City: not disclosed · Clinic type: Dental clinic · Service: GEO and AI search optimisation
Background
In the past, a friend's referral was almost the same as an endorsement, and patients who got a recommendation would often go straight to the clinic. Now, before setting off, patients still open their phones and search the clinic's name, doctors and treatments on Doubao to check whether the information can be trusted.
Starting point
The clinic realised that referred patients go through the AI search step too. If they cannot find the clinic, or the information is incomplete or inconsistent, the value of a personal recommendation is weakened.
What we did
- Unified basic information such as the clinic's name, services, location and doctors, so AI can identify the clinic accurately.
- Organised content around the confirming searches patients commonly make, such as whether the clinic is reliable and whether it offers a particular treatment.
- Added the scope of services and booking information, reducing patients' uncertainty before visiting.
- Kept retesting brand-related queries, correcting errors or omissions promptly.
Results
- Client feedback: patients referred by friends also search Doubao first to check
- A double layer of trust formed: "referred by a friend + found on Doubao"
This shows AI search is no longer just a channel for new patients; it is also a checking step before a referral turns into a purchase.
Why it matters
Dental decisions depend heavily on trust. The value of GEO (generative engine optimisation) is not only in helping unfamiliar patients find you, but also in giving patients who already have a recommendation more confidence to walk through the door.
Data scope
The feedback comes from anonymised screenshots of conversations with the client. AI answers change with platform models and public information, and this case does not promise long-term, stable recommendations.