Google Revamps AI Mode to Boost Link Visibility and Publisher Traffic

Google insists AI isn't killing traffic, yet it's changing AI Mode - here's how

Google also says AI Overviews isn't reducing overall web traffic. Google is experimenting with more ways to encourage users to follow links with relevant information. Also: You should use Gemini's new 'incognito' chat mode - here's why and what it does According to an X thread from Robby Stein, VP of Product for Google Search, Google is tinkering with methods to display more links in AI Mode search queries, and he explains the new link displays that users may encounter. Stein says that users are more likely to click links that are embedded within AI Mode responses when they want more information. He says link carousels are available in AI Mode on desktop and will be available on mobile soon, without a specific timeframe. Also: How to get rid of AI Overviews in Google Search: 4 easy ways According to Stein, Google is preparing model updates to improve the placement of hyperlinks to websites within AI Mode text responses. He says Google trains the model to understand where and when users are most likely to want to dig deeper into a query, and the long-term goal is to embed more links within an AI response. Finally, Stein says Google is expanding its Web Guide experiment in Google Labs, aiming to "intelligently surfacing and organizing the most useful web links with AI -- even for your hardest queries." Also: Google reveals how much energy a Gemini query uses - in industry first It's unclear exactly how Google deems a website's information "useful" enough to be displayed within an AI Mode query summary, and Google does not share with publishers how much traffic is coming from AI Mode summary link clicks. Stein's X thread comes three weeks after Liz Reid, VP and head of Google Search, wrote a blog post explaining that Google Search traffic trends have remained unchanged by AI Overviews, a separate AI Google Search tool. Whether or not that is true, AI Overviews currently displays considerably more links to sources than AI Mode. She says third-party studies that illustrate the opposite are flawed, isolated, or based on an incorrect timeframe.

Google's AI Mode is getting more links for you not to click on

Google also said AI Overviews isn't reducing overall web traffic. Google is experimenting with more ways to encourage users to follow links with relevant information. Also: You should use Gemini's new 'incognito' chat mode - here's why and what it does According to an X thread from Robby Stein, VP of product for Google Search, Google is tinkering with methods to display more links in AI Mode search queries, and he explained the new link displays that users may encounter. Stein's X thread comes three weeks after Liz Reid, VP and head of Google Search, wrote a blog post explaining that Google Search traffic trends have remained unchanged by AI Overviews, a separate AI Google Search tool. Meanwhile, a July report from the Pew Research Center found people "very rarely" clicked on the links cited in AI summaries. The news also comes at a time when publishers are attributing a steep drop in traffic to the rise of AI summaries, which they fear disincentivize people from clicking through to their websites. Stein said that users are more likely to click links that are embedded within AI Mode responses when they want more information. He said link carousels are available in AI Mode on desktop and will be available on mobile soon, without a specific timeframe. Also: How to get rid of AI Overviews in Google Search: 4 easy ways According to Stein, Google is preparing model updates to improve the placement of hyperlinks to websites within AI Mode text responses. He said Google trains the model to understand where and when users are most likely to want to dig deeper into a query, and the long-term goal is to embed more links within an AI response. Finally, Stein said Google is expanding its Web Guide experiment in Google Labs, for "intelligently surfacing and organizing the most useful web links with AI -- even for your hardest queries." Also: Google reveals how much energy a Gemini query uses - in industry first It's unclear exactly how Google deems a website's information "useful" enough to be displayed within an AI Mode query summary, and Google does not share with publishers how much traffic is coming from AI Mode summary link clicks. She said third-party studies that illustrate the opposite are flawed, isolated, or based on an incorrect timeframe.

Google Announces Major AI Mode Changes to Show More Links - Phandroid

Google is making significant AI Mode changes that could be a game-changer for publishers. Publishers have been watching their traffic disappear into AI-generated answers. According to a recent post on X by Robby Stein, Google's VP of Search, the company is rolling out updates. These updates will display more links within its AI responses. This move comes at a crucial time. Publishers are struggling with declining traffic as users increasingly turn to AI for quick answers. They're clicking through to original sources less often. Since AI Mode launched earlier this year, the feature has evolved from basic AI Overviews to a more sophisticated search experience. The AI Mode changes represent Google's attempt to balance providing instant AI-powered results while still driving traffic to the websites that create the content. Stein revealed that Google is working on model improvements. These will better handle inline links and train the AI to understand user intent. The AI will learn when users might want to click for additional information. It's essentially like Google applying SEO best practices to its own AI responses. This is similar to how choosing the right anchor text helps with traditional search optimization. The timing of these AI Mode changes feels strategic. Especially considering Perplexity's recent launch of Comet Plus, a subscription service that actually pays partnered publishers a portion of its revenue. This puts pressure on Google, which has been expanding AI Mode to more users without a clear publisher compensation model. Google's approach appears to be different, focusing on preserving click-through opportunities rather than direct revenue sharing. While it's still early to measure the impact, these AI Mode changes show Google recognizing the ecosystem between AI-powered search and the content creators who make it possible.