Dental SEO 101 - Adapting to AI, Local Authority, and Multimodal Content

Thrive in the Age of AI SearchAI tools like Google’s overviews and ChatGPT are providing instant answers to basic dental questions. Instead of relying on those "what are braces?" searches, focus on making your website a living resource with:Genuine opinion piecesHelpful resources for all audiences (including the elderly and visually impaired)Regular content updates that add real valueStand Out With Multimodal ContentDon’t just write – show, explain, and connect through various formats:Infographics and custom imageryVideos (including patient testimonials)Layer these elements over time so creating isn’t overwhelmingThis not only serves your patients better, but also increases your chances to be cited by AI results!Be a Local PillarHyperlocal reputation matters more than ever. Support a charity, sponsor a local team, or let your staff champion the causes that matter to them—and tell these stories on your website. Bonus points: Get backlinks and testimonials from those you support!Reviews, Reviews, ReviewsThird-party reviews, first-party testimonials, before/after case studies, and video thank-yous all help build trust and visibility. Don’t be shy; ask for them and display them proudly!Don’t Fall for Cheap SEO GimmicksWith AI buzz everywhere, some agencies are making big promises at low prices—often leading to messy, spammy outcomes that can hurt your website for months. Invest in trusted pros who build for the long-term.Other Key Updates & WarningsApple is gearing up to launch an AI-powered search for Siri in 2026. (“World Knowledge Answers” is coming but might use Google’s Gemini—shocking!)Google launched a new spam update. Following the rules? You’re okay. Cutting corners? Beware big traffic drops.Website security remains critical. Hacked sites can lose 50% of their traffic overnight. Protect yourself with strong passwords, two-factor authentication, regular updates, and thorough backups. (90 days is Ross Dunn's recommendation!)Metrics That MatterAI search traffic (from LLMs like ChatGPT, Perplexity) now converts just as well as regular SEO traffic—but is still a tiny slice of total visits. This will grow, so get ready!ChatGPT referral traffic is on the rise and, for some sites, even higher than Bing.Have questions or want your own SEO challenge discussed on the podcast? Email us at [email protected]! (00:00) - Intro (00:33) - How Dentists Can Stay Competitive in Search Results (08:34) - Apple to launch AI search for Siri in 2026: Report (10:11) - Google releases August 2025 spam update (11:51) - Ahrefs Launches Tracker Comparing ChatGPT & Google Referral Traffic (13:28) - Google Traffic Drops 50% After Site Hack; Recovery Can Take Time Says Google (18:50) - LLM traffic converts about the same as organic search: Research (20:19) - Google AI Mode may become the default Google Search experience “soon.” (21:52) - Nearly all ChatGPT users still rely on Google: Data (23:48) - Closing & Contact Information