Count On Coffey

By Jeremy Dietz, Director of AI Strategy and Content

If you've followed SEO for any length of time, you've likely heard it declared "dead" more than once. Google's increasing use of AI overviews in search results is the latest reason to question whether SEO still matters.

There's no doubt that the search landscape is changing. Instead of simply prioritizing ranking high in search results, organizations now need to focus on being visible in AI answers, where information is summarized in a conversational way.

But if your site follows sound SEO principles and focuses on providing value to readers, you're likely in a strong position to weather these changes.

Here are three elements of traditional SEO that will also help your site be visible in AI search.

1. Content that showcases your unique value proposition

People come to your website with a specific need in mind, such as finding a provider, a service or a location. The content on your website should help people understand what you offer to meet that need, why they should choose you and how to take the next step. AI overviews pull from authoritative sources that directly answer user questions, making clear
service descriptions essential for visibility.

2. A good reputation

People rely on reviews when making purchase decisions, including decisions about where to get healthcare services. In traditional SEO, your reviews and overall reputation help determine whether you rank for searches like "top-ranked orthopedic surgeons" or "best hospital for heart care." This is still true for AI-powered results, which often cite ratings and reviews when recommending providers and services.

3. A strong technical foundation

The same technical elements that help your site perform well in traditional search also help with AI search. These include structured data (such as schema markup), logical organization of content and clear internal linking.

Categories: Digital