1. What Google announced
On 15 October 2026, Google announced more frequent placement of inline links higher in AI answers. A prominent section for official destination pages is being tested, while news carousels are expanding to additional regions and languages. Google's original announcement distinguishes rollouts from tests; it does not establish universal availability.
2. Our interpretation: give the click a clear destination
Our editorial recommendation, not a ranking rule: check whether a linked page makes sense without visiting your homepage first. A service page should identify the offer, the business and a useful next step.
Choose three pages: your main service, a specific guide and your contact page. Write down one sentence for each: what question does this page answer, and what can the visitor do next? If these answers are not apparent from the page itself, you have a concrete editorial task to address.
3. A small example of a better next step
Illustrative example, not a client result: A visitor reads a guide to website redesigns. It ends with only “Contact us”. A more useful bridge could be: “Planning a redesign? Have your website address, reason for the project and preferred timeframe ready.” The following button leads to the relevant enquiry journey.
Our suggestion: add this bridge to one page first. On a phone, check that the button is visible and the contact page continues the same context. Remove unnecessary mandatory fields. Explain what happens after an enquiry, and promise only a process that your team can actually deliver.
4. The technical foundations still matter
Google specifies no special AI files or dedicated markup as a requirement. To appear as supporting links, pages must be indexed and eligible for search snippets; inclusion is not guaranteed. Source: Google Search Central.
For implementation, we suggest a short checklist for each destination: does the address work, does the heading match the content, do internal links lead to the right topic, and is the text readable on a phone? Record specific faults. A new page should answer a distinct question, rather than repeat an existing text with different keywords.
5. Observe the outcome without overinterpreting it
According to Search Central, visits from Google's AI search features are included in Search Console's Web performance reporting.
Our recommendation: date your changes and compare the same destination pages over appropriate periods. Alongside search clicks, consider relevant enquiries actually received. A change after the update does not establish causation. Your offer, campaigns or seasonal demand may have changed too. Start with one clearly described improvement that you can assess again later.
Your checklist
- Choose three important destination pages
- Record each page's question and next step
- Check the mobile enquiry journey
- Record the change date and observations
Frequently asked questions
Does this announcement mean we need a new design?
Not automatically. Start with specific destination pages and identify the information or action that is missing.
Does more search traffic prove success?
It initially demonstrates more visits. To assess business value, also examine the quality of the enquiries those visits produce.
Created with AI assistance and checked against original sources. Examples are not client results.
