Preparing Your Practice's SEO for AI Searches

As AI-powered search engines become more integrated into how people search for information, it’s important to adjust our SEO strategies to keep up. Platforms like Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE) now offer AI-generated summaries directly in search results, delivering quick, concise answers to users. In addition, many users are beginning to ask questions directly into large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, which provide personalized, conversational responses. New platforms like Search GPT (Open AI's brand new search engine) are also emerging, further changing the way people search for services online. These advancements are reshaping how we approach SEO.

At GDW, our SEO team is already researching how we can optimise our website's for this new era of AI-driven searches through a process called "Generative Engine Optimization" (GEO). While many traditional SEO techniques—such as quality content, keyword implementation, and technical optimisation—still apply, we are taking extra steps to make sure your site is ready to rank in AI-powered search environments.

Key Steps to Optimizing for AI-Powered Searches

With AI-powered search engines and chat bots becoming increasingly popular, we are seeing a significant shift in how people find information online. While many core SEO principles still apply, optimizing for AI requires an understanding of how these platforms process and deliver content. It’s important to note that this is a new and evolving field. We’re actively testing these GEO strategies, and while we are seeing positive early results for some of our clients, results may vary depending on the specific AI platform.

Optimizing Content for Natural Language Processing

AI search engines, such as ChatGPT and Google's SGE, prioritize content that mimics natural conversations and clearly addresses user intent. We’re focused on creating content that directly answers common questions your potential patients may have. By using long-tail keywords and conversational phrases, we make sure your website aligns with how users are interacting with AI, boosting your chances of appearing in AI-generated responses.

Using GEO Keyword Strategies

As AI search becomes more prominent, keyword strategies are evolving. GEO keyword research focuses on identifying long-tail and conversational phrases that AI platforms might favor or see more of. For example if you are performing a regular google search and feeling lazy, you might type out something short like "dentist south denver". This search term might change if you are interacting with a conversational AI that can give you more specified replies. If you were asking ChatGpt you might say something like "Could you recommend a dentist who is located in South Denver?". In this example, the term "recommend" may imply that the AI search engine should get a broader picture of each websites content before determining who to recommend. We study user queries and competitor content to ensure your website includes the right keywords to meet user needs and enhance visibility in AI-generated search results.

Technical Changes

For AI platforms like ChatGPT to accurately interpret your content, having solid technical SEO is critical. We've been focusing on structured data, fast loading times, and mobile optimization to allow AI systems to crawl and index your content effectively. We have also setup specific settings on all of our sites that make them easier for LLM's like Chat GPT to crawl. 

An Ongoing Process

AI-driven search optimization is still in its early stages. While our SEO team is committed to testing and implementing GEO strategies, it’s important to recognize that this is an emerging area. As AI platforms evolve, so will the methods and best practices for optimization. Although we’re seeing promising signs, results are not guaranteed, and the process may take time as we learn more.

By staying proactive and adapting to these changes, your website will be well-positioned to remain competitive in both traditional and AI-driven search engines. Our SEO team is committed to keeping your site optimized for the future of search, ensuring it performs well in this rapidly changing landscape.