. It pairs with the AI extractability audit so the audit flags definitional pages and this template executes the rewrite.
- Sanity / CMS
- Google Docs
- Notion
- ChatGPT
- Perplexity
Who uses this definition block template
- SEO teams
- Win the "what is X" queries AI engines route.
- Content leads
- Get a rewrite pattern that ships consistently.
- Founders
- Make the definitional pages AI engines reach for first.
How to run this definition block template in Metaflow
Point at the page
The "what is X" page you want quoted.
Review the rewrite
Definition-first paragraph with supporting evidence.
Add the schema
FAQPage for the supporting blocks.
Ship and verify
Export to CMS and confirm the definition lifts.
What you provide
- Page to rewrite
- The clean definition
- Supporting evidence
What you get back
- Definition-first rewrite
- Question-shaped H1
- FAQPage schema
- Validation report
Why use this definition block template?
Puts the definition in the first sentence, where engines lift
Makes the definition self-contained so it survives lifting
Pairs with the extractability audit for the fix workflow
Question-shaped H1 matches the prompt exactly
Definition block template FAQs
What is a definition block?
A self-contained first paragraph under the H1 that defines the term, supported by the rest of the page. The definition is the part an answer engine lifts; the rest is the evidence that makes the lift credible.
How do you write a definition for AI search?
Make the first sentence the definition, self-contained, and answer-first. No narrative intro, no context references — the sentence reads true with nothing around it. The rest of the page supports the definition; it does not lead up to it.
Why do "what is X" pages need a rewrite?
Because most bury the definition under a narrative intro, and an engine lifts the first sentence. A page that takes three paragraphs to define loses the lift to a competitor that defines in one.
Should the definition block have schema?
Yes — FAQPage for the supporting blocks and a question-shaped H1 that matches the prompt. The schema makes the page machine-readable, but the definition is still the part that gets quoted.
Similar AEO checklists and AI visibility templates
Key takeaways
- The definition goes in the first sentence, where engines lift
- Self-containment is what makes a definition extractable
- The rest of the page is evidence, not a lead-up