AI chatbots and zero-click search experiences are reshaping how consumers find information online. Harris & Ward has introduced a free AI visibility audit that helps healthcare and professional service practices measure and improve how they appear across AI platforms.
-- In 2024, Gartner predicted that traditional search engine volume would drop 25%, with users opting for AI chatbots and other virtual agents instead. After the huge industry shift toward AI and machine learning, there has been a significant change in user search behavior, too.
The most marked difference is that people now turn to programs like ChatGPT, which announced that it had surpassed 900 million weekly active users in late February 2026. In addition, Semrush reported that in late July, 2025, 92-94% of Google AI Mode searches were zero-click searches, meaning that modern internet users are finding online answers without clicking through to a website. In fact, Conductor's 2026 AEO/GEO Benchmarks Report found that 25% of Google searches now generate an AI overview.
What this means for businesses focusing on traditional search engine marketing (SEO) is that they must evolve to keep up with the times, especially if they were previously focused on organic traffic. Without major strategic changes, they won't have AI visibility, and without that, they face obscurity and fewer conversions.
This change in user search behavior doesn't hit every industry equally, either. The healthcare and professional service practices are particularly under-represented in AI-generated answers compared to publishers and aggregators.
There's a growing demand from healthcare practices noticing referral patterns shifting toward AI-driven discovery, and Harris & Ward has adjusted its digital marketing services to address this. This is a 15-year Lexington, KY agency specializing in digital marketing for dental, orthodontic, medical, and veterinary practices.
Harris & Ward's AI visibility audit is a new service that evaluates how practices appear across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude, with competitor benchmarking and remediation recommendations. This is a complimentary audit that takes one minute to carry out, and it shows users where their businesses rank compared to their top competitors through a simple AI visibility score.
This audit can show businesses whether AI systems are recommending them when potential customers ask related questions. The score can show them whether their sites are covering the topic area adequately. If these companies aren't being cited in the AI-generated answers found on the main tools, then they're essentially digitally invisible, even if they rank highly on search engine results pages (SERPs).
The good news is that with the right strategy, most businesses can significantly improve AI search visibility within 60-90 days; some platforms are faster (Perplexity and Google AI Overviews) while others can take longer (ChatGPT and Gemini). Harris & Ward can walk users through the AI visibility audit breakdown and provide a tailored strategy if desired, with no obligation to use its SEO and digital marketing services.
Harris & Ward don't just work with local businesses in Kentucky; they have clients from all across the country. This company can help any business in any market to improve its AI visibility score through its free audit.
About the company: Harris & Ward is a digital marketing agency based in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 2011, the firm specializes in helping businesses increase revenue through SEO, AI Search Visibility, Digital Advertising, and Website Design.
Contact Info:
Name: Todd Boak
Email: Send Email
Organization: Harris & Ward
Address: 333 E Short Street, Suite 130, Lexington, KY 40507
Phone: 859-214-0004
Website: https://harrisandward.com/ai-visibility-audit/
Release ID: 89192824
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