Healthcare is one of the most competitive, with patients having endless options and often needing answers fast. But today, medical practices are facing a changing search landscape. Patients have long relied on Google for health information, with multiple studies as far back as 2012 finding that 77% of online health seekers start with a search engine — a habit that has likely increased over time. But times are changing. Your potential patients aren’t just searching on Google anymore. They’re asking AI assistants and looking for answers on ChatGPT.
With SEO, AEO, and GEO reshaping search, clinics, physicians, and specialists need to understand how patients and referring providers discover care today. Consider these statistics:
- Over 50% of Google searches now end without a click, with the search engine answering the question directly on the results page.
- AI-driven search could reduce traditional search traffic by 25% by 2026.
- Google AI Overviews appear in 16% of all U.S. searches, double the rate from just early this year.
Before changing your marketing approach, let’s review what all these acronyms mean, what’s really changing in search, and how your medical practice can stay visible to patients.
Understanding AI and Search in Healthcare
Let’s break down the acronyms so your team understands what each one means and why it matters. Keep in mind that as this new era of search continues to evolve, the language around it may evolve as well. At the time of this posting, these are the most widely used phrases.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
AEO structures content to provide a direct answer to patient questions. A blog or FAQ on “How to prepare for a colonoscopy” could appear as a featured snippet or a voice assistant response, connecting patients with your practice.
AI Overviews provide AI-generated summaries at the top of search results, drawing from multiple sources to give a quick answer. For doctors, this could mean a patient asking, “Best treatment for chronic knee pain,” and seeing a summarized answer featuring your clinic's information. All without ever visiting your website.
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
AEO structures content to provide a direct answer to patient questions. A blog or FAQ on “How to prepare for a colonoscopy” could appear as a featured snippet or a voice assistant response, connecting patients with your practice.
AI Overviews provide AI-generated summaries at the top of search results, drawing from multiple sources to give a quick answer. For doctors, this could mean a patient asking, “Best treatment for chronic knee pain,” and seeing a summarized answer featuring your clinic's information. All without ever visiting your website.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
Why Search Changes Matter for Medical Practices
Patients increasingly rely on AI-assisted search to find doctors, understand their treatment options, and evaluate providers. Staying visible now ensures your practice stays top-of-mind when they make care decisions.
Strategies to Keep Your Medical Practice Visible
Here’s how doctors’ offices and clinics can maintain top visibility across search and AI platforms:
- Optimize your website: Ensure fast load times, mobile responsiveness, and clean code.
- Focus on keywords and user intent. Use phrases that actual patients search for when seeking medical advice.
- Organize content clearly. FAQs, headings, bulleted lists, and videos with transcripts help AI extract your content.
- Create trustworthy content. Blog posts and patient education articles help build trust. It also goes without saying, always ensure your online content is medically accurate, HIPAA-compliant, and sourced responsibly so that both patients and search engines view your practice as trustworthy.
- Utilize schema markup. Highlight services, provider credentials, locations, and reviews to enhance AI understanding.
Focus on Patients, Not Just Algorithms
Ultimately, search is about connecting patients with the care they need. While AEO and GEO are new concepts, traditional SEO principles like quality content, technical optimization, and user-first design remain the foundation.
If you want expert guidance on how your practice can stand out in today’s evolving search landscape, the inConcert Web solutions team is ready to help you connect with more patients online.
