On October 15, 2026, Google said AI Mode and AI Overviews will show more links to websites inside their answers, and higher up. It is also testing a section that highlights the official pages for a task. Any site that wants visits from Google's AI answers is affected.
What we know
- More links, placed higher: Google's official blog post, by Hema Budaraju, VP of Product Management, says inline links in AI answers have seen "continued and substantial increases". Google says it will now show them near the top of responses more often. It gives no numbers.
- Official-pages test: Google will test a section at the top of an answer that highlights official pages when there are only one or two places to get something done, with context on why each one helps. It is a test, with no date or country list.
- News carousels: carousels of timely articles are starting to roll out to more locations and languages, which Google does not list. They highlight Preferred Sources, the outlets each user chooses to follow.
- Preferred Sources: Google says usage has grown more than seven times since the start of 2026.
- Related links: the links shown at the end of some answers get image thumbnails and a more clickable design.
- Search profiles: starting this week, Google is testing creator and publisher names on video results in AI Mode that link to their Search profiles. It points eligible creators to a help page.
- No click data: according to Search Engine Roundtable, Google told it there is no click data for these features yet and that it will add metrics "over time".
What changes and what doesn't
What changes is how many links an AI answer carries and where they sit. A cited site can become more visible, and an official page can earn its own slot at the top.
What doesn't change is how you get there: Google announced no new tag or setting for these links. There is also no report, for now, that separates clicks coming from AI answers. The tests may not reach every country.
How to tell if it affects you
- If your site is the official place for something (booking your hotel, paying a bill, making an appointment), check that the page exists, is indexed and says so plainly in its title and first paragraph. Search `site:yourdomain.com` plus the task word.
- If you publish news, check whether your outlet can appear as a Preferred Source in your country, and ask loyal readers to select it.
- If you make videos, check Google's help page to see whether you can claim a Search profile. It is where the AI Mode test sends people.
- Fix the landing page. A more visible link is wasted if the page is slow or doesn't deliver what the answer promised.
- Track by landing page. Without AI click data, note your top pages in Search Console's Performance report today and compare them in four weeks. It is an indirect signal, not proof.
Related: Bing Webmaster Tools Now Shows Your AI Citation Topics
Sources
- Google, official blog, "More ways to connect with the web from Search", Hema Budaraju, October 15, 2026
- Search Engine Roundtable, Barry Schwartz, October 15, 2026
Updates: if Google shares numbers, expands the tests or adds AI click data to Search Console, it will be added here with a link.