Google highlights links from subscribed publications in new AI Overviews update

When a Google search user encounters an AI Overview or an AI Mode response, the response will now highlight whether it includes information that comes from a publication the user subscribes to. Google claims that in early testing, people were “significantly more likely” to click through to a webpage that had this “Subscribed” label. In a blog post, the search giant said the new citation feature is meant to help “you quickly access the content you trust and get more value from your subscriptions.”

This tweak to citations is just one of several updates to AI Overviews and AI Mode that Google launched on Wednesday.

The changes come as publishers have increasingly come forward to share stories of plummeting Google referrals since the launch of AI Overviews. Over the past two years, referral traffic from search engines has dropped by 60% for small publishers, 47% for medium publishers, and 22% for small publishers, according to a March 2026 study by Chartbeat.

Google has rolled out “subscription linking” offerings in the past on search. The labels don’t appear for all users, only for those who’ve linked their subscriptions to their Google accounts. The blog post encourages publishers to reach out to Google to learn more about how to encourage paying readers to link their accounts.

Other changes to citations include a website preview that pops up when someone hovers over an AI Overviews or AI Mode link. These previews may include publisher names or website titles, giving users a better sense of where their click might lead. And Google claims that, overall, more publisher links will appear in AI Overviews and AI Mode as part of these updates, through increased citations “next to the relevant text.”

Other updates to AI search include a new section that will suggest topics related to the original search query. Called “Further Exploration,” it will appear below AI-generated summaries and link to related articles or more “in-depth analysis.” For example, a search about green urban spaces suggests a report on urban planning by the World Economic Forum or a website about the architects who designed The High Line in New York City Highline. It could, however, push traditional article links further down the page on a search result.

The new updates also tacitly acknowledge just how dominant Reddit has become in the Google search experience. A new panel called “Expert Advice” will pull from social media platforms and other forums like Reddit to “preview” online discussions about a given topic.

These might include quotes from a user’s review of a gadget or suggestions for troubleshooting a problem. A link to the specific community and the creator handle may appear beneath the quote. Ironically, this feature is unlikely to elevate traditional expert voices, but those of hobbyists and, more generally, crowdsourced opinions.

This update will also likely create less incentive for users to click through to Reddit if they can gain insights from the platform without leaving search. In 2024, Google signed a content licensing deal with Reddit, which is reportedly valued at $60 million per year and allows the company to integrate its content more deeply into search experiences.

You can read more about the updates to AI Overviews and AI Mode on Google’s blog.