Google announced five changes to links in its AI search features on October 15, 2026. Two are tests, and Google promised no traffic outcome for any of them. The update arrived while publishers were reporting steep losses, including a 40 percent fall in Google traffic to news publishers between July 2025 and July 2026 in Chartbeat data reported at the time.
What Changed
| Change | Status | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| More inline links, placed higher in AI responses | Launching | Every cited site |
| A top section of official links, with context on why each is useful | Test | Brands and official sites |
| News carousels that highlight Preferred Sources, expanding to more locations and languages | Rolling out | News publishers |
| Larger end-of-answer article links with image thumbnails | On some AI responses | Publishers and blogs |
| Clickable creator and publisher names on video results in AI Mode | Test | Creators |
Search Engine Roundtable reports that the top section holds one or two links that help with a specific task, and that clicks on creator names lead first to Google's Search profile pages, not directly to the creator's site.
What Google Did Not Promise
- No click or traffic figures were published for any change.
- No way to apply for, or opt in to, the official links test has been described in the coverage we reviewed.
- No new schema type was announced as a requirement.
- No completion date was given for the wider rollout.
Nick Fox of Google said the number of people using Preferred Sources has grown 7x. That counts people choosing sources, not visits sent to those sources.
Why the Official Links Test Matters Most to Brands
A section reserved for official pages gives a brand's own site a dedicated place in the answer, separate from third-party citations. That could matter for task-based queries, such as finding a support page or a booking flow. It is a test, so treat it as a signal to check rather than a change to plan around. Make sure official pages are easy to identify: consistent naming, clear page titles, and an accurate Organization profile. Those are good practice regardless of what the test becomes.
What to Measure
- Compare before and after October 15. Use Search Console for the same pages and queries, and exclude other launches from the window.
- Log where your link appears. Inline, top section, carousel, and end-of-answer links are different placements. A citation count treats them as equal.
- Expect noise. Search Console combines AI feature traffic with regular web search totals. See how to track AI Overviews in Search Console.
- Ask readers to add you as a Preferred Source if you publish timely articles, since carousels now highlight those selections.
Methodology
Statuses come from Google's October 15 post. Added detail comes from Search Engine Roundtable, and the Chartbeat figure from Tech Xplore. Presenc AI did not measure these changes. Status as of October 31, 2026.
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