With the advent of consumer-facing AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini, there has been a further evolution in how people search for information online – diversifying an already complex search eco-system even further and presenting consumer health companies with the critical challenge of understanding how their audience’s search habits have changed, and which platforms they are now using for information discovery.

Dynamic search journey

The reliance on traditional search engines is now over. Today’s consumers are now engaging in a dynamic journey, seamlessly transitioning between device, channel and platform to address their discovery needs.

As a result, the search experience now extends far beyond Google and Bing, encompassing social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, to online forums such as Reddit, marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay, and more recently, generative AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini.

Therefore, it is already crucial that consumer health brands ensure that their consumer or shopper experience is optimized across each of those touchpoints, whether that’s crafting short-form video content for trending TikTok search queries or developing a content strategy that is optimized for generative AI search results.

To thrive and drive in today’s digital landscape a blended, cross-channel optimization strategy is absolutely essential, and optimizing for AI chatbots should be a key focus.

From SEO to GEO

For years, Google Search has been the default platform for consumers seeking health-related information. Whether typing in keywords or using voice search, users relied on Google to surface the most authoritative websites and brands.

But the search landscape is changing—fast.

While SEO focuses on improving visibility in traditional search engines like Google through keywords, content, and backlinks, GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is about optimizing for AI-powered search experiences—specifically large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini.

With the rise of these AI services, consumer behavior is shifting. Increasingly, health-conscious audiences are bypassing traditional search engines and turning directly to AI tools to answer their questions, especially before making online purchases of consumer health products.

One major development is the emergence of AI Overviews—summarized answers that appear above organic search results on Google. For example, a query like “What’s the best throat spray in the UK?” now returns an AI-generated summary before any website links. This shift is ushering into a zero-click search environment, where users get the information they need without ever visiting a brand’s website.

For consumer health brands, this has major implications:

• Website sessions and click-through rates are declining, making traditional performance metrics less reliable.
• Visibility in AI Overviews and LLMs is now critical to influencing consumer decisions at the point of search.
• Search strategy must evolve to include optimization for AI-generated content and conversational queries.

As a result, reporting to stakeholders and brand teams must also adapt. It’s no longer just about sessions, clicks, and conversions. Success now depends on how well your brand is represented in AI-driven search experiences.

Optimizing for the AI search world