Every week, the MSP team breaks down the dental marketing news that actually matters, from Google updates and AI search changes to social media trends, SEO shifts, and reputation management surprises.
Google Search Traffic Is Shrinking, and ChatGPT Is Part of the Reason
What happened: New research is putting real numbers behind something a lot of us have suspected for a while. Researchers looked at desktop browsing data and found that as more people gained access to ChatGPT Search, regular Google search volume dropped by over 9% within weeks, and by as much as 17% after a few months. The steepest drops were in informational searches, the kind of “how do I” or “what is” questions patients (and everyone else) used to Google outright.
Why dentists should care: This doesn’t mean patients have stopped looking for information about their oral health. It means more of them are asking an AI chatbot instead of typing into Google, and if your content isn’t structured in a way that AI tools can actually pull from, you’re invisible to a growing slice of that audience.
What to do next:
- Keep publishing clear, well-organized content on your website (yes, this includes your blog), since AI tools pull from the same fundamentals that make good SEO work
- Make sure your practice information (hours, services, location) is accurate and consistent everywhere online, since that’s exactly the kind of content AI models cite
- Don’t panic and abandon your Google strategy. Traditional search dropped, it didn’t disappear
That “AI Visibility Score” Might Be Mostly Noise
What happened: If you’ve seen a marketing pitch promising to track how often ChatGPT or Google’s AI Overviews mention your practice, new research shows those numbers bounce around a lot more than most dashboards let on. Because AI models generate a slightly different answer every time you ask them something, a single check of “how often does my practice get mentioned” is basically one snapshot of a constantly shifting target. Researchers found that getting a reliable, stable ranking sometimes takes dozens of repeated tests, and in a few cases, the numbers never really settled at all.
Why dentists should care: If a report shows your practice went from being mentioned 10% of the time to 13% of the time, that difference might mean nothing. It could just be random variation between two single tests, and paying for a service based on that swing could be a waste of money.
What to do next:
- If anyone pitches you an “AI visibility” tracking service, ask if they test more than once before reporting a number
- Treat any single AI visibility report with a healthy dose of skepticism, especially small week to week changes
- Focus energy on the fundamentals (accurate info, quality content, strong reviews) rather than chasing a shaky score
Instagram Just Got a Report Card
What happened: Google quietly rolled out a new feature that lets you connect your Instagram account to Google Search Console, the same free tool website owners use to see what people are searching for. Instagram posts from public professional accounts have been showing up in Google search results since last year, but until now there was no way to actually see which searches were sending people to your posts.
Why dentists should care: This is a free way to find out if your Instagram content is actually reaching people who are searching for a dentist, rather than just people who already follow you. It turns your Instagram from a guessing game into something you can actually measure.
What to do next:
- If your practice’s Instagram is set to a professional account, check whether it’s eligible to connect to Search Console
- Once connected, see which search terms are sending traffic to your posts, and lean into whatever is working
- Keep captions clear and descriptive instead of just clever, since Google is reading them too
Action Items
| Update | What It Means | What To Do | Priority |
| ChatGPT search decline | Fewer patients are typing questions into Google, more are asking AI chatbots | Keep content clear, structured, and accurate everywhere online | High |
| AI visibility scores | A single “AI ranking” report is often just noise, not a real trend | Question any vendor selling a single-snapshot AI ranking report | Medium |
| Instagram + Search Console | You can now see which searches drive traffic to your Instagram posts | Connect your account and see what search terms are working | Medium |
MSP’s Take
The throughline this week is that how patients search is changing faster than most practices are adjusting for. ChatGPT is quietly pulling a real, measurable share of search traffic away from Google, and Instagram just became a legitimate, trackable search channel in its own right. None of this requires starting over. It just means keeping your content accurate and well structured everywhere, not just on your website. The one thing worth actively ignoring is any vendor waving around a single “AI visibility” number as proof of anything, since this week’s research shows that number alone probably isn’t telling you much.
Learn More
- ChatGPT Access Tied To 9% Drop In Traditional Search – Search Engine Journal
- AI Visibility Rankings Aren’t Stable – New Research Shows It’s Mostly Statistical Noise – Search Engine Journal
- Instagram Posts Now Rank on Google: How to Measure and Win Search Traffic – Tech Times
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Google search declining because of ChatGPT?
Recent research found that as more people gained wider access to ChatGPT Search, traditional Google search volume dropped by roughly 9% within weeks of expanded access, with the decline growing over time. The biggest drops were in informational, “how do I” style searches.
Should my practice stop focusing on Google SEO?
No. Traditional search traffic is shrinking, not disappearing. The fundamentals that help you rank on Google, like clear content and accurate business information, are largely the same things that help AI tools cite your practice too.
Can I trust an "AI visibility" or "AI ranking" report from a marketing vendor?
Be cautious of any report based on a single test. New research shows these scores can shift significantly between individual checks, since AI tools generate slightly different answers each time. Ask whether a vendor’s methodology repeats tests before reporting a number.
How do I see which searches are bringing people to my Instagram posts?
If your practice runs a public professional Instagram account, you can now connect it to Google Search Console, the same free tool used for websites, to see which search terms are driving traffic to your posts.
Does this mean I should post more on Instagram?
Not necessarily more, just more intentionally. Since Instagram posts can now show up in Google search results and be measured like a website, writing clear, descriptive captions can help your content get found by people searching for a dentist, not just your existing followers.
Adrian Lefler is the CEO and Co-Founder of My Social Practice and a recognized dental marketing expert with nearly two decades of experience. He is a trusted voice in dental marketing, AI in dentistry, and emerging technology, and he hosts BYTE SIZED, a podcast focused on dental AI, innovation, and technology.
