Tom Vaughton took to the stage at brightonSEO this week with a message that resonates strongly across the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries: SEO and search marketing is facing an identity crisis, and our increasing dependence on AI could be quietly eroding authenticity and trust, two things no healthcare brand can afford to lose.
In his talk, “The SEO identity crisis: Why over-relying on AI will make you average,” Tom explored how the explosion and adoption of AI tools has given marketers across sectors, access to data, speed, and automation…but often at the cost of creativity, strategy, and most importantly, impactful and meaningful results. When it comes to the pharma industry, if AI tools decide what healthcare content to publish, it might pass compliance approval, but it won’t inspire clinicians, reassure patients, or build trust. Healthcare communication demands strategic intent and emotional intelligence.
Tom Vaughton CEO, Varn Health
With AI reflecting what’s already out there in pharma and healthcare content, instead of highlighting where to go next, Tom reflected that over reliance on AI for marketing and SEO solutions and strategies, is leading us to be a part of a healthcare industry full of marketers who are creating a sea of ‘sameness’ cookie cutter content. HCP’s and patients will simply regard this as noise, rather than helpful and engaging content.
Patients now turn not just to Google but to forums, clinical communities, AI chat tools, and health platforms for trusted answers. The marketeers who will lead will bring human depth; empathy, clarity, and verified insight; to every message.
As AI starts to appear into almost every workflow, Tom warned the brightonSEO audience of a dangerous sameness taking hold. Automation can make us efficient, but it can also make us indistinguishable. He also shared that sameness matters now more than ever, because search itself is changing. We know that people aren’t just turning to Google anymore. They’re discovering brands through new AI platforms, TikTok, Reddit and voice assistants and so rankings are no longer the only measure of success or even the full story. New platforms where authentic and original perspectives will get noticed and rise above templated content.
Tom shared three key shifts to help SEOs and marketeers reclaim their edge in with AI around every turn, and we’ve shared these specifically below for a healthcare and pharma marketeer.
Think like a product team.
Run agile, evidence based experiments rather than long static campaigns. Test, learn, and treat your SEO like an agile system that learns fast and adapts faster.
Make AI your analysis partner, not your copywriter.
Use AI to help you explore and surface insights, trends, or audience needs, but let human experts, clinicians, scientists, and communicators, craft the story.
Create what AI can’t.
Share lived patient experiences, clinical insights, and research backed storytelling that only your teams can provide. Authenticity and compassion cannot be automated by AI.
Tom wrapped up with a simple but powerful truth in that AI can execute but it really can’t decide what matters most. Strategy, clarity, and human creativity will remain the ultimate differentiators.
Keep an eye out for Tom’s talk on video, plus highlights from the Varn team on their favourite insightful talks from brightonSEO October 2025.
Please fill out the form to request a proposal or ask us a question and we’ll be in touch. Or call us now on 01225 637594.
