Industry · Doctors

Medical SEO & AI visibility for doctors and practices.

In short: patients looking for a practice nearby find it through the map and your Google Business Profile, not through a blog. Content helps practices that need to explain things: cash-pay treatments, screenings with prep, concierge memberships. For “full body skin exam”, seven of the twelve sources in Google’s AI Overview were dermatology practices. Claire writes patient guides like these with sources, in your voice, and publishes only once you approve.

Book a demo
No credit cardSet up in 15 minutesCancel monthly
Physician in a white coat with a stethoscope reading a patient file at a wooden desk in her bright exam room
Claire is looking at what your patients ask …

What your patients search for

Google · United States · per month

Google
botox vs dysport33,100
skin cancer screening12,100
dermatologist cost without insurance480
Checking search terms …

Companies whose blogs grow with Claire

TrustypostPlanimolREA CardTomorrow UniversityKUGUPaforySybilionNubibase

What your customers search for

Patients search for the practice and the question before it.

Most searches for doctors are searches for a practice nearby. Alongside them, patients want to know how a screening works, what a treatment costs with or without insurance, and whether a care model is worth it. Four groups that apply to almost every specialty, with US search data:

Finding a doctor

Search terms Finding a doctor with searches per month
Search termper month
dermatologist near me673,000
primary care physician near me49,500
orthopedic surgeon near me33,100
concierge doctor near me12,100
doctors accepting new patients near me8,100

Screenings & prep

Search terms Screenings & prep with searches per month
Search termper month
colonoscopy prep90,500
colonoscopy age18,100
skin cancer screening12,100
annual physical8,100
full body skin exam720

Costs, coverage & billing

Search terms Costs, coverage & billing with searches per month
Search termper month
botox cost12,100
no surprises act12,100
how much does a colonoscopy cost6,600
does medicare cover colonoscopy2,900
dermatologist cost without insurance480

Treatments & comparisons

Search terms Treatments & comparisons with searches per month
Search termper month
prp injection90,500
cortisone shot60,500
botox vs dysport33,100
knee replacement recovery9,900
dermatologist vs esthetician1,600

Search volume: Google Ads, United States, monthly average from September 2025 to August 2026, retrieved via DataForSEO on October 5, 2026.

What the numbers show

56×

as many searches for “dermatologist near me” as for “skin cancer screening”. The map and your Google Business Profile win those searches, not a blog.

  • dermatologist near me673,000
  • skin cancer screening12,100

14×

as many searches for “colonoscopy prep” as for “how much does a colonoscopy cost”. Patients ask how to get through it far more often than what it costs.

  • colonoscopy prep90,500
  • how much does a colonoscopy cost6,600

3.3×

as many searches for “concierge medicine” as for “concierge doctor near me”. Patients look into how the model works before they look for a practice.

  • concierge medicine40,500
  • concierge doctor near me12,100

The questions Google shows alongside

“full body skin exam”

720 / month
  • Can you wear undies for a full body skin exam?
  • How much does it cost for a full body skin check?
  • Is there a full body scan to detect skin cancer?

“colonoscopy prep”

90,500 / month
  • What should you avoid 3 days before a colonoscopy?
  • Will I be on the toilet all night with colonoscopy prep?
  • What is the new prep for a colonoscopy?

“concierge medicine”

40,500 / month
  • Is a concierge doctor worth the money?
  • Will Medicare pay for a concierge doctor?
  • Can you deduct concierge doctor fees on taxes?

“cortisone shot”

60,500 / month
  • What is the downside to a cortisone shot?
  • How long do cortisone shots normally last?
  • What shouldn’t you do after a cortisone shot?

Questions: Google’s “People also ask” on google.com (United States), retrieved on October 5, 2026.

When people search

Cash-pay questions peak in spring.

Searches for “laser hair removal cost” climb in February, peak in March at 90,500 and drop to 18,100 a month from June to August. A cost page should be online by winter so Google can place it before the peak. One published in March is late for this year.

“laser hair removal cost”

Searches per month · Google · United States

Google Ads
Searches per month for “laser hair removal cost”
Sep 202540,500
Oct 202533,100
Nov 202527,100
Dec 202533,100
Jan 202633,100
Feb 202660,500
Mar 202690,500
Apr 202674,000
May 202622,200
Jun 202618,100
Jul 202618,100
Aug 202618,100

Search volume: Google Ads, United States, monthly average from September 2025 to August 2026, retrieved via DataForSEO on October 5, 2026.

Google and AI answers

Who answers today when your customers ask.

Here a practice’s own patient guide pays off: seven of the twelve sources in Google’s AI Overview were dermatology practices explaining what happens at the exam, and a practice held the top spot. For the general question “skin cancer screening”, cancer.gov, the CDC and the USPSTF lead instead.

AI Overview sources from the industry
7 of 12
Top 5 results from the industry
2 of 5
full body skin exam720

AI Overview · 12 sources

  • health.clevelandclinic.org (Health system)
  • chattskinandcancer.com (Practice)
  • pennmedicine.org (Health system)
  • mdanderson.org (Cancer center)
  • tuftsmedicine.org (Health system)
  • thomasderm.com (Practice)
  • beaconskin.com (Practice)
  • apexskin.com (Practice group)
  • goodmandermatology.com (Practice)
  • aadermatology.com (Practice group)
  • dermpartners.com (Practice group)
  • facebook.com (Social media)
  1. 1chattskinandcancer.comPractice
  2. 2health.clevelandclinic.orgHealth system
  3. 3pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govResearch archive
  4. 4pennmedicine.orgHealth system
  5. 5thomasderm.comPractice
Businesses from the industryPortals, media, others

Results: google.com (United States), desktop, retrieved via DataForSEO on October 5, 2026. Ads and map pack not shown.

The levers

Five levers, and where content won’t help.

Up front: if your schedule is full, you don’t need content to bring in more patients. It pays off for cash-pay and concierge practices, specialties that need explaining, and anywhere patients should arrive well prepared.

Medical assistant at the front desk on the phone, noting an appointment, with a colleague carrying a folder in the background
01

Your Google Business Profile first.

Patients searching for a practice nearby see the map with business profiles first. Address, hours, specialty, photos and the link to online booking have to be right there. You or your agency keep that up to date; Claire doesn’t do local SEO.

Evidence“dermatologist near me” 673,000 and “primary care physician near me” 49,500 searches a month in the US. For “skin cancer screening” and “concierge medicine”, Google showed a map pack of local practices on October 5, 2026.

02

Explain what happens and how to prepare.

How does the exam work, what do I need to do beforehand, does insurance pay? Your front desk answers these questions on the phone every day. Put the answer on your website and every patient can read it in advance, and Google can show it when someone searches the same question.

EvidenceFor “full body skin exam” on October 5, 2026, seven of the twelve sources in Google’s AI Overview were dermatology practices, and a practice ranked first.

03

Be plain about cash-pay prices.

For cosmetic treatments, concierge memberships and anything insurance doesn’t cover, patients compare before they call. A page that says what’s included, what it costs and what insurance pays answers that. Keep it factual: no guarantees, no “risk-free”.

Evidence“botox cost” 12,100 searches a month. For “botox vs dysport” (33,100), four of the top five results on October 5, 2026 came from practices that offer the treatment.

04

Write in your patients’ words.

The chart uses the clinical term, patients search for the everyday word. Put it in the headline and the first paragraph and explain the medical term alongside it.

Evidence“pink eye” 368,000, “conjunctivitis” 165,000 searches a month in the US.

05

Don’t write against cancer.gov.

For general screening, symptom and recovery questions, Google cites government agencies, cancer centers and large health systems. Competing with them rarely pays off. Write what only you can say: how it works in your practice, who it’s for and what it costs.

EvidenceAI Overview for “skin cancer screening” on October 5, 2026: cancer.gov, CDC, USPSTF, Cigna, UT Medical Center and a YouTube video. For “knee replacement recovery”, Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic held the first two spots.

Pitfalls and the law

What doctors can publish and what they can’t.

Patient information on your practice website can be advertising. In the US, HIPAA and the FTC’s rules on reviews and endorsements set limits, many states have their own rules on physician advertising, and the AMA Code of Medical Ethics adds guidance. This isn’t legal advice; if in doubt, ask a healthcare attorney.

Patient stories and photos

A testimonial, a before-and-after photo or a patient’s name on your website discloses health information. If your practice is a HIPAA covered entity, as practices that bill insurance electronically are, you need the patient’s written authorization first. The Privacy Rule names marketing explicitly.

Source: 45 CFR 164.508 (HIPAA authorization)

Replies to online reviews

A reply that mentions details of a patient’s visit discloses health information, even if the patient posted first. In 2023, a psychiatric practice in New Jersey paid $30,000 to HHS after disclosing patient information in replies to negative online reviews. Thank, invite them to call, leave out the details.

Source: HHS: Manasa Health Center settlement

Bought or filtered reviews

Since October 21, 2024, the FTC’s rule on consumer reviews bans fake reviews and testimonials, rewards conditioned on a positive (or negative) review, undisclosed reviews by owners and managers, and suppressing reviews with threats or false accusations. Courts can impose civil penalties for knowing violations. Asking patients for an honest review is fine.

Source: FTC: Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule (16 CFR Part 465)

Promises of results

The AMA Code of Medical Ethics calls testimonials deceptive when they don’t reflect the results comparable patients generally get, and claims of many successful cases deceptive when they imply a certain result. Claims of an exclusive or unique skill can be deceptive too. Words like “guaranteed” or “painless” don’t belong in patient information.

Source: AMA Code of Medical Ethics, Opinion 9.6.1

How Claire does it

You set the direction. Claire does the work.

Claire works like a good editorial team: topics on the wall, sources on the desk, corrections in the margin. And she keeps going after you log off.

Topic cards on a wall, connected into clusters
Looking for questions about skin checks …
skin cancer screening12,100 / month
full body skin exam720 / month
dermatologist cost without insurance480 / month

What you need

Included from Growth. €299 a month.

Free trial, no credit card. Cancel monthly, no setup fee. On Starter (€199), Claire writes up to 30 articles a month, without the full SEO strategy.

Compare all plans

Growth

cancel monthly

€299/ month

  • SEO strategy with 300+ keyword gaps
  • Up to 30 patient guides and articles a month
  • Publishing to WordPress, Webflow or Wix
  • Tracking your visibility in ChatGPT and Google AI

Questions

Good to know.

What is medical SEO?

Everything that helps a practice get found by patients in search: a well-kept Google Business Profile for searches like “dermatologist near me”, a technically sound website, and pages that answer what patients ask before a visit. Google gives health topics extra weight for experience, expertise and trust. Claire takes care of the third part, the patient guides.

Is SEO still worth it for a medical practice now that AI answers questions?

It depends. If your schedule is full, a well-kept Google Business Profile matters most, because “near me” searches run through the map. Content pays off for cash-pay and concierge practices, specialties that need explaining, and any practice whose patients ask the same questions before a visit. AI answers draw on exactly those pages: for “full body skin exam”, Google’s AI Overview cited seven dermatology practices.

How much does medical SEO cost?

With Claire, €199 a month on Starter and €299 with the full SEO strategy and AI tracking, cancellable monthly. Your Google Business Profile, reviews and your website’s technology aren’t included. You or your agency look after the profile, your web provider after the technology.

Can I do SEO for my practice myself?

The basics, yes: keep your Google Business Profile current, give every service its own page, answer the most common questions. Where most practices stall is the time for regular writing next to patient care. Claire takes that over, you read and approve. Expect weeks to months before new pages rank, depending on specialty, competition and the age of your website.

Who makes sure the medical content is correct?

Claire researches sources and checks facts before a draft reaches you. Medical responsibility stays with you: every article waits for your approval, and what only your practice knows, such as how prep works with you, you add as a note. Google asks whether pages show who wrote them, so name the physician who reviewed each guide.

Can we use patient testimonials and reviews on our website?

With care. A patient’s story, name or photo needs their written HIPAA authorization first, and a testimonial shouldn’t suggest results most patients won’t get. Reviews have to be real and can’t be bought with rewards for positive ratings; the FTC’s rule on that has applied since October 2024. When you reply to a review, leave out details of the visit.

How do I get my practice recommended by ChatGPT?

With clear answers to the questions patients ask before a visit or treatment, and with mentions outside your website. The free AI check shows how often ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity name your practice today. In Claire you then track it continuously in ChatGPT and Google AI.

Keep reading

Your platform, your next step.

See all industries

Try it on your own website. Or check first whether ChatGPT knows you.

Enter your website, connect your blog, read the first draft. Before that, the free AI check shows how often ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity mention your brand and whom they recommend instead.

Free AI check
No credit cardSet up in 15 minutesCancel monthly