Case study · Canada · AEO and GEO · Dec 2024 to Oct 2026
Becoming the answer AI gives Canadian cloud buyers
In December 2024, a Canadian cloud service provider was cited in zero Google AI Overviews for its Canadian keywords. By September 30, 2026 it was cited in 21, three times its nearest Canadian competitor. In Q3 2026 its domain was the most-cited domain for sovereign cloud across tracked AI prompts, with 560 citations, ahead of canada.ca and microsoft.com.
What were the results?
| Result | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 21 vs 7 | Google AI Overview citations vs the nearest Canadian competitor, up from 7 on Aug 5 and 0 in Dec 2024 | Semrush Position Tracking, Sep 30, 2026 |
| 560 | Citations to the client's domain, the #1 most-cited domain for sovereign cloud, ahead of canada.ca and microsoft.com | AI visibility report, Q3 2026 (Semrush data) |
| 287 | Citations to the sovereign cloud page, the #1 most-cited URL across tracked prompts | AI visibility report, Q3 2026 (Semrush data) |
| 8 of 10 | Buyer prompts that name the client in ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity; 100% on the top category prompt | AI visibility report, Q3 2026 (Semrush data) |
| 38 vs 20 | AI brand mentions vs the nearest Canadian competitor (+90%) | Semrush AI Visibility, Canada, Oct 2026 |
| 22–25% | AI share of voice vs direct Canadian competitors, 4–5x the quarterly target | AI visibility report, Q3 2026 (Semrush data) |
What was the challenge?
The client was cited in no Google AI Overviews for its Canadian keywords in December 2024. By July 2026, OVHcloud was cited in 19 AI Overviews to the client's 11, and AI assistants rarely named the brand.
What did I do?
- Structured the sovereign cloud pillar page and the data residency guide around the questions buyers ask AI.
- Tracked AI Overview citations and AI prompt mentions against Canadian competitors in Semrush.
- Refreshed the sovereignty content in September 2026 to win back citations from OVHcloud.
Which buyer prompts name the client?
These prompts named the client in ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, AI Mode and Gemini (Semrush AI Visibility, Canada, Oct 3, 2026):
- “canadian cloud providers”
- “cloud providers in canada”
- “canadian cloud storage”
- “How do Canadian providers handle offsite backups and data residency for servers?”
- “What are the best cloud backup solutions for MSPs and small businesses?”
What should you know before reading too much into it?
- The lead was not permanent. OVHcloud overtook the client in mid-2026, and the September refresh was what won citations back.
- AI answers change from run to run. These figures are Semrush's tracked samples, not every answer every buyer sees.
Who did this work?
I did this work in-house as the lead for AI search visibility and organic growth at a Canadian cloud service provider, 2024 to 2026. The client isn’t named. Numbers come from Google Analytics 4 and Semrush, with client details blurred in the screenshots. Download the slide deck (PowerPoint) for the charts.