From Search to Smart Assistants: How AI Is Rewriting the Veterinary Client Journey

What if the next pet owner who chooses your veterinary practice never really searches the way they used to? Instead of scrolling through ten websites or comparing multiple clinics, they may now be asking an AI assistant what to do, where to go, and which practice to trust. That shift is changing the veterinary client journey faster than many practices realize.

Welcome back to the Veterinary Business Podcast. I am your host for this session, Don Adeesha. Joining us for this conversation is our co-host, Naren Arulrajah, CEO of Ekwa Marketing and founder of the Veterinary Business Institute.

Naren has spent his career helping independent veterinary practices improve their digital presence, attract better clients, and build more sustainable growth in a changing marketing landscape. Today, he will walk us through how AI is changing the way pet owners discover, evaluate, and choose veterinary practices. Naren, welcome back to the show. It is great to have you on.

Thank you so much. I think this topic—how AI is rewriting the veterinary client journey and changing how veterinary practices are chosen—is extremely important because it is happening as we speak. Thank you for the opportunity to have this conversation, Don.

Absolutely. It is an exciting topic. How is the client journey evolving with AI, from the moment a pet owner has a concern to the point when they choose a veterinary practice?

That is a great question. I still remember the early days of search. I am dating myself here, but Google became a company in 1998, almost 30 years ago. Around 2000, someone told me about this thing called Google, and I started playing with it.

In those days, if you were searching for anything related to veterinarians, the most precise search you could usually perform was something like “veterinarian” plus a city name. Over time, Google built millions of servers and invested hundreds of billions of dollars in becoming capable of answering increasingly detailed questions. The goal was to provide precise answers so people would not have to figure everything out on their own.

AI has accelerated that shift. Artificial intelligence can process enormous amounts of information from the internet and other sources and then try to identify the most precise answer to a person’s question. I do not want to get deeply into large language models and the technical details, even though I have a computer science degree. The simple way to think about it is that AI is like a genie that can give us a precise answer, so we do not have to spend as much time finding and comparing information ourselves.

Whenever people receive a tool that makes a major difference in their lives, they begin using it more and more. Google search volume has increased significantly with the introduction of AI features. People use Google billions of times every day, and most do not particularly care whether the answer comes from traditional search, Google Maps, AI Overviews, or AI Mode.

AI Overviews provide a quick, summarized response. AI Mode can go deeper, conduct more extensive research, and return a more thorough answer. We are already using these tools at extraordinary scale, and that is the environment in which veterinary practices now operate.

As consumers become accustomed to receiving precise answers, they become more demanding. They do not want to land on the wrong website, receive a poor recommendation, or click through multiple pages to find what they need. Increasingly, the answer is embedded directly in the search experience.

Consider Google Maps. A pet owner may not need to visit a practice’s website at all. They can call directly from the listing, see the star rating and number of reviews, and read recent or popular reviews. Google is trying to reduce the number of steps required because the more effort users must make, the less satisfied they may become. Google wants people to depend on its platform for the answer.

Other AI-powered platforms, including ChatGPT and Perplexity, are moving in the same direction. I focus heavily on Google because its consumer reach remains far larger, although practices should not ignore other platforms because their influence may continue to grow.

People are creatures of habit. When they use a product dozens of times a day and it continues delivering better and faster answers, they have less incentive to move to another platform. Google also has a longstanding relationship with website owners and marketers through tools such as Google Analytics and other products used to build and measure online marketing.

The move toward zero-click search and the shift from links to direct answers are changing consumer behavior. This will create a sharper divide between the practices that are highly visible and those that are not. Before AI, roughly 5% of businesses received the vast majority of free business from search engines. I believe that group may become even smaller as answer engines prioritize fewer results.

That is good for Google because more businesses may feel compelled to purchase ads. In my experience, acquiring clients through paid ads can be five to ten times more expensive than earning strong organic visibility. That cost may continue to rise as advertising becomes more competitive.

There is another challenge with ads: people know they are advertisements. For ethical and regulatory reasons, Google must label them as ads or sponsored links. Once users see that label, some trust the result less. Practices may encounter more no-shows, tire-kickers, or website visitors who leave quickly because a small detail turns them off. Google still earns money from the click, even if the person does not become a client.

For all of those reasons, veterinary practices have to adapt to an AI-first world.

Right. We are moving from links to answers and toward zero-click searches as we enter the AI age. Let us talk about AI assistants. When they recommend businesses, what determines whether a veterinary practice gets recommended or overlooked?

That is another great question. I am going to get a little technical and share some specific factors. Feel free to take notes and check whether these things are happening for your practice. Later, I will also explain how you can find out where you currently stand.

The first factor that has become even more important is structured data. Google and other large internet platforms are processing billions of webpages and enormous amounts of information, so they need reliable ways to organize and understand it.

One of the foundational concepts is NAP, which stands for name, address, and phone number. Many websites—including Yelp, Citysearch, Google, Facebook, and numerous directories—maintain business listings containing your practice name, address, and phone number.

There may be more than 100 prominent websites where this information appears. Those platforms do not work for your practice, and many make money through advertising. They have little incentive to monitor your information carefully, so someone must check these profiles and ensure the details are precise and consistent.

For example, if one listing spells out “Road” and another uses “Rd.,” that inconsistency can affect the structured data associated with your practice. During our marketing strategy meetings, we often find that practices outside the top tier of search visibility have significant NAP problems. NAP is not the only factor, but it is an important one.

Our team monitors these profiles for clients. I recently spoke with a client for whom we manage approximately 60 NAP profiles. We check them consistently and look for problems because each directory is independently operated and uses different systems, automations, and data sources. A practice may not create the error, yet the error still appears.

The internet is a huge collection of disconnected systems that must somehow work together. The question is whether anyone is watching the data and fixing errors. In most marketing strategy meetings, we find that nobody has been responsible for this. It is difficult work, and many marketing companies avoid discussing it because doing so would make them accountable for managing it.

We take a different approach. Our focus is helping clients reach the top tier of AI search and traditional search, rank for a wide range of valuable searches, and outperform their competition. To do that consistently, you cannot ignore structured data.

The next factor is reviews. Reviews are becoming more important, especially what I call paragraph reviews or love-letter reviews. In a detailed review, someone may write phrases such as “They treated me like family” or mention a specific service such as emergency care. Those phrases reveal the sentiments and services that matter to prospective clients.

Google can highlight those sentiments, and we are seeing Google’s AI Overviews, AI Mode, and independent AI search engines consider review content when deciding which businesses to display. Reviews are not the only factor, but they provide strong signals about how people experience the practice.

I recommend working toward at least ten high-quality, five-star paragraph reviews each month. Consistent reviews tell Google that the practice is still delivering an excellent experience and show why clients value it. If reviews stop for a long period, we often see visibility weaken over time.

The importance of reviews can vary depending on how well a practice performs in other areas. It is similar to applying to a top university: if your test scores, grades, and interview are exceptional, the institution may be more forgiving if one part of the application is weaker. But the best approach is still to perform strongly across every category.

Continue working to earn detailed reviews. We have a methodology for helping practices encourage five-star paragraph reviews, and anyone interested can contact us through the website to request it.

The final major factor is content. AI has created a problem here because Google can often identify content that appears to have been generated primarily by AI rather than created by knowledgeable people. If the content does not add original value, it may not perform well.

Google wants websites to be helpful. If a practice simply uses AI to produce generic content, it is not necessarily contributing anything new. That is similar to the longstanding issue of copied or duplicate content. Search platforms have consistently tried to prioritize original material over content that merely repeats what already exists elsewhere.

My advice is clear: do not depend on unedited AI-generated content. Have real people who understand the topic create the material, and write it in a way that is genuinely useful to the audience.

Google also wants to connect content with a credible expert. If you have a veterinary degree, board certification, specialized education, or other professional qualifications, make sure those credentials are clearly associated with the content. Include information such as where you studied, when you graduated, and the qualifications that establish your expertise.

Google often describes this through the acronym E-E-A-T: experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. Your website pages should demonstrate those qualities.

When pursuing additional education, credentials from established universities or recognized institutions may be easier for search engines to verify than a short course from an unknown provider. I am not saying one type of education is inherently better than another, but that is a practical bias in how online authority may be interpreted.

Continue creating and publishing original content. Make sure it is not simply generated and posted without human expertise, and connect it clearly to the qualifications of the veterinary professionals responsible for it.

That is great news for many of our listeners, especially DVMs who already have those credentials. They can make better use of their expertise by publishing real, original content. Naren, how should practices rethink their website and content strategy to remain relevant in an AI-driven discovery environment?

One of the clearest mistakes is relying on AI-generated or copied content. If you do that without adding genuine expertise and originality, your visibility can suffer.

Another mistake is focusing on one page or one keyword. Google once evaluated webpages more individually through tools and measures such as Lighthouse. Today, user-experience systems such as Chrome UX Report—often called CrUX—look more broadly at the performance and experience of the website.

The website must work as a complete experience. Does it load quickly? Does it provide detailed, relevant information? Is it easy to navigate? Does it serve users consistently across devices? If the full site does not meet expectations, individual pages can be affected.

The first priority should be the user and what that person genuinely wants. Do not try to manipulate Google by focusing narrowly on keywords. A common mistake is optimizing for a phrase instead of being useful and answering the questions people actually have.

Practices that focus on intent can rank for hundreds of related searches. Within the first year, our clients typically begin ranking for at least 100 search terms, and some rank for 600 or 700 different searches and phrases.

This is often called the long tail. When you focus on a person’s intent, you can become visible for many related questions around a particular service or type of care. Repeated visibility builds familiarity and trust. That is one reason the cost of acquiring a new client through strong organic visibility can be far lower than depending on Google Ads.

The next priority is first-party, human-written content. Real people should create original material in the way search platforms expect, connect it to the author’s qualifications, and publish consistently. Do not publish a site once and then leave it untouched. Continue adding useful information so the website grows over time.

Prioritize deep, original answers to meaningful questions, including strong FAQ content. Showcase your knowledge and authority, and connect the material to the professional’s biography. Do not simply regurgitate or copy and paste information from elsewhere.

Consistency also matters. Just as a practice should consistently earn reviews, its marketing team should consistently add the right kind of helpful content.

Finally, avoid treating the strategy as purely transactional or targeting isolated keywords. Focus on making the consumer happy and giving them what they need. Search engines and AI platforms are evaluating the full journey. Can people easily book an appointment? Can they call the practice? Can they read the reviews? Are you closing the loop and making it easy to do business with you?

The technical experience matters as well. A site may look wonderful on a desktop but perform poorly on a small phone screen or in a particular mobile browser. Search and AI systems are trying to determine whether users will appreciate the recommendation. If the online experience is excellent—not only because of the reviews but also because the website is fast, useful, and easy to navigate—the practice earns stronger signals.

Those are the areas veterinary practices should focus on as we move further into an AI-driven world.

Thank you for those points, Naren. Let us move into practical ways veterinary practices can use AI internally to improve marketing efficiency without losing the human touch, which is becoming increasingly rare.

This is an interesting area. AI is becoming more common inside veterinary practices, but we have to think carefully about where it adds value.

We have all heard about AI answering the phone. In my experience, new clients can feel underwhelmed when they believe the practice does not value them enough to have a human answer courteously and helpfully. I am not a huge fan of using AI to answer the phone.

A major part of attracting and retaining the best clients—especially people who deeply care about their pets—is the experience. When someone calls, the practice should honor that person by having someone knowledgeable, courteous, and capable of building a relationship answer the call. There are some parts of the journey where I would not use AI.

For reminders, however, technology can be very useful. If the message simply says, “You have an appointment at 4:00,” there is little judgment required. For more meaningful communication, AI can help create a first draft. For example, if a client has not visited for a while, the team could use AI to draft a thoughtful text or email personalized around the situation.

I would not allow AI to send that message without review. A human should read it and ensure it makes sense. When AI makes a mistake, the client does not blame the technology—they blame the practice and the practice owner. Anything customized or sensitive should have human oversight.

AI can also help staff classify and organize inquiries before a visit. But be careful not to optimize the wrong thing. Clients who have experimented with AI sometimes find that it accelerates the wrong outcome—for example, attracting the wrong kind of client or emphasizing the wrong service.

Not every client relationship has the same value. Some clients are profitable, some become lifelong clients, and different situations require different judgment. Do not use AI blindly or assume that pressing a button replaces strategic thinking. The team still needs to be engaged and involved.

Use AI to support efficiency in areas such as marketing, search, organization, and administrative tasks, but use it carefully and thoughtfully with a human overseeing the work. Otherwise, it can hurt the practice. AI is still relatively new, and we are all aware of its limitations, which is why oversight matters.

Being a full-time veterinarian while running a practice can feel like three full-time jobs. For practice owners listening right now who feel overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure how to prepare for the future, what is one practical first step they can take today to make sure their clinic thrives in this AI-driven landscape instead of being left behind?

The first step is to understand how you are currently performing across all of these areas. For example, if your practice ranks for 200 relevant search terms and phrases on Google, it is more likely to perform well across ChatGPT and other AI-driven platforms. If you rank for only five, seven, or ten terms instead of hundreds, there is a significant opportunity to move into the top tier of visibility.

Reaching that level can create an unfair advantage because the cost of acquiring a quality patient through strong organic visibility can be a fraction of the cost for a practice that depends heavily on ads. Paid advertising continues to become more expensive, and some users do not trust sponsored results. You may have to speak with many low-intent prospects before finding someone ready to trust the practice.

Have someone review your practice across the technical areas we discussed. Are you using structured data correctly? Is your NAP information consistent? Are you creating content in the right way and demonstrating E-E-A-T? Is your website optimized for the user-experience factors measured through CrUX?

You can research all of this yourself, but it may require many hours. Our team spends approximately six hours researching a practice and its competitors as part of our marketing strategy meeting. We then explain how the practice is performing, how competitors are performing, and what roadmap could help the practice strengthen its market position.

We offer that review as a complimentary resource. It is valued at approximately $900 because of the research involved. The link is veterinarybusinessinstitute.com/msm.

Thank you very much, Naren, for sharing that resource with our listeners. Please make the best use of it. Book the meeting, develop a strong marketing plan, and make 2026 your best year yet.

Naren, thank you again for joining us today. And thank you to everyone listening to the Veterinary Business Podcast. If you found this episode valuable, subscribe and stay connected for more conversations designed to help veterinary practice owners adapt, grow, and build stronger, more sustainable practices.

I am your host for this session, Don Adeesha, signing off. We will see you in the next episode. Take care, everyone.