The verdict in three sentences
In Miami, SEO is still the channel that brings consultation requests, because patients almost always end up on Google Maps, a procedure page and a form. AEO/GEO matters when the patient compares: they ask AI assistants like ChatGPT which surgeon is board certified, what is known about a procedure, how long recovery takes. An established practice gains from measuring both with separate indicators, and no provider can promise a ranking or a recommendation by an AI.
Where patients look in 2026, and what each channel captures
The typical Miami patient comes as much from the city as from Latin America, the Caribbean or other states, and compares for a long time. They type tummy tuck Miami cost or cirujano plástico certificado Miami into Google, then ask an AI broader questions: What are the risks of combining a tummy tuck with liposuction? How do I check that a surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?
| Stage of the journey | What SEO captures | What AEO/GEO captures |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | Procedure and city queries, Google Maps | General questions about a procedure and its alternatives |
| Checking the surgeon | Google profile, team pages, reviews | Answers on the surgeon's certification and background |
| Risks and recovery | Detailed procedure pages | Summaries that cite your content, or not |
| Price | Cost pages when the practice publishes them | General ranges, often without a practice name |
| Decision | Form, phone, booking | Little direct conversion today |
| Time to effect | 4 to 12 months on contested queries | Variable, a few months, in steps |
| Market budget (2026 ballpark) | USD 4,000 to 15,000 a month | Diagnostic USD 3,000 to 10,000, monitoring USD 1,000 to 4,000 a month |
These ranges come from typical quotes by medical marketing agencies and public consultant rate pages in Miami. The AEO market is young and prices vary widely.
Where to put the money, by practice situation
| Situation | Reasonable decision | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| New practice, recently established surgeon | Local SEO first, Google profile and procedure pages | Without solid pages, AI assistants have nothing reliable to draw on |
| Established practice with a reputation | AEO diagnostic, SEO on upkeep | The main risk is an inaccurate answer about the surgeon |
| Tightly framed content (before/after, reviews) | Both, with medical and legal review | Every published page also feeds AI answers |
| Limited budget | Procedure and surgeon pages, quarterly AEO record | Those are the pages read before a consultation |
| Many Spanish-speaking patients | Spanish-language SEO first | Spanish queries are often less contested |
| Several surgeons and locations | Consistent information above all | AI assistants easily mix up names and addresses |
Medical advertising rules apply to both channels. In the US, the Federal Trade Commission governs testimonials and reviews, including fake reviews, and the Florida Board of Medicine sets its own rules for Florida physicians. Use board certified only for the certification actually held, and pair before/after photos with explanations and patient consent. Forms should collect minimal health data; HIPAA obligations apply to covered entities. Aim for WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA, since ADA Title III complaints frequently target websites. This is not legal advice.
How to measure, and what a diagnostic covers
For SEO the indicators are familiar: Search Console impressions and clicks per procedure page, tracked calls and forms, booked consultations, cost per consultation. For AEO/GEO, measurement rests on a dated record: the same questions asked of AI assistants like ChatGPT at regular intervals, in English and Spanish, with the answers archived. You track the share of answers citing the practice or surgeon, the accuracy of the information (certification, address, procedures performed) and the sources cited.
A diagnostic usually covers the technical and editorial state of procedure and surgeon pages, the consistency of public information (profiles, medical directories, listings), a first record of AI answers on an agreed question list, and a costed recommendation on the split between the two channels. At Kolonell it is on quote.
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Illustrative example: Biscayne Surgical Arts, a two-surgeon plastic surgery practice in Miami, has USD 8,000 a month. It puts 6,000 into SEO and 2,000 into AEO monitoring, so 12 × 8,000 = USD 96,000 over the year. The record covers 30 questions in English and Spanish, so 60 archived answers a month. Taking an average fee of USD 9,000 per procedure as a market assumption, it needs 96,000 / 9,000 ≈ 10.7, so 11 procedures from these channels to cover the spend. The practice tracks that threshold every quarter. These figures illustrate a decision, not a result.
FAQ
Should we drop SEO in favor of AEO?
No. In Miami, SEO still brings most consultation requests, and AEO acts mainly on the comparison stage. A 70 to 80% share for SEO is a common starting point.
What does SEO cost for a Miami plastic surgery practice?
Between USD 4,000 and 15,000 a month as a 2026 ballpark, depending on the number of procedures and languages. Spanish queries are often cheaper to work.
Do before/after photos help in AI answers?
AI assistants mostly draw on text. Clear procedure pages on risks and recovery, reviewed by the surgeon, weigh more than a gallery of 50 photos.
How do we know what AI assistants say about our practice?
With a dated record on 20 to 30 questions, repeated each month. You compare the share of answers citing you and the accuracy of what is said.
Can an AI guarantee it will recommend us?
No, and no provider can promise it. The work improves the quality of public information and tracks change over 6 to 12 months.
Find out how AI assistants describe your firm. We record what AI assistants like ChatGPT say about your surgeons and procedures, then compare it with your Google visibility in Miami. Request a diagnostic quote: reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
