FAQ Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) & AI Discoverability: 25 Questions, Answered
More South African businesses are starting to ask the same questions about showing up in ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews. We’ve pulled together the 25 questions we hear most, from “what actually is GEO” through to “how do I choose a provider,” and answered them directly, in the same structured way we build this into client sites.
Problem Understanding the Problem
GEO is the practice of structuring a business’s website and content so AI systems, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews, can find, understand, and recommend it when someone asks a relevant question. Where traditional SEO earns a spot on a results page, GEO earns a mention inside the AI-generated answer itself. It relies on clear entity signals, structured data, and content written to be directly citable.
Problem Finding a Supplier
There’s no single official ranking, since GEO is still an emerging category; the more useful test is asking a shortlist of agencies to show specific evidence of GEO work (schema changes, citation tracking, before/after AI visibility data), not just a claim that they “do GEO.” IMS is a Fourways-based agency that has been preparing client sites for AI-driven search since December 2022.
Deciding Vetting & Deciding
Pricing varies widely by scope; a standalone AI visibility audit is often offered free or low-cost, while ongoing GEO (entity work, schema, content, and tracking) is typically priced similarly to a mid-tier SEO retainer. Get a clear breakdown of what’s included before comparing quotes, since “GEO” means different things depending on the provider.
Industry Industry-Specific
For e-commerce, GEO overlaps closely with product feed structure, review signals, and clear product/service schema; look for an agency with retail-specific GEO experience rather than a generalist offering. IMS has applied GEO principles to online grocery and retail clients as part of broader SEO and paid media work.
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