The search game already changed: What are the new keys to being discovered online?

AI-driven, “zero-click” search results have changed the game in the
life sciences industry. Patients and clinicians increasingly turn to platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Copilot instead of traditional search engines. This affects click-through rates and traffic in substantial, sometimes unexpected ways. The implications for health care marketing are profound: The path to being part of
the conversation is rapidly evolving, along with how we glean insights into those journeys.

Surge in AI search

AI-powered search fundamentally changes how people access information, synthesizing conversational responses to queries rather than providing hyperlinked lists. When AI results are shown, about 26% of visitors end their browsing session, presumably having found what they needed. The remainder can be 47% less likely to click on a search results link (Pew Research Center 2025). Google search results for health care topics include AI-generated overviews 87% of the time (Bright-Edge 2025), and are considered trustworthy in the majority of cases. Sixty-three percent of patients surveyed think AI-generated health information is somewhat or very reliable (Annenberg Public Policy Center 2025), and the AMA found 66% of physicians used AI in the process of delivering care (Henry 2025).

So, how is AI search different?

Big impact. Hard to detect

AI search is a paradigm shift, not a facelift. It delivers concise answers, often drawn from hundreds of sources in real time. This zero-click design means users may never visit the websites providing the information. Conversely, first-time visitors may already be well-informed and expect more advanced content. For brands, the implication is stark. Your content might drive awareness or behavior without generating explicit data. Previously, marketers could analyze which keywords, pages, and meta descriptions drew searchers to their site. With AI search, that line of sight is largely obscured:

• Limited insight into user intent
• Diminished click and conversion data
• Attribution blind spots

Now that content is being surfaced and summarized by algorithms, rather than keyword matching, a new strategy is required. Authoritative, conversational, and machine-readable content is more likely to be cited in AI responses, especially as Google’s AI Overviews and other answer-gen tools become standard.

Emerging tools

In response, new “prompt simulators” let you input questions as a provider or patient might and see how AI platforms answer. This can help determine:

• If and how your content appears in AI-generated answers
• What kinds of questions trigger your information or competitors’
• Where to optimize for better inclusion and relevance

Increasingly, these tools are a must-have for health care content strategy, allowing proactive testing, refinement, and adaptation of messaging for high AI visibility.

Actions you can take right now

These developments signal a seismic shift for everyone working in content and digital strategy. Adapting means:

• Building truly authoritative, clear, and up-to-date structured content
• Embracing AI visibility tools and prompt-testing
• Recognizing that AI-delivered results can impact users’ content expectations
• Redefining success: Not every impression leads to a click, but influence and brand trust can still grow in this landscape
  
  

Final thoughts

AI search is revolutionizing how people engage with information, and requires us to rethink content creation, presentation, and monitoring. The winners will adapt quickly, keep information current, and understand how AI platforms find and deliver answers. In health care, that can translate into better brand reach, stronger trust, and more informed decision-making by providers and patients.

About Woven

Woven Health Collective utilizes generative engine optimization techniques to ensure brand science is selected, summarized, and cited by AI engines across patient and HCP journeys.

References

1. Search Engine Land. New Google AI Overviews data: Search clicks fell 30% in last year. May 15, 2025. Accessed August 21, 2025. https://searchengineland.com/google-ai-overviews-search-clicks-fell-report-455498
2. Pew Research Center. Google users are less likely to click on links when an AI summary appears in the results. July 22, 2025. Accessed August 21, 2025. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/07/22/google-users-are-less-likely-to-click-on-links-when-an-ai-summary-appears-in-the-results/
3. Annenberg Public Policy Center. Many in U.S. Consider AI-Generated Health Information Useful and Reliable. July 14, 2025. Accessed August 19, 2025. https://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/many-in-u-s-consider-ai-generated-health-information-useful-and-reliable/
4. Henry TA. 2 in 3 physicians are using health AI—up 78% from 2023. February 26, 2025. Accessed August 19, 2025. https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/digital-health/2-3-physicians-are-using-health-ai-78-2023