"Earlier this month, we covered Google testing what we called contextual overlay link cards in AI Overviews and AI Mode. Well, Google officially began rolling them out yesterday, and they are more like hover-over pop-up link cards. Robby Stein from Google announced this on X saying, "In AI Overviews and AI Mode, groups of links will automatically appear in a pop-up as you hover over them on desktop, so you can jump right into a website to learn more.""
"He added, "And we'll show more descriptive and prominent link icons within the response across both desktop and mobile." As I said when Google was testing these, I think these should increase the likelihood of searchers clicking over to sites, at least more than the older version. Here is what it looks like: "Our testing shows this new UI is more engaging, making it easier to get to great content across the web," Stein added."
In AI Overviews and AI Mode, groups of links automatically appear in a hover-activated pop-up on desktop, enabling direct navigation into linked websites. Link icons within AI responses become more descriptive and prominent across desktop and mobile platforms. The UI resembles hover-over pop-up link cards and is designed to surface relevant sources more visibly. Early testing indicates the interface is more engaging and simplifies access to high-quality web content. Observers expect the design to increase the likelihood of searchers clicking through to sites compared with the older interface, though comprehensive performance data has not been published.
Read at Search Engine Roundtable
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