Each day, there are new advancements in SEO and digital marketing that require new strategies to ensure a website ranks well in search results. AI search is one of these advancements that is changing the way we create and share content. The team at Beyond Indigo Pets is here to help you understand what this means for your veterinary content, and what to do to keep your website ranking well.

AEO and GEO

At its core, AEO, or Answer Engine Optimization, uses AI to find optimized content that provides answers to questions that users are likely to type into a search engine. If you’ve ever typed a question into Google and read through the brief AI Overview that appears at the top of the page, you’ve already seen how AEO makes it easier for users to find the answers they need. Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the broader technique that uses AEO. Basically, this all boils down to outputting content that is easy for AI site crawlers to digest. This helps AI create a succinct, streamlined answer to use for these front-page overviews. On top of abiding by traditional SEO rules that get websites ranked high on a Search Engine Results Page (SERP), marketers and website designers are now having to cater to these AI site crawlers.

How This Changes Your SEO

So, what exactly does this mean for your veterinary practice? Well, first of all, it is still very important to focus on the traditional SEO techniques you have been using successfully. It also means, however, that you need to be a little more thoughtful about the kind of content you’re creating and how you’re creating it. You want your content to provide the answers to the questions pet owners are asking. This means:

• It is vital to update your schema. Schema is the hidden code that exists behind your website, labeling things like services, hours, and location so that they’re easy for search engines to decipher. This will be especially helpful when someone is searching for a local veterinarian.
• You should answer frequently asked questions (FAQs) from pet owners with simple responses that are only about 1-2 sentences. Try to update this regularly to keep your website (and blog) up-to-date with information that will help you get noticed.
• Writing all your content “for the web” so AI can quickly scan and grab relevant information. This means creating clear, concise content with shorter paragraphs and bulleted lists that get to the point quickly. If an AI crawler can’t find the answers to questions in your content, pet owners won’t be able to, either.

Answers to Questions, Improved Search

While the world of AEO and GEO is still new, we do know that it’s important to include these tactics into your marketing strategy. Whether a pet owner is asking health and wellness questions in Google, searching for local veterinarians that perform a certain service, or using voice search to find the closest vet, you want your content and your brand to be catered toward providing these answers. The more favor you can gain with search engines through AEO, SEO, local search, voice search, FAQ pages, blogging, and other content marketing, the better your website will perform. 

The Beyond Indigo Pets Way

At Beyond Indigo Pets, we make an effort to stay at the forefront of the latest techniques to spread brand awareness and reach for your veterinary hospital so you continue to have new clients filling your appointments. We make constant updates to websites, schema, FAQ pages, website content, and blogs to keep them optimized and performing well for Google and other search engines. As AI becomes more prevalent in our lives, we will be here to help you keep your veterinary practice front and center for local pet owners looking for quality care.

Whether you are trying to improve your SEO or you need an entirely new website, Beyond Indigo Pets is here with proven strategies to get you real results. Contact us today to get started.