Quick answer
Group results by market, language, interface, search mode and question-set version. Retest within each group, then compare the groups side by side. A report can include several countries without merging them into one undifferentiated overseas result. Keep translated prompts, API samples and consumer-interface observations identifiable, and disclose conditions you cannot control.
Details
Record a condition table, not just the model name
| Field | What to retain | Common confusion |
|---|---|---|
| Target market | Market described by the buying need; sampling location in a separate field | Mentioning a country is not proof of sampling from it |
| Language and questions | Exact wording, version and buying intent | A translation is not another measurement of the original prompt |
| Interface | Consumer product or API, with the product/version you can confirm | A shared brand name does not establish a shared interface |
| Search and context | Confirmed search mode, login and conversation context | Unknown settings cannot be assumed identical |
| Time and sampling | Time window, planned samples and completed samples | A failed sample is not a missing-brand answer |
This is a recording method, not a statement that any tool can control all these fields. Label unconfirmed or uncontrollable conditions and keep their implications in the interpretation.
Separate intent matching from comparable retesting
Questions in different languages can be paired by buying intent, such as asking for suppliers for the same application. Each language still needs its exact wording and its own baseline. Pairing helps investigate differences; it does not turn two language samples into one before-and-after series.
Within a market, retain the original prompt, interface and search conditions for retesting. A material change in questions, interface or market scope needs a corresponding baseline and a change record, rather than an overwritten result.
Present a cross-market report that can be checked
For each group, state planned and completed sampling and record mentions, shortlist inclusion, reasons, factual checks and visible citations separately. Explain which prompts, interfaces and completed samples form the denominator. Identify failed samples and answers without displayed sources.
Place groups side by side and explain shared purchasing requirements, different conditions and unresolved differences. An aggregate should retain its group composition so changes in question volume or interfaces do not hide individual results. Movement in one market cannot establish performance elsewhere or prove that a content edit caused the change.
Keep API and consumer-interface observations distinct
An API answer does not automatically represent what an overseas buyer sees in a consumer product. Where interface, search, login or context differ, retain separate records. Matching prompt text alone does not make one group a substitute for the other. See the retesting guide and web-search comparison.
Common questions
Q: How should we group export GEO results by market, language and interface?
A: Identify each group using target market, language, specific interface, search mode and question-set version. Record the actual sampling location separately and mark unknown conditions; grouping by model name alone loses relevant distinctions.
Q: How do we compare AI recommendations across countries?
A: Compare changes within each country's baseline first, then present inclusion, reasons, accuracy and citations side by side. Disclose differences in requirements, sampling and uncontrolled conditions rather than treating a country difference as an optimization result.
Q: Can API results stand in for a buyer's ChatGPT experience?
A: Not automatically. Retain the API configuration and answers, and record consumer-interface conditions separately. Report them as distinct groups unless you have evidence supporting the comparison.
Q: Can translated prompts be treated as the same GEO baseline?
A: They can share a buying-intent identifier, but each language needs its own prompt version and baseline. A translated or rewritten question should not be silently appended to the original before-and-after series.