Artificial intelligence has had a profound impact on how people search for information. Search engine results pages (SERPs) no longer just display a list of blue links. Google AI Overviews show up in about half of all Google Search queries in the United States.
In response, many marketers are questioning whether traditional search engine optimization is still enough or if businesses need a completely different optimization strategy.
The good news for B2B healthcare organizations is that the foundation of effective search visibility hasn’t changed nearly as much as many headlines suggest. AI has a voice and a strong footprint, but AI-powered search experiences still rely on many of the same signals you’ve used to build a successful SEO presence.
That doesn’t mean you can press on with business as usual, though. Your business needs to make some adjustments to its SEO plan to gain traction in Google AI results. Here’s what you need to know so you can strike the right balance.
Google’s AI Search Still Rewards Great SEO
Google’s AI-powered search experiences are designed to surface high-quality, helpful content. The same systems that evaluate webpages for traditional search continue to influence what appears in AI Overviews and other AI-generated results.
If you work in the B2B healthcare marketing space, you’ll want to continue focusing on these SEO fundamentals:
- Publishing accurate, helpful content
- Demonstrating subject matter expertise
- Maintaining websites that are technically healthy
- Earning quality backlinks
- Creating pages that satisfy user intent
- Keeping information current
If you are checking all of these boxes, you have a solid launch point for getting noticed in Google’s AI search results. Think of building good SEO like walking before you can run. You need a firm foundation before you can win the AI search battle.
Brand Authority Matters More Than Ever
One of the biggest themes emerging from Google’s AI search evolution is the growing importance of brand authority. Only a few references are up for grabs in an AI summary. If you want your business to be included, you need artificial intelligence to identify your brand as an authoritative source of quality information.
While there aren’t any shortcuts to building authority, but several proven methods can make a tangible difference, which include:
- Publishing in-depth educational resources
- Demonstrating clinical expertise
- Featuring qualified authors and reviewers
- Earning mentions from respected healthcare publications
- Maintaining consistent messaging across digital channels
- Building a recognizable brand within your niche
None of these strategies will win the battle for attention on its own. You need to be doing all or most of these things to build authority that AI recognizes.
Healthcare Trust Signals Are Increasingly Valuable
Google applies especially high standards when evaluating healthcare content. You’ll need to make sure your content and pages include trust signals that AI can readily identify. Here are a few examples:
- An author bio and list of credentials
- Citations from reputable sources
- Updated publication dates
- Transparent sourcing
- Secure websites
Trust is important for rankings and earning visibility. You need to be building trust with your audience and with AI answer engines.
Your Content Needs to Answer Important Questions
The old-school approach to SEO was all about naturally weaving keywords into your content. While you can’t ditch keywords, you also need to be answering questions that your audience is asking. Work these questions into your subheaders and body copy.
Content that thoroughly answers your audience’s questions is more likely to satisfy both traditional search intent and AI-generated responses. You don’t want to simply optimize content for isolated keywords. If you are creating or revamping content, make sure it solves real problems your audience encounters throughout their journey.
Making Meaningful Changes to Your Marketing Strategy
AI search is here to stay, but that doesn’t mean SEO is dead. For those in the healthcare sector, it’s vital to resist the urge to pull resources away from SEO. Instead, keep investing in high-quality content while adjusting to how AI changes user behavior over time.
With the right balance, you can continue winning the search engine optimization marathon while prioritizing the same concepts that artificial intelligence does when surfacing Overview results. That means incorporating more trust signals into your content and building your brand authority with consistency.
