Turning a South African Manufacturer into an African Authority

Durocast is a South African manufacturer of specialised refractory products. For years, most of their digital visibility was locked inside South Africa.

They didn’t just want to rank for “refractory products South Africa” anymore.
They wanted real visibility across Africa – in markets like Zambia, Botswana and beyond – wherever buyers and procurement teams were searching.

At the same time, search itself was changing. Google’s AI Mode, Search Generative Experience (SGE), Gemini, ChatGPT, and other AI systems were starting to answer questions directly – often without a click. If these AI engines didn’t understand Durocast, they would never recommend Durocast.

That’s where our Regional AI SEO strategy came in.

From Classic SEO to Regional AI SEO (AEO)

When Durocast partnered with Bunnypants, we made a deliberate shift:

We stopped optimising only for blue links and started optimising for Answer Engines.

Instead of only asking,

“How do we rank this keyword in South Africa?”

we began asking,

“How do we teach AI systems like Google AI Mode, Gemini and ChatGPT to understand and trust Durocast across Africa?”

Our Regional AI SEO approach for Durocast included:

• Regional intent mapping
  Identifying how engineers, buyers and plant managers in other African countries search for refractory products, installations and supply.

• Structured content for African markets
  Optimising and expanding content so it clearly answers questions like:

  • Who is Durocast?

  • What do they manufacture?

  • Which industries do they serve?

  • In which African countries can I buy from them?

• Technical & structured data optimisation
  Using schema and consistent data signals so AI systems can confidently extract facts about:

  • Services

  • Locations and regional coverage

  • Product categories

  • Expertise

• AI training, not just ranking
  Deliberately “coaching” Google’s AI Mode, Gemini and ChatGPT by:

  • Giving them clean, consistent, crawlable information

  • Reinforcing Durocast’s expertise across multiple pages and formats

  • Reducing ambiguity so AI can confidently recommend Durocast over competitors

• Confidence engineering
  Designing content and signals that make AI engines more certain about Durocast – and less certain about competitors that lack clarity, structure or authority.

The result?
Durocast doesn’t just appear in search. They’re becoming the answer.

SEO Case Study Video 1: Regional Keyword Rankings – Proof from African SERPs

“We don’t just rank South African clients; we secure top positions across regional African markets like Zambia and Botswana.”

What this video shows:
In Video 1, we open the series by showing live search results where Durocast ranks prominently in other African countries, not just South Africa.

Key takeaways from Video 1:

• Durocast appears for regional searches related to refractory products in markets like Zambia and Botswana.

• The rankings are not limited to branded keywords – they include high-intent, product and service-related searches.

• This proves that:

  • Our Regional AI SEO doesn’t only work on paper.

  • Search engines in other territories are actively surfacing Durocast to local users.

You can use this video on the case study page as the first, very visual proof:

“Yes, we can help South African companies rank across Africa.”

SEO Case Study Video 2: Google AI Mode – Turning AI into a Regional Sales Representative

In Video 2, we go beyond the classic SERP.

We show how Google’s AI Mode doesn’t just know about Durocast – it can speak about Durocast like a knowledgeable sales rep, especially in relation to African markets.

What this video demonstrates:

• When we ask Google AI Mode questions about:

  • Refractory products

  • Installation

  • Supply and services

  • Within the African region

• Google AI Mode:

  • References Durocast by name

  • Describes their specialised products and services

  • Clearly outlines which African countries they serve

As we ask more specific follow-up questions, Google’s AI Mode builds a multi-layered answer using our optimised content:

• It doesn’t stay at surface level – it goes into:

  • Product categories

  • Applications

  • Regional reach

  • Practical usage

• It demonstrates a deep, structured understanding of who Durocast is and where they operate.

This is the core shift of AI SEO in 2025:

SEO isn’t just about “ranking” anymore – it’s about teaching AI how to talk about your business.

SEO Case Study Video 3: ChatGPT Brand Understanding – Multi-Platform AI Visibility

AI SEO isn’t a one-engine strategy. If you only optimise for Google, you risk disappearing in other AI ecosystems.

In Video 3, we show how ChatGPT now accurately understands and describes Durocast – thanks to the same AI SEO foundations used for Google.

What you’ll see in this video:

• When we ask ChatGPT who Durocast is and what they do, it can:

  • Explain Durocast’s role as a refractory products manufacturer

  • Describe their services

  • Recognise their presence across African markets

• The description is:

  • Accurate

  • Contextual

  • Aligned with how Durocast actually does business

That’s the result of:

• Consistent messaging and content signals across the web

• Well-structured information that LLMs can easily ingest

• A deliberate focus on “training” ChatGPT in parallel with Google’s AI systems

This video proves a critical point:

True AI SEO = multi-platform AI dominance.
Your brand must be understood – and correctly represented – in Google AI, Gemini, ChatGPT, Bing Copilot and beyond.

SEO Case Study Video 4: The Gemini Confidence Gap – When AI Prefers Your Brand

The final video in the series takes things a step further.

Here we don’t just show that AI knows who Durocast is.
We show that it is more confident in recommending Durocast than it is in discussing their biggest competitor.

We call this the “confidence gap.”

What this video highlights:

• Gemini clearly articulates:

  • What Durocast does

  • What they manufacture

  • Who they serve

  • Where they operate in Africa

• When asked about Durocast vs a major competitor:

  • Gemini gives strong, clear, confident statements about Durocast

  • It appears less certain, less detailed and more hesitant about the competitor

That difference doesn’t happen by accident.

It’s the product of:

• Accurate, structured content about Durocast

• Strong topical authority around their niche

• Clear regional signals for African markets

• Reduced noise and ambiguity compared to competitors

In other words:

We engineered a scenario where AI trusts Durocast more than their competitor – and that trust shows up in the way Gemini answers questions.

This is the future of SEO:
Not just “Do we rank?” but “Who does AI believe and recommend?”

Why Should South African Businesses Be Expanding and Venturing Into Africa Right Now?

A Strategic Opportunity Most Local Companies Are Missing

South Africa’s economy has slowed down — but the rest of Africa is accelerating.
Across the continent, countries like Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Kenya, and Ghana are growing faster, investing more aggressively in infrastructure, manufacturing, engineering, mining, agriculture, and renewable energy.

Yet despite the demand, most South African businesses never receive enquiries from other African countries. Not because there’s no opportunity…
…but because their websites were never designed or optimized to be visible outside South Africa.

This is where Regional SEO becomes game-changing.

By having a well-designed website, a structured content framework, and a Regional SEO strategy, your business can start appearing in multiple African markets — wherever the demand already exists. And with thousands of South African expats in key decision-making roles across the continent, the doors are wider open than most realise.

👉 If you want to understand why Africa is the next major growth opportunity — and how to position your business digitally for cross-border expansion — read the full article below.

Read the full article:
Why South African Businesses Should Be Expanding Into Africa Right Now

Key Concepts Explained: Regional AI SEO & Answer Engine Optimization

To make this case study useful beyond Durocast, here are the core ideas behind our strategy.

1. Regional AI SEO (for African Expansion)

Regional AI SEO is our framework for helping businesses:

• Start in one home market (e.g. South Africa)

• Expand visibility into neighbouring African countries

• By optimising for:

  • Local search behaviour

  • Regional keywords and phrases

  • Country-specific signals (e.g. content, examples, location data)

Instead of only “SEO in South Africa”, we deliberately build visibility in Zambia, Botswana, and other African markets where your buyers live and search.

2. Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)

Answer engines are systems that respond with direct answers, not just a list of links:

• Google AI Mode

• Google SGE

• Gemini

• ChatGPT

• Bing Copilot and similar tools

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the process of:

• Structuring your website so that AI engines can:

  • Understand who you are

  • Extract reliable facts

  • Use your content to answer user questions

• Building enough authority and clarity so that:

  • AI trusts what you say

  • You become the “default answer” in your niche

3. Training Large Language Models (LLMs)

You can’t log into Gemini or ChatGPT and “upload” your brand.
But you can train them indirectly by:

• Publishing clear, consistent, fact-checked content

• Reinforcing the same truths across multiple pages and sources

• Using structured data and internal linking to make relationships obvious

• Removing contradictory or outdated information

Over time, the AI starts to:

• Recognise your brand

• Repeat your facts

• Recommend your services

That’s exactly what we demonstrated with Durocast.

4. Engineering the “Confidence Gap”

When AI is more sure about one brand than another, you hear it in the language:

• “Durocast provides…” vs. “This company may…”

• Clear, specific details vs. vague, generic descriptions

We call this the confidence gap.

Our goal with clients is to:

• Increase AI confidence in your brand

• Reduce uncertainty and ambiguity

• Position you as the trusted, recommendable option in your market

Results for Durocast (Summarised)

While this case study focuses on the how, here’s what Durocast gains from Regional AI SEO:

• Cross-border search visibility
  Durocast shows up in African markets outside South Africa for high-intent searches related to refractory products and services.

• AI engines that “know” the brand
  Google AI Mode, Gemini and ChatGPT can accurately:

  • Describe what Durocast does

  • Explain where they operate

  • Position them in the correct industrial context

• Authority in AI answers
  When users ask AI about refractory suppliers in Africa, Durocast is:

  • Referenced

  • Explained

  • Often recommended

• Competitive AI advantage
  Gemini shows more confidence talking about Durocast than about a key competitor – a direct reflection of stronger data, clearer content and deeper optimisation.

Is Regional AI SEO Right for Your Business?

This type of strategy is ideal if:

• You’re a South African company wanting to expand into the rest of Africa, or

• You’re based elsewhere but need visibility across African markets, and

• Your sales depend on:

  • Being discovered online

  • Being trusted by engineers, procurement teams and decision-makers

  • Being correctly represented by AI engines

Industries that benefit strongly include:

• Manufacturing & industrial products

• Engineering & technical services

• Niche B2B providers

• Export-focused businesses

If your competitors are still only chasing “blue links” in one country, you have a window of opportunity.

Work with Bunnypants on Your Regional AI SEO Strategy

The search landscape has changed.
Most users won’t click ten links and “do research.” They’ll ask Google AI, Gemini, ChatGPT or Bing Copilot and trust the answer.

Your choice is simple:

• Either be part of that answer,

• Or disappear behind someone who is.

At Bunnypants, we help you:

• Build a Regional AI SEO strategy for African markets

• Optimise your site for both classic SEO and Answer Engine Optimization

• Train AI systems to speak about your business like a seasoned sales representative

👉 Explore our AI SEO Services page on the Bunnypants website to see:

• How our methodology works

• More AI SEO case studies

• Our AI SEO Calculator for instant investment estimates based on your target regions and keywords.

Or skip straight to a conversation:

📩 Email us at hello@bunnypants.co.za
We’ll provide a complimentary review of your current SEO situation, identify regional opportunities across Africa, and outline a practical AI SEO plan tailored to your business.

📌 FAQ: Regional AI SEO & African Expansion (Based on This Case Study)

1. What exactly is Regional AI SEO?

Regional AI SEO is an advanced form of SEO designed to help South African businesses expand their visibility into other African markets. Instead of ranking only in South Africa, we optimize your content, structure, and AI signals to help your business appear in countries like Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, and more.
The goal is to ensure that Google AI Mode, Gemini, ChatGPT, SGE, and Bing Copilot all understand your brand and recommend you across African search ecosystems.

2. How is Regional AI SEO different from normal SEO?

Traditional SEO focuses on:

• Keyword rankings

• Google’s classic blue links

• Local/national visibility

Regional AI SEO focuses on:

• African region–specific keywords

• Training AI engines to describe and recommend your brand

• Multi-platform visibility in Google AI Mode, Gemini, ChatGPT, and Copilot

• Making AI trust your business more than competitors

• Future-proofing your visibility for zero-click search

3. How long does AI SEO take to show results?

Most clients see tangible improvements in:

• Keyword visibility within 30–90 days

• AI Mode/Gemini/ChatGPT brand comprehension within 60–120 days

• Regional rankings within 2–6 months, depending on:

  • Competition

  • Current domain authority

  • Depth of optimization

  • Content accuracy and structure

Durocast saw their first African regional rankings within months, and their AI visibility consistently improved as we continued optimizing.

4. How much does Regional AI SEO cost?

Costs vary based on:

• Number of target African countries

• Quantity and complexity of keywords

• Technical condition of your website

• Content depth and industry niche

Most clients fall into these ranges:

Entry Package (South Africa & 2+ African countries):
💰 R6,4800 – R10,000 per month

Standard Package (South Africa & 3+ African countries):
💰 R8,640 – R13,000 per month

Regional Expansion Package (South Africa & 5+ African countries):
💰 R12,960 – R18,000+ per month

Enterprise Pan-African AI SEO (South Africa & 10+ countries with high technical depth):
💰 R23,760 – R30,000+ per month

Our AI SEO Calculator on Bunnypants’ website can provide a personalised estimate based on keyword difficulty and regional targeting.

5. Do you guarantee rankings in other African countries?

Yes — but under realistic terms.

We guarantee:

• Improved visibility in targeted African regions

• Correct brand representation in AI engines

• Keyword ranking movement across Africa

• Regional search footprint expansion

However, we do not promise:

• #1 rankings overnight

• Results without structured work

• Rankings in countries unrelated to your product demand

Our commitment is measurable, consistent growth, not unrealistic “instant #1” claims.

6. How do you train ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google AI Mode to understand my brand?

We use a proprietary framework involving:

• Structured data (schema)

• Deep topical content clusters

• Regional-specific contextual content

• Internal linking for relationships

• Removing ambiguity

• Reinforcing brand facts consistently across pages

LLMs (large language models) learn by crawling the public web. When we make your brand:

• clearer,

• more consistent,

• more structured,

• and more deeply contextual…

…AI engines trust it more and begin referencing it automatically.

7. Does Regional AI SEO work for all industries?

It works best for:

• Manufacturing

• Engineering

• Machinery & industrial equipment

• Technical services

• Construction & infrastructure

• Agriculture

• Mining supply

• B2B professional services

It works least for:

• Local-only micro businesses – for this we can do Local SEO

• Single-location service providers – for this we can do Local SEO

• Businesses with limited online competition or outdated websites

8. How do I know if my business is “ready” for African expansion?

You’re ready if:

• You can supply or service customers in other African markets

• You want to grow beyond South Africa

• You have a website with at least basic content

• You want to appear in both traditional and AI-driven search results across the continent

• You’re willing to invest in long-term digital authority

9. Do you provide keyword research for African countries?

Yes — this is part of our onboarding.
We analyse:

• Regional search trends

• Industry-specific African keyword patterns

• Product demand signals

• Competitor visibility (or lack thereof)

• Untapped “regional opportunity keywords”

This is crucial for businesses that want to dominate early in less-competitive African markets.

10. Can Bunnypants help with content writing for African SEO?

Yes.
We write:

• Regional landing pages

• Industry-specific content

• AI-structured content for LLM learning

• Key product/service pages

• Topical clusters for authority

All written for:

• Google

• AI Answer Engines

• Human buyers & procurement teams

11. How do we measure success with AI SEO?

We track:

Traditional Metrics:

• Regional keyword rankings

• South Africa vs. Africa search visibility

• Organic traffic growth

• Conversions and enquiries

AI-Specific Metrics:

• Brand accuracy in Google AI Mode

• ChatGPT’s ability to describe your business correctly

• Gemini’s confidence levels

• Whether AI engines recommend your brand

• The Confidence Gap between you & competitors

12. Is the “confidence gap” real? Does AI really show preference?

Yes — and it is measurable.

Just like in this case study, AI models:

• Show more clarity

• Use more assertive language

• Provide more detail

• Recommend one brand more confidently

…when that brand has better structured data and clearer web signals.

This is one of the biggest opportunities in 2025–2026.