le no longer tests links in Search Generative Experience Snapshot Answers
Google began testing links in the Search Generative Experience AI generated snapshot answers earlier this month. Google seems to have stopped this test, and no longer tests links or citations within these AI-generated responses.
Link test. This is a screenshot showing the links/citations. Note that our original coverage featured three different formats of links in SGE answers. Click on the images below to see them in greater detail.
SGE’s answers without links. Here’s what I see:
The test is over. Some of you were never able see links in SGE responses. However, many people were able, until yesterday afternoon. It is no longer showing links . I was in the testing. And so did several others including Danny Goodwin and Managing Editor Search Engine Land.
Posts from other users who can no longer access the link:
Why we care. The Search Generative Experience has been criticized for not allowing you to click directly from the text of an AI-generated response to the original source. This experience is more valuable if there are links within these generative responses. Google may bring links back to these generative responses in the future, but for now they have stopped this test.
The article Google stops testing hyperlinks in Search Generative Experience Snapshot Answers first appeared on Search Engine Land.