How Spicy Broccoli Became ChatGPT-Recommended? – A Case Study
GEO is not just a theory. We have already tested it ourselves.
At Spicy Broccoli Media, we noticed a shift when our SEO team began casually asking ChatGPT general queries and getting results that felt eerily similar to Google’s search results, except more nuanced, relevant, and often localised.
That’s when we realised, AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini aren’t playing around, they’re becoming the first stop for real search answers and recommendations.
If you are still new to the GEO jargon, be sure to check out the first article in our 3-part GEO blog series, “Your Business Deserves A Bigger Stage: Why GEO Marketing Matters Now?”
Now back to how it all happened…
Phase 1: Research AI Mentions
It started with a reality check.
We typed prompts like “Top creative agencies in Australia” and “Best web design agency in Sydney” into ChatGPT, Google AI (Gemini) and Perplexity.
Spicy Broccoli wasn’t appearing in the answers. In fact, many of the results were either outdated or irrelevant, and we knew we had better credibility than that.
That’s when we realised this was our opportunity.
If we weren’t showing up in AI-generated answers, we needed to understand why and start fixing it.
Phase 2: Audit Our Content
We asked what’s actually being said about us online, and is it still accurate? We combed through our main service pages, checking whether it clearly stated who we help, what we do, and why it matters. Any content that felt fluffy, overly general, or outdated got flagged for a rewrite.
Then, we turned to our blog archive. Some articles were still driving traffic, but the formatting and tone weren’t aligned with what AI tools now favour: clear answers, structured sections, and natural, helpful language. We refreshed these pieces with FAQs, bullet points, and intent-based headlines to make them more scannable and AI-friendly.
We weren’t prioritising churning out new content. It was about tightening and elevating what we already had, and that made all the difference for the steps that followed.
Phase 3: Refine & Structure for AI
Once we’ve identified the problems, it’s time to get to work and tighten up the content. We ensured our brand story was presented clearly, our tone of voice was consistent, and we provided intent-based messaging for our services. We refreshed our old blog posts using conversational language, FAQ-style sections, and cleaner formatting.
Phase 4: Add Schema & Structured Data
Then came structured data. A crucial step that helps AI understand what your content is about and how it connects to real-world services, people, and places.
We implemented schema markup on key website pages like ‘Service’ and ‘Blog’ pages using tools like Schema.org and JSON-LD. This included structured data for local business info, FAQs, and articles. While invisible to users, this extra metadata gave AI a clearer view of our authority in creative services.
Think of it like digital nutrition labels; structured data feeds AI the right details, in the right format.
Phase 5: Narrow Focus with Local and Niche Terms
We realised broad keywords weren’t helping us stand out. And instead, leaned into using target-specific keywords like ‘Northern Beaches’ and ‘Creative Agency Sydney’ to highlight our local presence and niche service areas.
We would show up as the right fit for specific concerns, targeted clients in a specific place.
Phase 6: Create & Update Content Regularly
Now that we nailed the structure and specificity, making it all consistent is the next priority. We published new blogs and case studies that aligned with common AI-style questions and phrasing.
Phase 7: Test the Results
GEO isn’t “set and forget.”
We regularly tested our work by re-running AI prompts and prompting other relevant queries to see if we were being mentioned.
We’d tweak page titles, add FAQs, or rephrase intros based on how AI responded. This step helped us iterate and learn fast. And after 2–3 months of effort, we started showing up in exactly the types of results we were aiming for.
The Results: We Asked ChatGPT, and… We Were #1
And finally…after a whole lot of back and forth, applying GEO principles across our core pages and blogs and asking the same questions to AI like it was a magic talking mirror.
“Who’s the best web design agency in the Northern Beaches?”
And there we were… Spicy Broccoli Media. Top of the list. Phenomenal!
Although we don’t have hard rankings like Google, this visibility brought us qualitative wins:
✓ More leads mentioning ChatGPT or “found you through AI tools”
✓ Stronger brand recall in early-stage sales convos
✓ Increased credibility from clients seeing us cited by AI tools
Wrapping Up What We Learnt (and What Surprised Us)
- Local mentions worked like magic. Referencing suburbs or regional terms improved our chances of getting picked up.
- Narrative-style content wins. Context is everything. Case studies and testimonials written like stories were more quotable by AI.
- Specific > Broad. Clarity and intent mattered more than being clever or keyword-heavy.
- AI likes clean, well-structured content. Formatting matters.
What This Means for Your Business
If a boutique creative agency like us can show up in AI-generated answers, so can your brand.
You don’t need to be the biggest or the loudest. You need to be clear, helpful, and well-structured.
And you can start small:
- Audit how AI tools currently describe you (or don’t)
- Focus your messaging on what real people actually search for
- Be specific, local, and human in how you explain your brand
Ready to Be the Answer?
We’ve done this for ourselves, and now we’re helping others do it too. GEO isn’t a fad, it’s the next layer of visibility, and it’s already changing how customers discover brands.
If you’re ready to stop being just another link and start being the recommendation. We’d love to help.
