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Think about how patients used to find your clinic. Ten years ago, most typed their symptoms into Google. Five years ago, they asked Google Maps: “fertility clinics near me.”
Now, many are turning to AI assistants. Someone might ask ChatGPT: “What’s the best fertility clinic in London?” Or Google Gemini: “Which fertility clinics in London have high IVF success rates?”
This shift can feel unsettling. If people aren’t “Googling” in the same way, will they still find you? The good news is: yes—if your clinic is online with strong, trustworthy content.
Search engines still power AI. Google, Bing, and other engines are the main sources of data for AI tools. So the same best practices that helped your clinic rank on Google are what will get your content into AI answers.
The difference now is that AI doesn’t just show a list of links—it summarizes, compares, and sometimes even ranks clinics in the answer itself. That makes trust and quality more important than ever.
⚠️ A word of caution
Healthcare is not like other industries. A restaurant can say “best pizza in town” without too much trouble. A clinic cannot make unchecked claims.
A few reminders:
- Stay compliant with health advertising rules. Each country has regulations (e.g., GMC in the UK, AHPRA in Australia, HIPAA in the US) that restrict what you can claim.
- Avoid absolute promises. Don’t say “guaranteed cure” or “100% success.” Use evidence-based language like “studies show,” “our specialists are experienced in,” or “success rates vary by patient.”
- Review all content clinically. Have a licensed doctor or specialist approve health pages before publishing.
- Protect patient data. If you share case studies, anonymize completely.
Why this matters: AI systems prefer safe, reliable sources. If your site makes exaggerated claims, not only can regulators penalize you—AI may also ignore you.
Core concept: how AI uses search results
AI tools may feel futuristic, but under the hood, they still rely on search.
How it works
- Google Gemini: When someone asks a question, Gemini runs a series of Google searches. It doesn’t just look at one query—it “fans out” into related ones. For melanoma, it checked: “novel therapies,” “clinical trials,” and “mRNA vaccines for melanoma.” Then it filtered results, choosing credible sources like NIH or cancer centers.
- ChatGPT: Uses Bing search plus other web sources. If your clinic’s content ranks on Bing, it can show up in ChatGPT answers.
- Perplexity, Claude, Grok: Each taps into search indexes or platforms like X.com.
Why it matters for clinics
AI is like a patient doing research with a digital assistant. If your clinic publishes quality content, it gets pulled into those answers. If you don’t, patients may only see big hospitals, government agencies, or competitors.
Example:
- Patient question: “What is shockwave therapy for erectile dysfunction?”
- AI process: Scans Google for treatment explainers, compares clinical evidence, then summarizes.
- Result: If your urology clinic has a page that explains shockwave therapy, its benefits, safety, and when it’s recommended, your clinic may be cited in the AI’s answer.
This is how visibility now works: SEO is the fuel, AI is the engine.
3 actionable strategies for healthcare clinics
1. Publish clear, reliable health content
Patients want clarity. AI wants authority. That means your site should offer content that is:
- Easy to understand (no heavy jargon).
- Evidence-based (link to trusted studies or guidelines).
- Patient-focused (speak to concerns, not just medical facts).
Examples by specialty:
- Cardiology: A page titled “Heart attack warning signs: when to seek urgent care.” Include symptoms, risk factors, and what happens when arriving at your clinic.
- Oncology: “What to expect during chemotherapy.” Cover process, side effects, and support services.
- Fertility: “IVF success rates explained.” Show transparent numbers, factors affecting success, and emotional considerations.
- Dermatology: “Psoriasis vs eczema: how to tell the difference.” Patients often ask this exact question in AI tools.
The more your site mirrors real patient questions, the more likely it is to be picked up by AI systems.
2. Optimize for multiple related questions
AI doesn’t stop at one keyword. It spreads out into related queries. If your content only covers one angle, you’ll miss visibility.
Example: Fertility clinic
A patient types: “What are the best IVF clinics near me?” AI checks:
- IVF process explained
- Egg freezing
- Fertility success rates
- Emotional support in fertility treatment
- Costs and insurance
If your site only has one “IVF page,” you might miss being included. But if you have detailed pages on each, AI has more opportunities to cite your clinic.
Tip: Use Google’s “People Also Ask” box for ideas. If you search “knee replacement recovery,” you might see:
- How long does it take to walk after surgery?
- What is the best diet for recovery?
- Can I drive after knee replacement?
Each of those could be a subpage or FAQ on your clinic’s site.
3. Build trust signals on your website
Patients want to know who is behind the advice. AI systems measure this too.
Add trust elements:
- Doctor bios: Include qualifications, experience, memberships.
- Affiliations: Hospitals, universities, associations.
- Transparency: Clear contact details, legal information, physical addresses.
- Patient resources: Guides, aftercare instructions, support links.
Example: A cardiology page about stent procedures should not only explain the treatment but also show:
- The cardiologists who perform it.
- Their years of experience.
- Memberships in societies like ESC or AHA.
This reassures patients—and AI—that your clinic is authoritative.
Technical enhancements
Even the best content won’t show up if your site isn’t technically sound.
- Structured data (schema markup): Add schema for medical services, reviews, doctors, and locations. Example: mark up a fertility clinic page with
MedicalClinicandPhysicianschema. - Mobile-first design: Most patients search on phones. Pages should load in under 3 seconds.
- Regular updates: Outdated medical pages harm trust. Review every 6–12 months.
- Security: Use HTTPS. Patients notice—and so do algorithms.
- Rich media: Short videos, infographics, and images help. AI is becoming multimodal (pulling from text + visuals).
- Control snippets: Use
max-snippetto control how much text Google AI can quote.
These steps don’t require huge budgets. But without them, AI and search may skip your site.
Quick FAQ
Q: Do we need to “write for AI” now instead of SEO?
No. If you’re writing good, clear content for patients and optimizing for Google, you’re already preparing for AI.
Q: Should we let AI write our clinic’s content?
You can use AI for drafts, but always have a licensed professional review and approve. Never publish raw AI text—it risks errors and compliance issues.
Q: What about negative reviews or articles?
AI may amplify negative stories if they rank high. Counter this by publishing positive, accurate content across multiple platforms. Reputation management is now more important.
Q: Is this shift permanent?
Yes. AI and search are merging. Patients will increasingly ask AI tools, and those tools will rely on search. SEO is not dead—it’s evolving.
Q: How often should we review our site?
At least every 6 months. Update services, treatment information, and doctor bios. Outdated info can harm both patient trust and AI visibility.
Final thought
For Fertility clinic directors, the message is clear: search optimization is still essential.
AI tools may be new, but they run on the same foundation—web content. Clinics that publish clear, trustworthy, and technically sound information will continue to be found, whether a patient types into Google or asks ChatGPT.
The key is balance:
- Publish reliable content, approved by professionals.
- Cover multiple related questions patients are asking.
- Strengthen trust signals across your site.
- Keep the technical basics in place.
By doing this, your clinic won’t just survive in the AI era—it will stand out as a trusted source patients (and AI assistants) turn to first.
