Google, for the umpteenth time, has updated how it shows links and carousel link cards in AI Mode and AI Overviews. Google always says this is to encourage searchers to click from the AI response to the publisher or creator, but it feels as if those efforts to drive clicks from AI search continue to fail.
Google released several updates to how it links in AI Mode and AI Overviews. Here is the short version with images below:
- Google increased links in AI Mode and AI Overviews
- Google is placing some of those links higher up in the AI responses
- Google will show one or two links to the "right web page" for some queries that deserve it
- Google is expanding the timely article carousels to more regions and languages globally
- Google has more prominent link designs for related articles
- Google is testing linking Search profiles from creator and publisher names on videos within AI Mode, but those links go to Google pages, the Search profile page, first
Google also said the number of people who use preferred sources has increased by more than 7X. I commend Google for trying, but it seems like Google continues to try to make links more prominent and continues to say they do this to encourage searchers to click on the "more clickable design."
But if Google wants to really show us those efforts, they should give us the click data in the AI performance reports already. We want click data, Google knows we want click data but Google tells me, and I quote "We're continuing to work with website owners to understand what insights will be most helpful to inform their strategies, and we’ll introduce additional metrics over time."
The metric we want and find most helpful is clicks. It is also the number one metric for Google Ads.
Here are screenshots and videos of the features:
Top One or Two Links:
Related Articles Thumbnails:
Prominent Carousels:
Search Profile Creator/Publisher Links:
Forum discussion at X.