What are prospective patients looking for?
People do not always use the terms a clinician would choose. They may describe a symptom, compare options, question a diagnosis or ask which kind of doctor to see. A list of treatment names can leave those earlier questions unanswered.
We review available Search Console and advertising data, Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, current search results and relevant public discussions. Search estimates show demand for particular wording. Conversations reveal questions, uncertainty and barriers to choosing a practice that a keyword list can miss. We separate those findings and compare them with the services your practice actually offers.
Research that guides your healthcare marketing strategy
Start with a service you want to grow, the people you can appropriately serve and the locations you can reach. Then investigate where relevant demand exists, what information prospective patients find and what they still need to understand.
The findings may point to a better service page, clearer costs and access information, improved local listings, a useful article or a focused campaign. They may also show that an existing page deserves attention before you pay for more content. Your capacity and your team's availability to approve accurate material are part of that decision.
We focus on established functional and integrative medicine practices and draw on experience across other medical and dental specialties.
What will your practice receive?
The proposal defines the work and deliverables. Depending on the question being investigated, these can include:
- An opportunity map: search topics, intent, geography and relevant competitors.
- An audience-question brief: what people ask, the language they use and what makes choosing a practice difficult.
- A prioritized action plan: which pages, listings, videos or campaigns need attention, and why.
- A measurement plan: what to track and which information your practice needs to contribute.
You should be able to see how a finding changes a decision. A keyword spreadsheet is a starting point, not the whole plan. Our healthcare SEO and functional medicine SEO services put the relevant search work into practice. We can scope paid campaigns and website improvements when the evidence supports them.
From a patient question to a useful next step
Imagine a specialty practice receiving inquiries about services it does not offer. Before writing another general article, we would review the searches and questions attracting people to the website, compare the answers with the practice's actual scope and identify where expectations differ.
The improvement might be a clearer service explanation, an answer to a recurring question or an explicit statement about what the practice does not provide. Then we would check whether suitable people inquire and whether fewer unsuitable inquiries reach the team.
This illustrates the process; it is not a claimed client result. Our content marketing for medical practices article provides a worked example connecting a question with useful content.
What can this evidence help your practice decide?
Anonymous clinic case study: 212% more organic search clicks
An established functional medicine clinic recorded 2,259 Google Web Search clicks during May 19-June 22, 2024, and 7,041 during May 18-June 21, 2025. Both periods contain 35 days, and the increase is rounded.
Marketing Doctors supported the clinic through a subcontracted agency relationship. The clinic remains anonymous; no endorsement is implied. These are historical search results. The comparison does not isolate research's contribution or establish patient or revenue growth, and it does not predict another practice's results.
See the clinic’s search-growth results on our website
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Original research: how AI and search answer different questions
Our exploratory Patient Discovery study compared search with AI-generated answers across 25 questions. AI scored higher on unresolved-health questions; search matched or exceeded the AI averages on cognitive-health questions. The results varied with the question being examined.
The comparison used AI raters and did not test patient acquisition or clinical accuracy. The practical question for your practice is which information helps people understand their options and assess whether you can help.
See how the AI and search findings can guide your content decisions
Start with the practical takeaway for a practice, then explore the full methods, findings and limitations.
How do SEO and AI discovery work together?
Useful answers, clear practice information and accessible pages provide material that search and AI systems can interpret. Google says established SEO practices remain relevant to its AI Overviews and AI Mode. See Google's guidance on AI features and websites.
That guidance and our exploratory study are different kinds of evidence. Together, they support investigating both channels rather than treating AI as a replacement for search.
We use the findings to decide what to explain and where to improve discovery, then track the response. Your Google Business Profile and other relevant listings belong in that review too. Being found is one step; helping someone evaluate the practice and get in touch is the next.
Questions before commissioning healthcare marketing research
How do you find out what patients are searching for?
We combine available first-party search and advertising data with keyword estimates, current results and relevant audience questions. We distinguish measured searches from qualitative observations and check that each opportunity fits your services and market.
Can research help if we rank well but receive few inquiries?
Yes. It can investigate whether the traffic matches your services, whether people can assess costs and access, and whether the contact process works. Rankings alone do not explain what happens next.
What does the research cost, and how long does it take?
The scope depends on your services, locations, available data and the decision you need to make. We agree on the deliverables, fee and schedule in the proposal before starting.
Does research replace SEO or advertising?
Research guides the decisions. SEO, content, website work and advertising put them into practice. We identify what can be reused and what needs attention, then agree on the implementation scope.
What does our team need to contribute?
Someone needs to explain your priorities and capacity, provide the agreed access and approve practice facts and medical claims. Relevant inquiry and appointment information helps us assess results where your systems support it.
How will we know whether the plan is working?
Before implementation, agree on relevant visibility, suitable inquiries and the next measurable step. Where records can be connected, follow inquiries through to scheduled and completed appointments and revenue. We identify measurement gaps when that connection is unavailable.
Discuss the opportunity for your practice
Tell us which services you want to grow and what your current marketing leaves unanswered. We'll discuss the evidence, what your team can support and a practical starting point for healthcare marketing research.