▼ Summary
– Google has confirmed a new feature that integrates links within AI Overviews to facilitate easier topic exploration and help users discover relevant websites.
– Clicking on underlined links in the AI Overview text directs users to a new Google Search, while smaller link icons lead to external websites.
– The feature aims to simplify the process for users to delve into topics without manually entering new queries, enhancing the overall search experience.
– Google prioritizes linking to third-party websites within AI Overviews when confident these sites provide the information users seek.
– This feature is currently available in English within the U.S. on both mobile and desktop platforms, potentially impacting traffic to external publisher sites.
Recently, there were reports of Google linking text within its AI Overviews back to its own search results. Today, Google has officially confirmed this as a new feature integrated into AI Overviews.
“To facilitate easier topic exploration and help users discover relevant websites, we have incorporated links within AI Overviews when our systems deem them beneficial,” a Google representative shared with Search Engine Land.
Visual Representation: Here is a screenshot we previously shared:
When users click on the underlined links in the AI Overview text, located both at the top and in the middle sections, they are directed to a new Google Search. Smaller link icons, however, lead to the side panel links, which point to publishers and external websites.
The Rationale
Google’s motivation for this feature is to simplify the process for users to delve into topics. According to Google, users often perform separate searches for specific terms from the AI Overviews. Their testing indicated that users appreciate being directly linked to relevant search results pages, enhancing their overall search experience.
This new feature minimizes the need for users to enter a new query manually, instead allowing them to click on these embedded links, which Google asserts contributes to a “much better search experience.”
Google ensures that its systems prioritize linking to third-party websites within the AI Overview responses when confident that these sites will provide the information users seek, as confirmed by a Google spokesperson.
Availability: This feature is now available in English within the U.S., accessible on both mobile and desktop platforms.
Implications for Publishers
While publishers have long requested more traffic from Google Search, this new feature could potentially redirect more traffic to Google’s own search results rather than to external publisher sites. Although Google emphasizes enhancing the user experience by simplifying topic exploration, this development may not be favorable for publishers and site owners.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
