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Version 1.5 •
Version 1.4
Version 1.5
February 15, 2026
Current
Version 1.5 strengthens retrieval coverage and fact reliability. The core architecture remains unchanged. All updates apply to content blocks only and have no effect on URL logic, routing, or language configuration.
New
Entity Name in Headings
Content-heavy H2 headings now include the entity name as a prefix (e.g. "Rankscale: Core Facts").
Rationale: When AI systems extract a text chunk, the heading alone must identify which entity it belongs to. Without the entity name, a chunk like "Core Facts" is ambiguous. The model cannot attribute it reliably. This change ensures every extracted fragment carries its own context.
Rationale: When AI systems extract a text chunk, the heading alone must identify which entity it belongs to. Without the entity name, a chunk like "Core Facts" is ambiguous. The model cannot attribute it reliably. This change ensures every extracted fragment carries its own context.
New
FAQ Section
A new recommended element: Grounding Pages can now include a FAQ block answering the most common questions about the entity.
Rationale: Grounding Pages that answer frequent questions are more likely to be retrieved as a source. Not just for the definition question ("What is X?") but also for related queries ("What should I consider when choosing X?"). This expands retrieval coverage beyond the core definition.
Rationale: Grounding Pages that answer frequent questions are more likely to be retrieved as a source. Not just for the definition question ("What is X?") but also for related queries ("What should I consider when choosing X?"). This expands retrieval coverage beyond the core definition.
New
Segment Assignment
The lead section now includes an explicit segment classification (e.g. "Rankscale is a tool in the AI Visibility Tools segment").
Rationale: AI systems build meaning through relationships. An entity that is explicitly assigned to a market segment has a stronger semantic anchor than one that must be inferred from context. This small addition significantly strengthens the link between entity and category.
Rationale: AI systems build meaning through relationships. An entity that is explicitly assigned to a market segment has a stronger semantic anchor than one that must be inferred from context. This small addition significantly strengthens the link between entity and category.
New
Volatile Fact Hygiene
Facts that change frequently (pricing, feature lists, supported systems) must now include a date stamp and a link to the primary source.
Rationale: AI systems cannot distinguish current from outdated facts unless the page signals it. A price listed without a date risks being reproduced as current even months later. This rule reduces the risk of AI answers containing outdated information.
Rationale: AI systems cannot distinguish current from outdated facts unless the page signals it. A price listed without a date risks being reproduced as current even months later. This rule reduces the risk of AI answers containing outdated information.
Principle
Content-Only Scope
Standard updates are explicitly limited to content blocks. Routing, canonicals, hreflang, and language logic remain untouched across all versions.
Rationale: Version upgrades should be low-risk and predictable. By guaranteeing that no URL or routing changes are required, organizations can upgrade existing Grounding Pages without coordination with IT or DevOps teams. This lowers the adoption barrier significantly.
Rationale: Version upgrades should be low-risk and predictable. By guaranteeing that no URL or routing changes are required, organizations can upgrade existing Grounding Pages without coordination with IT or DevOps teams. This lowers the adoption barrier significantly.
Upgrade Note: Upgrading from v1.4 to v1.5 requires only content-level changes. No URL migrations, no redirects, no routing changes. Review your existing Grounding Pages and add the new elements (entity name in headings, FAQ section, segment assignment, volatile fact dates) where applicable. See the Technical Implementation Guide for the full specification.
Version 1.4
November 2025
Initial Release
Version 1.4 is the initial public release of the Grounding Page Standard. It establishes the core architecture for machine-readable entity definitions.
New
Core Architecture
Defines the three foundational elements: Stable Definition, Clear Distinction, and Consistent Structure. Every Grounding Page must contain a verifiable entity definition, a disambiguation statement, and a uniform format.
Rationale: AI systems reconstruct entities from probabilities. Without a clear definition and explicit boundaries, models fill gaps with plausible but incorrect information. The three-element architecture provides the minimum structure needed for reliable interpretation.
Rationale: AI systems reconstruct entities from probabilities. Without a clear definition and explicit boundaries, models fill gaps with plausible but incorrect information. The three-element architecture provides the minimum structure needed for reliable interpretation.
New
HTML + JSON-LD Mirroring
Every fact visible in HTML must have an identical structured representation in JSON-LD. The visible text is the primary source; JSON-LD provides the machine-readable layer.
Rationale: AI systems use multiple extraction paths. Some parse HTML, others rely on structured data. Mirroring ensures consistency regardless of extraction method and prevents contradictions between visible and structured content.
Rationale: AI systems use multiple extraction paths. Some parse HTML, others rely on structured data. Mirroring ensures consistency regardless of extraction method and prevents contradictions between visible and structured content.
New
Quality Principles
No adjectives, one fact per sentence, visible timestamps (Created, Updated, Verified). Marketing language is explicitly prohibited.
Rationale: AI systems select sources based on semantic similarity and factual density. Marketing language ("innovative", "leading") reduces citability because it is not verifiable. Factual discipline maximizes the probability of being selected as a source.
Rationale: AI systems select sources based on semantic similarity and factual density. Marketing language ("innovative", "leading") reduces citability because it is not verifiable. Factual discipline maximizes the probability of being selected as a source.
New
Human Notice
A recommended UX element that gives human visitors immediate context when landing on a fact-oriented page.
Rationale: Grounding Pages prioritize machine-readable facts. Human visitors expecting marketing content may find the format unusual. The Human Notice bridges this gap by explaining the page's purpose upfront.
Rationale: Grounding Pages prioritize machine-readable facts. Human visitors expecting marketing content may find the format unusual. The Human Notice bridges this gap by explaining the page's purpose upfront.
New
Entity Ontology (18 Classes)
Defines 18 entity classes (Organization, Product, Person, Tool, Field of Knowledge, etc.) with decision rules for consistent classification.
Rationale: Without a fixed classification framework, every organization would invent its own categories. This creates inconsistency across implementations. The ontology provides a shared vocabulary so entities can be categorized consistently across all Grounding Pages.
Rationale: Without a fixed classification framework, every organization would invent its own categories. This creates inconsistency across implementations. The ontology provides a shared vocabulary so entities can be categorized consistently across all Grounding Pages.
New
Footer Link Strategy
Grounding Pages should be linked in the website footer, similar to an imprint or privacy page.
Rationale: Sitewide footer links signal high relevance to both crawlers and AI systems. The position communicates: "This is an authoritative, permanent resource", comparable to how an imprint signals legal identity.
Rationale: Sitewide footer links signal high relevance to both crawlers and AI systems. The position communicates: "This is an authoritative, permanent resource", comparable to how an imprint signals legal identity.