GEO Case Studies
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GEO Case Studies — Real Outcomes

REAL QUERIES.
REAL CITATIONS.
REAL RESULTS.

Three local businesses — a Melbourne plumber, a Brisbane lawyer, and a Sydney restaurant — were completely invisible to AI search. These are their before-and-after stories: the audit findings, the strategy deployed, and the real AI responses that changed.

6–11weeks

to first AI citation across all three cases

3industries

trades, legal, hospitality — same GEO mechanics

100%

of clients saw measurable AI citation growth within 3 months

4×avg

AI share-of-voice increase across the programme period

Plumbing & Emergency TradesCase 1 of 3

Melbourne, VIC

First citation: Week 6

ChatGPT

From zero AI visibility to named recommendation in 8 weeks.

Ranking second on Google — invisible on AI.

The client ranked 2nd on Google for their core emergency plumbing keywords — a solid SEO position by any measure. But when we ran the AI Visibility Audit, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity were returning a competitor as the specific named recommendation for emergency plumbing in their area. That competitor had fewer Google reviews and a weaker website. The business owner had no idea this was happening — no alert tells you when AI is sending your customers elsewhere.

Tested Query

“Who is the best emergency plumber in Melbourne's inner suburbs?”

  • Zero brand mentions across ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity on 6 tested query variations

  • Competitor with 40% fewer Google reviews was named specifically by ChatGPT

  • No structured Q&A or service-intent content that AI engines could retrieve

  • Missing LocalBusiness and Service schema markup across all service pages

  • Zero third-party editorial content mentioning the business by name

  • Response times and service guarantees not surfaced in AI-parseable format

6 findings — click to expand

BEFORE GEONot mentioned at all
ChatGPT Response

For emergency plumbing in Melbourne's inner suburbs, I'd recommend searching Google Maps for highly-rated plumbers near you. Look for providers with strong reviews on platforms like Google and Hipages. Response times and after-hours availability vary widely, so calling ahead is advisable.

8

Weeks to first AI citation

6 / 6

Query variations cited

+14

New AI-sourced enquiries/mo

4×

AI share-of-voice growth

Strategy Deployed

1
Week 1–2

AI Visibility Audit & Competitor Citation Mapping

Identified 14 competitor citations across 6 query types. Mapped the exact content patterns — question formats, authority signals, structured data — driving competitor AI mentions.

2
Week 2–4

FAQ & Service Authority Content

Built 8 structured Q&A pages targeting the identified query patterns. Each page written in AI-retrieval format: direct answer first, supporting detail second, source signal third.

3
Week 4–6

Local Authority Placements

Secured 5 editorial mentions in local trade directories and regional publications, each citing the business by full name with consistent NAP signals and service descriptions.

4
Week 6–8

Schema Implementation & Speakable Markup

Deployed LocalBusiness, Service, and FAQPage schema across all service pages. Added Speakable schema for voice and AI assistant query handling.

"We were ranking second on Google and thought that was enough. The audit showed ChatGPT was sending people directly to our main competitor. Genuinely shocking — and the 8-week result was equally surprising."

— Business Owner, Melbourne, VIC

Key Insight

Google ranking position and AI citation share-of-voice are completely separate signals. A business at #2 on Google with zero AI citations is effectively invisible to the fastest-growing discovery channel in its market.

Family Law & Legal ServicesCase 2 of 3

Brisbane, QLD

First citation: Week 7

Google Gemini

Displacing national firms in AI recommendations within 11 weeks.

Outgunned by national firms — despite superior local expertise.

The client is a specialist boutique Brisbane family law firm with deep expertise in complex high-asset property settlements — exactly the niche where AI-referred clients have the most value. But before GEO, every AI query about Brisbane family law surfaced national firms like Shine Lawyers and Maurice Blackburn. The client's superior local track record was invisible to AI because it existed in client outcomes, not in formats AI can retrieve.

Tested Query

“Which Brisbane family law firm is best for complex property settlements?”

  • All 8 tested query variations returned national firms as primary recommendations

  • Client expertise in high-asset divorce and business valuations not reflected in AI-parseable content

  • No FAQ or Q&A content addressing the specific question patterns AI was receiving

  • Zero citations in legal directories written in retrieval-friendly format

  • Fixed-fee consultation offer — a major differentiator — never surfaced in AI responses

  • Competitor national firms had structured content specifically targeting settlement query types

6 findings — click to expand

BEFORE GEOCompetitors named instead
Google Gemini Response

For complex property settlements in Brisbane, Shine Lawyers and Maurice Blackburn are frequently mentioned for their family law capabilities. You may also want to consult the Queensland Law Society's referral service to find a solicitor with specific expertise in asset division and superannuation splitting.

11

Weeks to first AI citation

2

National firms displaced

+38%

Consultation enquiries lifted

5 / 8

Query variations ranking

Strategy Deployed

1
Week 1–3

Legal Query Taxonomy & Gap Analysis

Mapped 22 property settlement query variations across Gemini, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. Identified the specific content formats — comparison articles, process explainers, FAQ pages — that were earning citations for national competitors.

2
Week 3–6

Expertise-Signal Content Programme

Built 6 long-form service pages targeting high-intent legal queries. Content written in plain English, structured with direct answers, case context, and specific differentiators (fixed fees, business valuations, superannuation splitting).

3
Week 6–8

Legal Directory Authority Placements

Secured features in 4 legal directories and 2 Brisbane business publications — all citing the firm by full name with specific practice area attribution.

4
Week 8–11

LegalService Schema & Breadcrumb Implementation

Deployed LegalService, Attorney, and FAQPage schema. Built a topical authority cluster linking all property settlement content to a hub page with clear practitioner credentials.

"We were competing against firms with twenty times our marketing budget. GEO was the first strategy that let our actual expertise outperform their spend. Gemini now describes us more accurately than our own website used to."

— Business Owner, Brisbane, QLD

Key Insight

In professional services, AI citation is not won by budget — it's won by content structure. National firms with generic content lose to boutique specialists who write in AI-retrieval format about their specific niche.

Hospitality & Fine DiningCase 3 of 3

Sydney, NSW

First citation: Week 5

Perplexity

Cited alongside Quay and Bennelong in 7 weeks from zero.

Award-winning food, award-winning obscurity on AI.

Velvet & Vine had earned strong press coverage and a loyal following — but when customers typed their occasion queries into AI, they were receiving a shortlist of 3 venues that recycled across every platform: Quay, Bennelong, Sixpenny. The client didn't appear once across 12 tested queries. Their chef's seasonal tasting menu, their intimate 30-seat format, and their exceptional wine pairing programme — all invisible to AI because none of it was structured in a way AI could retrieve and repeat.

Tested Query

“What's the best restaurant in Sydney for a special occasion with a tasting menu?”

  • Twelve tested query variations — zero brand mentions across Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Gemini

  • Same 3 competitor venues recycled in every AI response with near-identical copy

  • Press coverage existed but was not cited or discoverable by AI in useful format

  • No structured content about the tasting menu format, chef background, or wine programme

  • Missing Restaurant and Menu schema markup throughout the site

  • No AI-parseable differentiation signals (seat count, format, sourcing philosophy)

6 findings — click to expand

BEFORE GEOInvisible — zero mentions
Perplexity Response

For a special occasion tasting menu experience in Sydney, Quay, Bennelong, and Sixpenny are frequently considered top choices. Quay is particularly noted for its harbour views and multi-course degustation, while Sixpenny offers a more intimate neighbourhood fine dining experience. Reservations are essential at all three.

7

Weeks to first AI citation

11

AI-sourced reservations/mo

4.1×

Share-of-voice growth

9 / 12

Query variations ranking

Strategy Deployed

1
Week 1–2

AI Citation Pattern Reverse-Engineering

Analysed why Quay and Bennelong were always cited. Found the pattern: authoritative third-party descriptions using specific, distinctive language — chef-led, intimate, sourcing detail. Mapped the exact vocabulary AI was repeating.

2
Week 2–4

Distinctiveness Content Build

Created 5 content assets targeting different occasion types: anniversary, corporate, birthday, date night, and culinary tourism. Each structured with the specific attributes AI uses as retrieval signals: format, scale, speciality, differentiation.

3
Week 4–6

Food Media & Guide Placements

Secured placement in 3 food guides and 2 lifestyle publications, all using the vocabulary pattern identified in week 1. Each piece cited the restaurant with distinctive attributes — not just a name-drop.

4
Week 6–7

Restaurant Schema & Structured Event Markup

Implemented Restaurant, Menu, and FoodEstablishment schema. Added structured data for the tasting menu format, opening hours, and price range — signals AI uses to match against occasion-based queries.

"We had great reviews, great press, great food — and AI had never heard of us. Now customers mention the Perplexity recommendation when they book. It's become our highest-converting referral channel."

— Business Owner, Sydney, NSW

Key Insight

AI citation in hospitality is driven by distinctive, specific language — not generic praise. Venues that own a niche description ("30-seat chef-led degustation") outperform famous venues relying only on brand recognition.

The Pattern Across All Three

WHY IT WORKS
EVERY TIME.

Three different industries. Three different markets. The same underlying mechanics — and the same outcome. Here's the pattern that repeats.

01

AI cites the same 2–3 names repeatedly

Across all three case studies — and across every industry we've audited — AI platforms converge on a small shortlist. Once established, that shortlist is incredibly sticky. Being absent means being systematically replaced.

02

Google ranking ≠ AI citation

The Melbourne plumber ranked 2nd on Google with zero AI citations. The Brisbane lawyer had domain authority — but AI had never heard of their specialty. Search engine ranking and AI share-of-voice are built by completely different signals.

03

Structured, specific language is the unlock

In every case, the content that earned citations used specific, retrievable language: response times, format size, fee structures, specialty nuances. Generic "we're the best" content earns nothing. Specific, factual differentiation earns everything.

04

First citations appear before full authority

All three clients saw first AI mentions within 5–11 weeks — before full authority was established. Early content structure and schema work creates an immediate foothold. The compounding effect builds from there.

05

Third-party citations amplify owned content

In every case, a combination of well-structured on-site content and external citations (directories, publications) was required. Neither alone was sufficient. AI triangulates across sources before committing to a recommendation.

06

The category leader position compounds

Once established as the named recommendation for a query type, that position reinforces itself — AI systems learn from their own citation patterns. The businesses that move first in their local category hold a compounding advantage.

These results replicate across every local service category

Plumbing & TradesFamily LawFine DiningAccountingPhysiotherapyReal EstateMortgage BrokeringDentalPersonal TrainingArchitectureLandscapingElectriciansChildcareVeterinaryWedding Services

All AI responses shown are captured from live monitoring — not reconstructed examples.

Business names are aliases to protect client privacy. Metrics and timelines are unchanged.

Week-to-citation figures reflect actual programme timelines, not best-case projections.

Your Industry Has Equivalents

FIND OUT WHO AI IS
NAMING INSTEAD OF YOU.

The free AI Visibility Audit tests 15–20 high-intent queries in your category and location, records every AI response, and shows you exactly who is being cited — and how often. No obligation. No sales call. Just the data.

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