According to McKinsey & Company, about half of Google searches lead to AI summaries. By 2028, that figure is expected to rise to over 75%. McKinsey also found that half of consumers seek out AI-powered search engines. 

While traditional search still matters, healthcare organizations need to ensure their content performs well in both arenas. The most effective approach does not mean choosing one strategy over the other. Instead, it involves identifying where SEO and AI search intersect. 

Fortunately, both strategies rely on the same core principle: People want clear, accurate, and deeply helpful information that answers the questions they are asking. Here’s how you can balance SEO and AI experience optimization (AEO). 

Why AI Search Doesn’t Replace SEO

AI-generated answers don’t exist in a vacuum. Large language models learn from billions of webpages, including authoritative healthcare sources such as government health sites, major health systems, peer-reviewed journals, and medically reviewed educational blogs. 

That means traditional SEO principles still matter. When your content is optimized for clarity, structure, credibility, and relevance, it’s more likely to be:

• Crawled and indexed by search engines
• Used as a factual reference in AI models and answer engines
• Brought up through conversational search experiences
• Shared or quoted in generated summaries

Strong SEO fuels strong AEO and promotes better marketing ROI in healthcare. 

Where SEO and AI Search Intersect

Despite differences in how they deliver information, traditional search engines and AI search tools prioritize similar qualities.

High-Quality, Deeply Helpful Content

Shallow, surface-level content is going to underperform. AI and search engines both reward content that:

• Provides thorough, medically accurate explanations
• Cites trusted external sources 
• Uses real-world examples
• Address the full scope of a user’s question

Healthcare organizations that invest in depth and clarity gain visibility in both SERPs and AI summaries. 

Strong Topical Authority

Topical authority is one of the biggest overlapping factors between SEO and AI search strategies. When your content consistently covers a healthcare topic, AI systems begin to associate your brand with that body of information. You increase the odds of your explanations being pulled into AI-generated answers. 

Clear, Direct Answers to User Questions

AI search tools prioritize answers that match natural language queries, such as:

• What are the benefits of increasing accessibility to telehealth? 
• How does predictive analytics improve patient outcomes? 
• What is the best way to reduce hospital readmissions? 

If your content doesn’t directly answer these questions in plain language, it’s less likely to appear in either AI or SEO channels. 

How to Optimize Healthcare Content for Both SEO and AEO

Here are some tips to make your content more visible in AI-generated summaries and organic search.

Start With Real User Questions

First, you need to identify what people are asking. Use Google Analytics, GSC, and AI tools to find out what users want to know. Next, structure your content around the exact phrasing that people tend to use. 

Focus on E-E-A-T

The experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness framework is your best friend for creating relevant content. Both traditional search engine algorithms and AI tools look for:

• Medical accuracy
• Author bios with relevant credentials
• Citations to authoritative sources
• Clear indications that you regularly update your content 

Trust is nonnegotiable, especially when it comes to healthcare topics. 

Publish Great Long-Form Content

AI tools tend to prefer in-depth guides, white papers, and explainer articles because they offer more context. Long-form content helps you:

• Rank for multiple keywords
• Capture long-tail keywords
• Build deeper authority
• Become a source of truth for AI tools

The length of your content should vary based on the topic you are covering. To be considered long form, pieces typically need to be 1,000 words or more. 

Create Structured Content for Machines 

If you want search engines or AI models to better scan your content, you need a clean format, which includes:

• A logical header hierarchy
• Schema markup
• Short paragraphs
• Bulleted lists

The easier your content is for algorithms to interpret, the more likely it is to appear in featured snippets and AI results. 

Use Internal and External Links

Internal links help establish topical clusters and signal hierarchy. External links to credible sources signal trustworthiness. Use a balanced mix of both. 

The Same Content Principles Win Everywhere 

SEO and AI search are not competing priorities. Great content will position you to win in both arenas. Focus on depth, clarity, and trust so that your content is visible and accessible to your target audience. Doing so will set the stage for better engagement and reach.