Case Study: How Depends Became Belgium's Most Well-Known GEO Agency Using PR-Driven Brand Building

As AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews change how people search online, the rules of visibility are shifting fast. In this case study, we look at how Depends — a Belgian SEO agency — responded to this shift by launching a new service: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Instead of relying on old SEO tactics, Depends took a bold, PR-led approach to build authority and visibility in AI search results. The result? They quickly became the most recognized GEO agency in Belgium.

The Challenge

With traditional SEO becoming less effective, Depends set out to launch a new kind of service and rethink what it means to be visible online. Their goal was ambitious: become the top name in Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) in Belgium by focusing on innovation, not algorithms.

The Strategy

Depends didn’t just join the market, they pioneered in a new category. As Belgium’s first GEO agency, they offered something completely new: a different kind of partner for brand visibility.

Depends knew that AI search answers don’t rely only on keywords. They rely on mentions, citations, and strong stories across the internet. So they focused on growing through PR first.

Key Tactics

🔥 Powerful Launch Campaign

They put out a clear and attention-grabbing press release calling themselves “Belgium’s first GEO agency.” It sounded urgent and newsworthy.

🗞️ Coverage by Top Media

Big tech and business news sites in Belgium picked up the announcement. Many of these articles now show up on AI platforms when people search for “best GEO agency Belgium.”

Overview of some publications:

• TechPulse.be
• DVO.be
• ICT Magazine
• FEWEB

💡 Brand Building for AI

By showing up in expert articles and summaries, Depends made sure their brand was mentioned on pages with useful content. These non-linked mentions are very important for visibility in AI tools.

📊 Digital PR Instead of Linkbuilding

Instead of trying to get backlinks, Depends focused on being mentioned in smart, relevant ways across respected websites. New studies show that brand mentions help with AI visibility three times more than links do.

The Results

In just a few months:

✅ #1 GEO Agency in AI Results

Depends is now regularly named by ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews when people ask for the best GEO agencies in Belgium.

Their visibility went from 10% to over 60% in just a few weeks:

This is thanks to their own content ranking well in AI search results, as well as articles on other websites (publications) that are frequently cited as sources by different LLMs.

📢 PR-Driven Growth

PR efforts drove a major boost in visibility, with a sharp increase in searches for terms like ‘Depends GEO agency.’

📡 Multi-Platform AI Presence

Because of their strong brand mentions, Depends now appears in results from Gemini, Perplexity, and ChatGPT.

Key Takeaways

PR is very important if you want to dominate in AI search. If you’re not getting your brand mentioned on respected websites, you won’t show up in AI-generated answers.

Unlinked mentions are more valuable than backlinks. The old method of building links is less important. What matters now is being present, relevant, and respected online.

Building your brand isn’t just for show, it’s how people (and AI) find you. The most effective GEO campaigns are planned like brand campaigns, not just keyword strategies.

The Future of GEO

This case study demonstrates that the future of search optimization lies not in traditional SEO tactics, but in building genuine brand authority through strategic PR and thought leadership. As AI continues to reshape how people discover information, agencies and brands that can establish themselves as trusted sources through media coverage and expert positioning will have a significant advantage.

The Depends story shows that being first to market with a new service category, combined with strong PR execution, can create rapid visibility gains in the AI search landscape. Their approach of focusing on brand mentions rather than traditional backlinks aligns perfectly with how AI engines evaluate and cite sources.