Your customers aren’t only Googling anymore. They’re asking ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google’s own AI answers who to call for generative engine optimisation. Here’s how to make sure the answer is you.
Search has changed — quietly, but fast
For twenty years, getting found online meant one thing: ranking on page one of Google. That still matters. But a growing share of people now skip the list of links entirely. They type a question — “Who’s the best physio in Pretoria for a sports injury?” or “Which engineering firm in Gauteng does structural inspections?” — and an AI gives them a short, confident answer with two or three names in it related to generative engine optimisation.
The scale is no longer small. OpenAI reported more than 900 million weekly ChatGPT users by early 2026, and Google now shows an AI Overview above the normal results on roughly a quarter of US searches — far more on informational questions.
When that AI summary appears, fewer people scroll down and click. Ahrefs’ study of 300,000 keywords found that top-ranking pages get about 58% fewer clicks when an AI Overview is present. A randomised field experiment published in April 2026 (Agarwal & Sen) found AI Overviews cut outbound organic clicks by almost 40%. And it isn’t only organic: Seer Interactive found paid click-through rates on those same queries dropped sharply too — something every business running Google Ads should be paying attention to.
The takeaway is simple: if you’re not in the AI’s answer, you’re increasingly invisible — even if you rank well.
So what is GEO?
GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) is the practice of making your business the one that AI tools mention, cite and recommend. You’ll also hear it called AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) or AI visibility. They all mean the same thing.
Traditional SEO aims for a position on a results page. GEO aims for a place inside the answer itself.
The term comes from a 2024 research paper by Princeton, Georgia Tech, the Allen Institute for AI and IIT Delhi. The researchers showed that targeted changes to a website could lift its visibility in AI answers by up to around 40%. Knowing which changes, for which business, is where the expertise comes in.
GEO doesn’t replace SEO — it’s built on it
This is the part many people miss. AI assistants don’t invent their recommendations out of thin air; most of them search the web first and then summarise what they find. Ahrefs analysed 1.4 million ChatGPT prompts and found that about 88% of the pages ChatGPT cites come from its ordinary web search results.
In other words: a well-optimised, well-structured, trustworthy website is still the foundation. GEO is the next layer on top — making sure that when the AI reads your site, it understands exactly who you are, what you do, where you do it, and why you’re credible.
Why GEO isn’t a DIY job
AI tools weigh a large number of signals — from your own website and from across the wider web — before they decide which businesses to name. Each platform behaves differently: ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google’s AI Overviews don’t all pick the same sources, and the way they choose keeps changing.
Getting it right takes specialist tools, ongoing testing and someone watching the results every month. Small, well-placed changes can make a big difference, but the wrong changes waste time and money. That’s exactly the work we take off your hands.
What CompFix’s AI visibility service includes
- AI visibility audit — where your business currently stands across the major AI platforms.
- Competitor benchmarking — which competitors AI tools recommend instead of you, and how often.
- Done-for-you GEO optimisation — we make the improvements to your website and online presence for you.
- Ongoing tracking — the questions your customers ask, monitored month after month.
- Clear reporting — AI visibility results included alongside your regular SEO reports.
Measuring AI visibility
Google Search Console tells you how you rank on Google. But it can’t tell you whether ChatGPT recommends you, or whether a competitor’s name comes up instead when someone asks Gemini for your service in your area.
That’s what AI visibility tracking does. We set up the questions your customers are likely to ask — for example “best homeopath in Johannesburg” or “bank guarantees for construction tenders” — and track, over time:
- whether your business is mentioned in the AI’s answer,
- whether your website is cited as a source,
- which competitors appear instead, and
- how that changes as we improve your site and online presence.
That turns GEO from guesswork into something measurable, reported alongside your normal SEO results.
The bottom line
The businesses that show up in AI answers today are building a lead that will be hard to catch later. The sooner you know where you stand, the sooner we can close the gap.
Want to know whether AI tools are recommending your business — or your competitors? CompFix now offers AI visibility tracking and GEO optimisation. Get in touch and we’ll show you where you stand.
Contact CompFix
Find out whether ChatGPT, Gemini and Google’s AI are recommending your business, or your competitors. Book your AI visibility audit today and we’ll show you exactly where you stand.
- Book in online: compfix.co.za/book-in
- Call or WhatsApp: 082 469 4575
- Email: info@compfix.co.za
- Hours: Monday to Thursday 08:00 to 16:00, Friday 08:00 to 15:00 (visits by appointment)
- Location: Alberton North
Frequently asked questions
What is generative engine optimisation (GEO)?
GEO is the work of making your business the one that AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google’s AI Overviews mention and recommend when people ask about your type of service.
Is GEO the same as SEO?
No, but the two are closely linked. SEO is about ranking in Google’s list of results. GEO is about being named inside the AI’s answer. A strong SEO foundation helps, but ranking well on Google doesn’t guarantee that AI tools will recommend you.
Does GEO replace SEO?
No. Most AI tools rely on search results to build their answers, so SEO is still essential. GEO is an extra layer that protects your visibility as more people turn to AI for answers.
Which AI platforms does CompFix track?
We track the major AI platforms your customers are most likely to use, including ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity and Google’s AI Overviews.
How do I know if AI tools are recommending my business?
You can’t see this in Google Analytics or Search Console. Our AI visibility audit shows whether your business is mentioned, whether your website is cited, and which competitors appear instead.
Can I do GEO myself?
AI platforms change often and each one behaves differently, so getting reliable results takes specialist tools and ongoing monitoring. That’s why we handle it for you, from the first audit to monthly reporting.
How long does it take to see results?
It depends on your industry, your competitors and where you’re starting from. Because we track your visibility every month, you’ll be able to see the progress for yourself in your reports.
I already have an SEO provider. Can CompFix still help?
Yes. Our AI visibility audit and tracking can run on their own, so you can find out where you stand in AI search no matter who manages your SEO.
Does AI search affect my Google Ads?
It can. When Google shows an AI answer at the top of the page, people often click less, on ads as well as on normal results. Tracking your AI visibility gives you a fuller picture of how customers are finding you, and how they might be missing you.
Sources
- GEO: Generative Engine Optimization — Aggarwal et al., KDD 2024 (summary via Wellows)
- Ahrefs — AI Overviews reduce clicks (300,000-keyword study)
- Search Engine Journal — Field study: AI Overviews cut organic clicks
- PPC Land — Agarwal & Sen randomised study (SSRN, April 2026)
- PPC Land — Seer Interactive: organic and paid CTR on AI Overview queries
- Elite Content Marketer — 94 GEO statistics (Ahrefs ChatGPT citation data)
- Konabayev — GEO statistics 2026 (ChatGPT weekly users)
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