In the past year, the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has been dramatically reshaped by the growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. This technological leap has not only enhanced efficiency but also revolutionised how industries approach their online presence. Among these, the healthcare sector stands out as a prime example of this transformation.
At the centre of this change is the use of AI tools like ChatGPT, a natural language processing AI developed by OpenAI, which has rapidly gained traction since its release in November 2022. Chat GPT’s impact on the healthcare industry has been particularly significant, offering a new approach to how medical information is processed and presented online. Healthcare professionals are increasingly turning to generative AI for a variety of applications, from summarising patient medical histories and devising treatment plans to diagnosing conditions based on symptoms and managing administrative tasks such as scheduling and triaging.
This article will explore the role of ChatGPT in enhancing SEO for healthcare websites, covering both its benefits and the critical drawbacks that need to be navigated.
AI has transformed the approach to keyword research and content optimisation. By analysing large datasets and understanding search behaviour patterns, AI-driven tools enable healthcare providers to create content that aligns more closely with potential patients’ search queries, enhancing visibility and engagement. Additionally, tools like chat GPT can be used to generate keyword variations, provide content ideas and analyse keyword use in large amounts of content, helping to speed up SEO processes.
However, in healthcare, it is imperative that the content is accurate and helpful to users. This is where AI can cause issues. Popular tools, like Chat GPT, are not always correct. In healthcare companies, content will go through an extensive review process to make sure it is correct and tailored towards user intent. However, if not prompted correctly, AI tools can deliver incorrect content to you, and an inexperienced reviewer may not be able to identify any mistakes.
Therefore, it is essential that AI content is not assumed to be correct and is always reviewed extensively. This is especially essential in the world of healthcare, as the mistake won’t just impact a website’s rankings, it could impact a person’s life if they are reading incorrect healthcare advice. Due to the impact of healthcare content, Google has implemented an additional set of guidelines coined YMYL (‘Your money, your life’) in 2014. These are an extension of their E-E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness, and Experience) guidelines. YMYL content is not limited to healthcare, it also includes topics like finance, news and government policies.
In Google’s “How Google Fights Discrimination” paper, they say the following about YMYL topics:
Where our algorithms detect that a user’s query relates to a “YMYL” topic, we will give more weight in our ranking systems to factors like our understanding of the authoritativeness, expertise, or trustworthiness of the pages we present in response.
This is where AI-generated content will not be beneficial as it will not have the same weighting in ranking factors as a registered doctor, for example.
Although AI-generated content is clearly a concern in healthcare, companies are already generating and publishing AI-generated content. A common way to check if the content has been generated by Chat GPT is to include “regenerate response” in your search on Google. This is the button that appears at the bottom of the AI’s response. Using this method, you can see that there are numerous healthcare websites that are publishing AI content and not even reviewing the content enough to remove the Chat GPT phrase “regenerate response”.
The concern of AI-generated content in healthcare is growing, and studies have been conducted to assess the accuracy of Chat GPT content. A study published in 2023 called “The Readiness of ChatGPT to Write Scientific Case Reports Independently: A Comparative Evaluation Between Human and Artificial Intelligence” found that Chat GPT was not adequate enough to be used in the medical field as it produced “reports with critical flaws such as incorrect diagnoses and fabricated references”. They did, however, note its use in other content optimisation processes, including correcting grammar, providing alternate phrasing and suggesting synonyms. Therefore, they concluded that all AI-generated content should be examined by a relevant healthcare professional before it is published online. This stance has been supported by other studies on the accuracy of Chat GPT content. For instance, another study conducted on Artificial Hallucinations in ChatGPT found that it produced a mix of accurate and inaccurate responses.
In the heavily regulated healthcare industry, ensuring compliance with laws like HIPAA is essential when implementing AI in SEO strategies. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) mandates the protection of sensitive patient data by Covered Entities and their Business Associates. AI tools must be used in a way that ensures patient privacy is not compromised and that content adheres to ethical standards and privacy regulations. The company Open AI, which developed and released Chat GPT, have previously warned against uploading any confidential or sensitive data to the platform. However, Open AI has since updated its policy to allow users to opt-in to share data for model training and confirm that they own and control your data and decide who has access.
Conclusion
The integration of AI tools like ChatGPT into healthcare SEO represents a significant advancement, offering efficiency and enhanced content relevance. However, this innovation comes with the responsibility to ensure accuracy and ethical compliance, particularly in the healthcare industry. While AI can streamline SEO processes, the content it produces cannot be assumed to be correct and instead needs always to be examined by a medical professional before it is published.
The successful use of AI in healthcare SEO relies on striking a careful balance between leveraging the benefits while also ensuring the content is correct and useful for the intended user.
Do you need help with SEO for your Healthcare website?
Varn is an SEO agency with a unique combination of medical industry expertise and exceptional SEO capabilities, the launch of their new sub-brand healthcare SEO focused Varn Health encapsulates this. They provide comprehensive support, covering keyword research, content planning, coding optimisations, paid media advertising, and offsite backlink strategies. With years of experience in healthcare and medical publishing, they possess a deep understanding of the intricate relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and search marketing.
