As mid-April draws closer, Google has officially integrated links within AI Overviews, enabling users to explore related topics via search results after a month of testing. Additionally, Google Discover, the personalized news feed available on mobile since 2018, is now being introduced to the desktop version of Google.com following extensive recent testing. Users are also encouraged to provide feedback to improve Google Search functionalities.
Google has Formally Introduced Clickable Links, Directing Users to Relevant Search Results on its Own Platform
Several weeks back, we discovered that Google was incorporating links in the text of its AI Overviews that directed users to its search results. This has now been integrated as a new official function in AI Overviews. Following a month of testing, officially introduced this feature to assist users in delving into additional topics.
In an effort to make it simpler for users to delve deeper into subjects and find pertinent online resources, Google has incorporated links to certain terms within AI Overviews, doing so when its algorithms deem it beneficial, according to a statement provided to Search Engine Land.
A previous screenshot of this is available for reference below:
Selecting the hyperlinked text in the AI Overview will redirect you to a fresh Google Search page, including both the ones at the beginning and within the body of the text. The smaller icons next to the links lead you to additional resources on the side panel, such as publishers and external websites.
Below is the response a Google representative provided to Barry Schwartz.
“To help people more easily explore topics and discover relevant websites, we’ve added links to some terms within AI Overviews when our systems determine it might be useful. Similar to our long-standing “People also search for” feature, our testing shows that people find this helpful. AI Overviews continue to have prominent links out to the web, which we’re also expanding.”
To enhance the search experience, Google is introducing a new feature aimed at facilitating topic exploration. The company observed that users frequently conduct additional searches using specific terms related to the initial query, which prompted the development of this feature. Through rigorous testing, Google received feedback from users indicating that direct links to relevant results pages greatly improved their search experience.
This feature decreases the necessity for users to input a fresh search term; instead, they can simply select these provided links. According to Google, this results in an enhanced search experience.
According to a Google spokesperson, Google’s algorithms give importance to including links to external websites in the AI Overview response when Google is highly confident that those websites can assist users in finding the information they are looking for.
Google has announced that this new functionality is currently accessible in English within the United States, across both mobile and desktop platforms. For some time, publishers have been urging Google to drive more visitors to their sites via Google Search. However, with the official rollout of this feature, it is likely that Google will redirect a its own search results, potentially decreasing the amount of traffic sent to publishers’ websites.
Again, Google says this is about giving searchers what they want and making it easier for them to explore topics. But again, for publishers and site owners, this may not be a good thing.
Once more, Google emphasizes the importance of providing searchers with relevant information and enhancing their ability to delve into various subjects. However, this might pose challenges for publishers and website owners.
The Way Google Search Utilizes the Feedback You Provide
Google Search representatives frequently advise us to utilize the feedback link if we come across any issues or areas for improvement within Google Search. So, what exactly occurs when you click on that feedback link?
It is uncommon for results to show immediate changes following feedback submission. Anticipate that any alterations based on your feedback may not be evident for several months, or even years. While certain feedback may require prompt action, most feedback is forwarded to Google’s research team for enhancing the search algorithms, a process that can span from months to years.
Google’s John Mueller explains the outcome of submitting feedback on Reddit:
Here is a guide to providing feedback on a desktop:
Forum discussion at Reddit.
Google Plans to Introduce Discover on the Desktop Version of its Main Homepage
Google is set to introduce Google Discover, the news feed, to the desktop variant of the Google.com homepage. Google Discover has been accessible on the mobile applications and mobile edition of Google.com since 2018. Now, it will also be extended to the desktop version of the Google homepage. Google has been conducting tests on this feature for an extended period, with recent intensified testing in the last few days.
This morning in Madrid, the slides shared by a Google representative during the Search Central Live event were posted by Clara Soteras and Gianluca Fiorelli on X.
This slide highlights Google Discover’s efforts to broaden its reach to desktop Search by expanding its surfaces.
Clara Soteras mentioned that Google Discover will soon be accessible on desktop computers. The Google team is actively working to broaden the availability of Discover across various platforms. This was recently showcased at #sclmadrid as a valuable new feature for News, which is expected to have a significant impact on publishers’ real-time and content strategies.
For several years, Google has been experimenting with Discover on the desktop edition of its homepage. It was discussed in 2023, along with a screenshot displaying the feed on desktop:
About a week ago, another user in X, was seen testing this feature in a real-world setting, and they posted some screenshots of it:
News publishers can benefit greatly from Discover as it can generate a significant amount of traffic. Currently, Discover is mainly visible on mobile devices when users access the Google mobile apps or Google’s mobile homepage.
If a publisher’s content appears on Google’s desktop home page, it could potentially increase their visibility from Google Discover traffic by around twice as much. This could be beneficial for those publishers who typically receive a significant amount of traffic from Discover.
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