Google moves preferred sources, news and links higher in AI Mode
Google is surfacing links and preferred-source citations more prominently inside AI Mode and AI Overviews, and is testing an in-sidebar Source preferences button.
Google has updated how it shows links and preferred sources in its AI-generated search features, and is testing a new in-sidebar control so users can edit preferred sources directly. The change, announced and demonstrated in October 2026, raises the visibility and click potential for selected publishers and sites.
What happened
On October 15, 2026 Google posted details of five changes to how AI Mode and AI Overviews display links and citations, including showing inline links higher in responses more often and testing a dedicated section for official sites at the top of answers, according to Google’s Keyword blog.
Google said it will expand a prominent news carousel for timely articles to more locations and languages worldwide, and that contextual links will appear more frequently and higher up in AI-generated content.
Separately, observers have spotted a test that lets users view and modify their preferred sources list from within the AI Mode citations sidebar. Seroundtable reported a video posted to X by Damien Andell showing a new "Source preferences" button that opens a preferred sources list where items can be added or removed.
Google has been rolling preferred-source support through 2026: AI Overviews first launched in May 2024, AI Mode arrived in March 2025, and Google says use of the Preferred Sources feature has grown more than sevenfold since the start of 2026.
Why it matters for businesses
The changes increase the chance that a business’s site will be shown inside AI-generated answers, not just in a traditional link list. Inline links placed higher in summaries and a prominent carousel for timely articles create more visible referral opportunities for selected publishers and sites.
Google says the algorithm will prioritise articles from websites users have marked as preferred sources, and earlier this year reported users were twice as likely to click through to a source they had marked as preferred. That makes being identified as a preferred source more valuable for click-through traffic.
Publishers have already reported falling referral traffic from Google overall. A Chartbeat report found a 40 per cent drop in traffic from Google to news publishers between July 2025 and July 2026, so any factor that raises the prominence of links or converts readers into preferred-source selectors can counteract broader declines.
Businesses that gain placement in the new, higher positions or inside the news carousel should expect more visible branding and potentially higher click-through rates, while those excluded risk reduced visibility in AI-driven answers even if they still rank in traditional results.
What the AI assistants say today
We checked major assistants to see whether they already reflect the October changes. At the time of our check, assistants partly reflect Google’s guidance on Preferred Sources and AI Overviews, but few mentioned the specific in-sidebar "Source preferences" test demonstrated by Damien Andell.
The assistants we reviewed cited a mix of Google developer pages, Google blog posts and third-party SEO guidance when describing how to be cited or listed as a preferred source. The assistants did not consistently reference the recent announcement that inline links and carousels would be shown more prominently worldwide.
| Assistant | Reflects the news? | What it said | Sites it cited |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Partly | The answer describes how to get cited in AI Overviews/AI Mode and cites Google's guidance, but it doesn't mention the news details that Google is moving links and preferred-source citations higher in AI Mode, adding a 'Source preferences' button, or the recent tests spotted by Damien Andell. | developers.google.cn, developers.google.com |
| Gemini | Partly | The answer mentions Google Preferred Sources and suggests optimizing for AI Overviews/AI Mode, aligning with the news about greater visibility for preferred sources and links, but it doesn't reference the specific UI changes (the new 'Source preferences' button, sidebar edits, or Damien Andell's spotted test) described in the news. | busylike.com, reddit.com, resultfirst.com, seo.com, youtube.com |
| Perplexity | Partly | The answer correctly describes preferred sources and Google's general guidance for visibility but does not mention the news detail that Google is moving links, news and preferred-source citations higher in AI Mode/AI Overviews (and the sidebar testing with a 'Source preferences' button seen by Damien Andell). | blog.google, developers.google.com, evergreen.media, ionos.com, mangools.com, searchengineland.com |
| Google AI Overviews | Partly | The answer acknowledges Google highlighting links and preferred sources in AI Overviews/AI Mode and gives relevant optimization advice, but it doesn't mention the new in-sidebar 'Source preferences' button, the specific testing video by Damien Andell, or the timeline details from the news. | dailytimes.com.pk, genbecloud.com, kensa.agency, kymincreation.com, support.google.com |
What to do now
If you want to improve the chance your site appears as a preferred source or in the higher-link placements, take these practical steps.
- Audit and structure your content so key pages directly answer common user questions; concise, authoritative summaries are more likely to be used in AI Overviews and AI Mode.
- Make sure article metadata, clear bylines, publication dates and structured data are present and accurate so AI systems can assess authority and timeliness.
- Promote source selection: encourage loyal readers to mark your site as a preferred source where appropriate, because Google says users are more likely to click preferred sources and selection increases prominence.
- Monitor visibility: track referral traffic from Google and changes in organic click-through rates after AI updates to spot where you gain or lose placement.
- Secure inclusion in news carousels: if you publish timely reporting, meet journalistic and technical standards Google requires for topical carousels and ensure your content is surfaced quickly.
- Verify what AI assistants say about your business: consider tools or services, including Vasukai, to check how AI features and assistants currently cite your site.
Questions
What are Google sources?
Google sources are the websites and pages that Google cites when it generates search results or AI-generated summaries. Google has begun prioritising sites users mark as preferred sources and is showing contextual links and news carousels more prominently in AI Overviews and AI Mode.
How do I check or change my Google News preferences?
Google lets users select preferred sources and Google is testing a "Source preferences" button inside the AI Mode citations sidebar so people can view and edit their preferred sources directly. Previously, preferred-source settings were accessible through other Google account or news preference pages.
How do I get rid of suggested sites on Google?
Google’s support and product posts explain how to manage suggestions and preferences in account settings. The recent tests also suggest users will be able to remove or replace preferred sources from within AI Mode’s citations sidebar using the new Source preferences control.
Sources
- Google AI Mode Citations With Source Preferences For Preferred Sources, seroundtable.com
- Google boosts news links in AI search results as publishers warn of falling traffic, twaslnews1.twaslnews.com
- Google pushes links higher in AI answers as Preferred Sources use rises 7x, ppc.land
- Google Pushes Website Links Higher in AI Search as Publishers Fight for Referral Traffic, techbusinessnews.com.au
Facts in this report come from the sources above; figures were checked against them. Drafted with AI and checked by the Kael Tripton editorial team. How we report.