Google AI Overviews Now Include More External Links
Google has increased the number of external links in its AI Overviews, yet many of these links redirect users to AI Mode instead of external sites. Search Console treats these differently, affecting click and impression counts. Site owners need to understand the new link behavior and how it impacts…
By Felo News Desk · Published
Google’s AI Overviews have evolved to display more external links, but the nature of those links is changing. While some still point to third‑party websites, a growing share now redirects users into Google’s own AI Mode, a conversational interface that keeps them within the search ecosystem.
What Google Is Doing With Links in AI Overviews
Over the past year, Google has rolled out several updates to how links appear in AI answers. In August 2025, VP of Product Robby Stein announced that AI Mode would feature more inline links and a link carousel on desktop. By January 2026, Stein highlighted a new follow‑up question feature that lets users jump straight into a conversational AI session from an AI Overview. February saw the introduction of pop‑up link previews, and May brought a series of updates that added subscription‑labelled links, social media previews, and hover‑over site titles.
Each of these changes was described by Google as a way to make the experience more engaging and to guide users to “great content across the web.” However, the company has not yet released detailed metrics on how many links are added, which markets are affected, or when the changes roll out fully.
Observations From Third‑Party Analysts
Two independent posts in September 2026 shed light on the current state of AI Overview links. Malte Landwehr of Peec AI posted a chart showing that the share of AI Overviews containing an external link in the answer text rose from near zero in late August to 26.2% by September 20. The chart, based on daily averages, does not specify the number of queries, devices, or markets sampled, making it difficult to interpret the exact impact on overall traffic.
Gagan Ghotra shared an 18‑second video in which he clicks on underlined text inside an AI Overview. Instead of opening a webpage, the link launches a new query in AI Mode. Ghotra’s recording demonstrates that at least some inline links act as query‑refinement links, which Search Console does not count as clicks or impressions for external sites.
How Search Console Treats These Links
Google’s Search Console documentation clarifies that a click on an external link in an AI Overview counts as a click, while a link that triggers a new Google query—such as the AI Mode follow‑up—does not count as a click or an impression for the external site. The same rules apply to AI Mode itself: a new query initiated within AI Mode is treated as a separate search, with its own impression and click data.
Because the generative AI report in Search Console only tracks impressions, and the overall Performance report tracks total clicks (including those from AI features), site owners can’t easily calculate a click‑through rate for AI Overviews. The two reports measure different things, so a rise in AI impressions does not automatically translate into more clicks for a given site.
What This Means for Site Owners
For publishers, the key takeaway is that an increase in AI Overview links does not guarantee more traffic. If a link redirects users to AI Mode, the click will not be attributed to the publisher in Search Console. Even if a link points to an external page, it may be counted as a click only if it is not a query‑refinement link.
To gauge the real impact, site owners should monitor both the generative AI impressions and the overall click data in the Performance report. They should also keep an eye on future updates from Google, as the company has indicated it will add more metrics over time to clarify these interactions.
Until Google provides clearer guidance, publishers should treat the current data with caution. The rise in external links in AI Overviews may be a sign that Google is encouraging users to explore more content, but the exact pathways users take—and how those pathways are counted—remain partly opaque.
Looking Ahead
Google’s help pages state that the list of covered features will expand, and the company has hinted at additional metrics that will surface in Search Console. A longer series of data from Peec AI or a new tracker that documents the exact link types and their destinations would help clarify whether the increase in links translates into higher engagement or simply more AI Mode traffic.
In the meantime, publishers can experiment by adding clear, descriptive link text in their content and monitoring how often those links appear in AI Overviews. By comparing the number of times a link is shown to the number of clicks it receives, they can estimate the effectiveness of their link strategy within Google’s AI ecosystem.
Key facts
- Google’s AI Overviews now feature more external links, but many redirect to AI Mode.
- Search Console treats AI Mode links as query‑refinement links, not counting them as clicks.
- Peec AI’s chart shows a jump to 26% of AI Overviews containing inline external links.
- Gagan Ghotra’s video confirms that some inline links launch AI Mode instead of webpages.
- Site owners can’t directly calculate AI click‑through rates from current reports.
- Future Google updates may add more metrics to clarify link behavior.
Why it matters
Understanding how AI Overview links are counted helps publishers accurately assess traffic sources and avoid misinterpreting increases in impressions as gains in click‑through rates.
Frequently asked questions
What is AI Mode in Google Search?
AI Mode is a conversational interface that lets users ask follow‑up questions directly from an AI Overview, keeping them within Google’s search ecosystem.
Do links that open AI Mode count as clicks in Search Console?
No. Links that trigger a new Google query, such as those that open AI Mode, are treated as query‑refinement links and are not counted as clicks or impressions for external sites.
How can I track clicks on AI Overview links?
You can compare generative AI impressions in the Search Console report with overall click data in the Performance report, but a direct click‑through rate for AI Overviews is not yet available.
Sources
- [1] searchenginejournal.com — originally reported as “Google AI Overviews Have More Links, But Not All Reach The Web”
