Is your vet practice visible on AI search, ChatGPT and Google?

When a pet owner searches for a vet, there is usually a clear reason behind it. They may be looking for a new local vet, researching a particular service, comparing practices or trying to understand what care their pet might need.

Google is still an important part of that search, but it’s no longer the only place people are looking. Pet owners are also turning to AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini to research pet health questions, compare veterinary practices, and ask for recommendations.

And the shift is happening quickly. In 2026, 45% of consumers said they had used AI tools for local business recommendations, up from just 6% the previous year. At the same time, Google remains a major part of local search, with 71% of consumers using Google Search at some point during their most recent local business search.

For vet practices, being visible online means more than appearing on Google. Google is still important, but it also makes sense to consider how visible your practice is when pet owners use AI search.

What is SEO, AEO and GEO?

You may be hearing more about SEO, AEO and GEO as search changes. While the terminology can sound technical, they all have a similar goal: helping the right people find useful information about your practice.

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation): Helps your website appear prominently in traditional search results such as Google when pet owners search for a vet or veterinary service.

AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation): Makes your website content clear, useful and easy to understand so search engines and AI-powered tools can identify answers to the questions pet owners are asking.

GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation): Helps AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Gemini understand your practice, services, expertise and location, increasing the opportunity for your practice to be referenced in AI-generated answers.

Together, these form part of a broader search optimisation strategy designed to improve your practice’s visibility wherever pet owners are looking.

How can your vet practice become more visible in AI search?

There isn’t a single change you can make that guarantees your practice will appear in ChatGPT, Gemini, or another AI-generated answer.

Instead, you need to focus on several areas that help search engines and AI tools understand who you are, where you are, the services you provide, and why your practice is a credible source of veterinary information.

Here are six practical areas to focus on:

1. Keep your website clear and up to date
   Make sure your key services, location/s, the veterinarians who work in your clinic, and contact information are easy to find. If you want your practice to be found for a particular service, such as dental care, desexing, vaccinations or emergency care, your website should include clear and useful information about it, including FAQs.
2. Keep your Google Business Profile accurate
   Check that your practice name, address, phone number, opening hours, services, and other details are complete and current. Keeping your profile up to date makes it easier for pet owners to find accurate information when they search.
3. Build genuine Google reviews
   Encourage happy clients to leave reviews and take the time to respond. Reviews can help potential clients understand other pet owners’ experiences with your practice and strengthen your online reputation.
4. Answer the questions pet owners are asking
   Think about the questions your team hears every day. Clear FAQs, blogs, and service pages addressing these questions can make your website more useful to pet owners while also helping Google and AI tools understand your content.
5. Show your veterinary expertise
   Build useful content around the services and areas your practice wants to be known for. Detailed vet profiles, educational articles, and informative service pages can help demonstrate your team’s experience and expertise.
6. Build your presence beyond your own website
   Your online presence isn’t limited to your website. Keep your practice details consistent across social media, online directories, industry websites, and other reputable sources. Mentions of your practice across trusted websites can help reinforce who you are, where you are, and what you do.

Make it easier for pet owners to find you

Improving your visibility isn’t about choosing between Google and AI. Pet owners are using different tools at different stages of their search, so your practice needs an online presence that works across both Google and AI engines.

VetDigital specialises in search optimisation for Australian veterinary practices, bringing together SEO, AEO and GEO strategies. Because we work specifically with veterinary practices, we understand the importance of not just increasing online visibility, but helping practices attract more of the right pet owners.

Find out how visible your vet practice is

Do you know what pet owners see when they search for your services on Google or ask ChatGPT or Gemini to recommend a vet?

Try VetDigital’s free Search Ranking & AI Visibility Report to get a clearer picture of your practice’s online visibility.

You can see how your practice ranks on Google, whether it appears in AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini, how your visibility compares with competitors and where there may be opportunities to improve.

Or, if you’d like to discuss your practice’s visibility, marketing or opportunities to attract more pet owners, book a 15-minute chat with the VetDigital’s Managing Director Ian Shapland.