Most orthodontists in Miami have worked with digital marketers and spent years optimizing their websites and Google Business Profiles (GBP) to rank in traditional search. However, a fundamental shift is underway.
At Qaushik , we frequently conduct market research and analyze how AI is reshaping search results. We did a live comparison of the query "Orthodontics in Miami" across both Google Search and Gemini , Google's AI-powered assistant. What we discovered suggests that the rules for local visibility are changing fast — and that many clinics are unprepared for what comes next.
A standard search for "Orthodontics in Miami" on Google delivers what most expect:
- A Local Pack featuring top-rated Google Business Profiles
- A list of high-ranking websites — largely practices that have invested in SEO, reviews, and location-specific pages
These practices have likely built trust through traditional digital marketing — high-quality backlinks, optimized service pages, structured data, and strong Google review profiles.
When the same query is entered in Gemini, the format shifts entirely.
- Gemini returns a curated list of recommendations, each with:
<Recommended business name> — it has <X> reviews with <Y> star ratings and a summary of reviews.
On the right side it also lists the source of the summary it produced. You could see it is Yelp.
If you analyze the results carefully, you could see that inference is drawn on a relatively smaller number of reviews and not 100s or 1000s.
Interestingly, these business names are nowhere to be seen on first or second page in Google search.
To validate this behavior, we reviewed the businesses featured by Gemini and cross-checked their Google and Yelp listings. Here's what we found:
- Google Business Profiles: 1,500+ reviews with strong 4.7–4.9 star ratings
- Yelp listings: Often fewer than 30 reviews, but still referenced exclusively by Gemini
We asked Gemini directly which source it used. The answer: Yelp.
We tried multiple combinations of search queries and validated our hypothesis. Every time results from local listing websites like Yelp were given preference our tools like Google business.
This means rules of the search appearance game is being rewritten. There is a chance for the ones who missed the SEO wave to flourish in AIO wave.
The implications are clear — AI is no longer relying solely on your Google SEO footprint. If you're ranking well on Google but have an unclaimed or inactive Yelp listing, your visibility in AI search results could be zero.
Key Takeaways:
- Traditional local SEO signals (like GBP and backlinks) are still relevant — but not enough for AI-first platforms.
- If Gemini and other AI tools begin to dominate user behavior (as Google predicts), practices that ignore third-party platforms like Yelp, Healthgrades, or Zocdoc may find themselves invisible.
- For patients using AI assistants instead of Google Search, your clinic's strong website and GBP may no longer be part of the conversation.
1. Reclaim and Optimize Your Yelp Presence
If Yelp is being used as the default dataset, you need to treat it with the same seriousness as GBP.
- Claim your profile
- Update all information
- Respond to reviews
- Encourage satisfied patients to leave feedback
2. Strengthen Structured Data Across All Platforms
Search engines — and AI assistants — rely on schema markup and entity alignment to connect your practice across platforms.
Ensure consistency in name, address, phone number (NAP) across:
- Your website
- GBP
- Yelp
- Zocdoc
- Dental directories
3. Expand Informational Content
AI models draw from web content to build their responses. Clinics with deep, well-organized blog archives and FAQs are more likely to be referenced.
Focus on:
- Treatment comparisons (e.g., "Invisalign vs Braces for Adults")
- Patient concerns (e.g., "Is TMJ treatment painful?")
- Localized intent (e.g., "Best orthodontist in Coral Gables for teens")
4. Audit How AI Sees You
Run your clinic name through Gemini, Perplexity, ChatGPT, and other AI tools. What do they say? What do they leave out? If your name doesn't appear at all, it's a signal your digital presence needs rebalancing.
It's no longer enough to rank on Google. AI-driven search assistants are already influencing how patients make local decisions. The clinics that adapt early will enjoy a long-term advantage. Those that don't may find themselves excluded from the next generation of search altogether.
Qaushik Can Help
At Qaushik – Digital Marketing Agency, we work at the intersection of SEO and AI discovery. We help orthodontists in Miami future-proof their digital visibility across both traditional and emerging platforms — including Google, Gemini, Yelp, and beyond.
Whether you're starting from scratch or need a realignment, we offer:
- Multi-platform SEO strategy
- AI audit and response visibility analysis
- Reputation optimization across Google and Yelp
Let's make sure your clinic is seen — wherever your patients are searching.
Our research shows that Gemini consistently uses Yelp as its primary data source for local business recommendations, even when businesses have strong Google Business Profiles with more reviews. This represents a fundamental shift in how AI-powered search prioritizes information sources.
No, traditional Google SEO remains important as most patients still use regular Google search. However, you need to expand your strategy to include platforms like Yelp that AI tools reference. The key is balancing both traditional and AI-focused optimization.
Our research found that practices with as few as 30 Yelp reviews appeared in Gemini recommendations, while practices with 1,500+ Google reviews were often not mentioned. Quality and recent activity on Yelp seem more important than total review count.