MHM#78 How to appear in AI search results

As we all know, the way people search for information online is changing. According to a 2026 study by SparkToro and Datos, Google's share of search activity across 41 major websites on US desktop devices declined by 3.5 percentage points during 2025, finishing the year at 73.7%. Meanwhile, Similarweb research found that visits to AI platforms grew by 70% year on year. While much of this research is based on US and global data, it's reasonable to expect we're seeing similar shifts in search behaviour here in Australia, as well as in the UK and Canada.

This definitely doesn't mean Google is suddenly becoming irrelevant. Google Search, Google Ads and traditional Search Engine Optimisation still play an incredibly important role in helping prospective clients find therapists, and that's unlikely to change overnight.

But as more people turn to platforms such as ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity to ask questions and find information, we need to start thinking about how our websites can be discovered through these platforms too.

You may have heard the term AEO, or Answer Engine Optimisation, which is essentially about making your website content easier for AI search platforms to discover, understand and potentially reference you when answering people's questions. And although not easy to appear in either results, AEO and SEO actually have a lot in common.

Google has been moving beyond simply matching keywords for years, placing increasing emphasis on helpful, people-first content that demonstrates experience, expertise, authority and trustworthiness (or E-E-A-T as Google refers to it as).

While different AI platforms use different algorithms to find and evaluate information, they also need relevant, credible content to help answer people's questions.

So rather than writing broad blog articles about anxiety, depression or relationships, think about the very specific questions and challenges your ideal clients might be searching for.

For example, instead of writing about anxiety generally, you could explore:

• Why do I feel anxious when everything in my life is going well?
• Why do I constantly worry that I've upset someone?
• Why do I feel guilty whenever I take time for myself?

These are the kinds of questions someone might type into Google or ask ChatGPT when they're trying to make sense of what they're experiencing. And when you write thoughtful, informative articles that answer these questions, you're creating more opportunities for your content to be discovered through both traditional (SEO) and AI-powered (AEO) search.

Of course, there's no guarantee that Google or AI platforms will reference your website, but having a collection of relevant, credible and genuinely helpful articles gives them more information to potentially draw upon.

Building a library of helpful, niche-specific content takes time, as does developing your website's visibility and credibility. And while AI search is still evolving, I think it makes sense to start preparing for where things are heading rather than waiting until these platforms become an even bigger part of how people find information.

The good news is that blogging isn't just about SEO or AEO. It's also a valuable way to demonstrate your expertise, help prospective clients feel understood and build trust which are critical in them deciding to book an appointment with you.

So if blogging has been sitting on your marketing to-do list for a while, I’d recommend moving it a little higher up.

Happy blogging :)