If you run a local business in Chandigarh, Mohali, or anywhere in India, Google’s search results page is changing shape again. On October 15, 2026, Google announced five updates to AI Mode and AI Overviews that affect which sources get clicked, how links appear, and where your business might show up in AI-generated answers. Here is what changed and what you should do about it.
The short version: Google is putting more clickable links higher up inside AI answers, testing a section for official sites at the top of responses, expanding article carousels, and adding clickable creator profiles to AI Mode video results. For local businesses, the practical takeaway is that being cited as a source inside an AI Overview matters more than ever, and the steps to get there are the same ones that help your regular SEO.
What Google Announced on October 15, 2026
Hema Budaraju, VP of Product Management at Google, outlined five changes in a blog post. First, inline links, the clickable source links embedded directly in AI-generated text, will appear higher up in responses more frequently. Google described this as a “continued and substantial increase” in the presence of these links across its AI search experiences.
Second, Google is testing a new section at the top of certain AI responses that highlights official sites for task-based searches. If someone searches for something with only one or two authoritative sources, those links will appear first, with context explaining why each is useful.
Third, carousels for timely articles, which highlight a user’s Preferred Sources, are rolling out to more locations and languages. Fourth, links at the end of AI responses are getting image thumbnails and a more clickable design. And fifth, Google started testing clickable creator and publisher names on AI Mode video results, linking to their Search profiles.
Why Inline Links Moving Higher Matters for You
When AI Overviews first launched, a common concern was that users would read the summary and never click through to any source. Google’s response has been to make links more prominent and place them closer to the relevant text. For your business, this means that if your site is cited as a source in an AI answer, the link to your page is now more likely to be seen and clicked.
But there is a catch. Search Console reports all links within an AI Overview as sharing the overview’s single position in search results. Moving an inline link higher in the response does not change its reported position. So you may be getting more actual clicks from AI answers without seeing a corresponding change in your Search Console position data. This makes it important to track actual clicks and conversions from AI-sourced traffic, not just position metrics.
Preferred Sources and Article Carousels
Preferred Sources is a Google feature that lets users select websites they want to see more of in search results. When someone has added your site as a Preferred Source, your articles can appear in the timely article carousels that are now expanding to more locations and languages. Google says the number of people using Preferred Sources has grown more than seven times since the beginning of 2026.
To qualify, your site needs to be included in Search generative AI features in Search Console. Google’s documentation on Preferred Sources outlines a button and deep link you can use to ask readers to add your site. If you publish regular articles or updates, encouraging your audience to add you as a Preferred Source is a small step that could increase your visibility in AI search results.
Search Profiles Now Linking From AI Mode
Google introduced Search profiles in June 2026 for creators and publishers with at least 10,000 followers on YouTube, Instagram, X, or TikTok. These profiles bring together a creator’s articles, videos, and social posts on one page. As of October 2026, the feature is available in the US, Canada, and India.
This week, Google began testing clickable links from AI Mode video results to these Search profiles. If your business produces video content and you meet the follower threshold, setting up a Search profile could give you another entry point in AI Mode results. The setup requires a Google Account for someone 18 or older.
What Local Businesses in India Should Do Now
These updates do not change the fundamentals of local SEO, but they do raise the stakes for being cited as a source in AI answers. Here are the practical steps we recommend:
- Check your Search Console coverage. Make sure your site is included in Search generative AI features. Without this, you cannot appear as a Preferred Source in AI Mode or AI Overviews.
- Encourage Preferred Source adds. If you publish useful articles, add the Preferred Source button to your site and ask loyal readers to add you. This is especially relevant if you publish timely content about your industry or locality.
- Write answer-friendly content. AI Overviews pull from pages that directly answer questions in plain language. A page that says “We offer waterproofing services” is less useful than one that explains how waterproofing works for flat roofs during monsoon season, what it typically costs, and how long it takes.
- Consider a Search profile. If you create video content and meet the follower threshold, set up a Search profile. It is another way to get discovered inside AI Mode.
- Keep your Google Business Profile complete. AI Overviews for local queries still pull heavily from Business Profile data, reviews, and proximity. An active, complete profile remains your strongest local search asset.
The businesses that benefit from these changes will not be the ones chasing every new feature. They will be the ones who did the basics thoroughly: a complete Business Profile, specific and useful content, consistent citations, and genuine reviews. If you want help mapping these changes onto your own site, our AEO and GEO services are built for exactly this. You can also explore our SEO services or packages for a broader approach. Ready to talk? Reach out here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Google change in AI Mode in October 2026?
Google announced five updates on October 15, 2026: inline links appear higher and more often in AI responses, a new section for official sites is being tested at the top of certain answers, article carousels are expanding to more locations and languages, end-of-response links are getting image thumbnails, and AI Mode video results now link to creator Search profiles.
How do AI Overviews affect local businesses in India?
AI Overviews can appear above traditional results for local queries, summarizing information and naming specific businesses. If your site or Business Profile is cited as a source, the new inline link placement makes it more likely users will click through to you. If you are not cited, the overview may answer the query without sending you any traffic.
What are Google Preferred Sources and how do I qualify?
Preferred Sources is a feature that lets users select websites they want to see more of in search results. To qualify, your site must be included in Search generative AI features in Search Console. Once included, you can add a button to your site asking readers to add you as a Preferred Source.
Do I need a Google Search profile for my business?
Search profiles are currently available to creators and publishers with at least 10,000 followers on YouTube, Instagram, X, or TikTok, in the US, Canada, and India. If you produce video content and meet the threshold, a Search profile gives you another visibility surface in AI Mode results.
Will these changes reduce my website traffic?
AI Overviews can reduce clicks to organic listings for some queries, but the impact varies by industry and query type. Transactional local searches like “book a plumber today” may see less disruption than informational queries. Check your Search Console data to identify which queries are actually affected.