Google is changing the way links appear within their AI search features, including AI Overviews and AI Mode.
AI Overviews are the short outlines generated by AI that appear at the top of search results. On the other hand, AI Mode is a separate AI-led search experience where users can ask more detailed questions with contextual follow-ups.
This change is significant, as many websites have seen a decline in visitors since the introduction of these AI search features.
People can now get answers directly from Google without clicking through to an external site.
This is useful for search engine users, however, poses a problem for website owners who are experiencing this decline in user interaction.
The new changes are designed to make links within Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode easier to see and easier to use.
The aim is to help search engine users find where the information included in these AI-generated responses originally came from and make it easier for them to explore these websites further.
These changes include:
Explore related topics
Depending on the query, Google may show a suggestion box at the end of its AI-generated response. This can guide users to related topics and help them explore the subject further.
Easier access to your news subscriptions
If a user pays for a subscription to a news website, Google may highlight links from that site within its AI-generated responses.
The aim is to help users get more value from their subscriptions. This may also help the publisher by guiding the user to a source that they already trust and are more likely to engage with.
More detail from social media and forums
For some searches, people prefer to seek advice from others to help them make more informed decisions. Google says its AI responses may now include a preview of views from users from online forums and social media.
This could encourage users to explore those discussions in more detail and see different opinions before deciding what to do next.
More links within the main body of text
Instead of only showing a list of cited sources, Google is now adding more links directly within the main body of text within its AI-responses.
These links will appear next to the text that they relate to. This should help users see which website supports each part of the answer and make it easier to click through and read more.
Previews of website when hovering over links
On desktop, users may be able to hover over a link and see a preview of the website before clicking.
This can include information like the name of the website, the page title or other useful information. This should help users understand what to expect from the site before clicking through.
These changes could be a positive step for website owners. While Google are still showing answers within search results, they are making more effort to guide users to external websites.
If Google is going to include more links in its AI-generated answers, websites need to give users a reason to click.
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