Google: AI Overview Links Count as One in Search Console

Google has provided clarification regarding how links within its AI Overviews are reported in Search Console. According to the company, all links featured in these overviews are treated as sharing a single position in reporting data.

In most cases, these links appear in Search Console as holding the top spot — “position 1” — which may suggest strong visibility. However, there is limited transparency around the exact mechanics behind this reporting.

Due to the absence of detailed metrics, it’s challenging for users and website owners to independently verify Google’s claims about how these positions are calculated or assigned. This has led to some uncertainty in interpreting the data related to AI-generated content in search results.

Google’s John Mueller has recently provided some clarification on how links included in AI Overviews (AIOs) are reported in Google Search Console. The clarification came after SEO consultant Gianluca Fiorelli raised a question about how position data is tracked for URLs that appear within these AI-generated answer boxes.

According to Mueller, Search Console treats the entire AI Overview as one collective block. This means that regardless of how many different websites are linked within the AI-generated response, they all share a single reported position in Search Console. This position is not based on where each individual link appears in the overview but rather where the entire AIO block is placed within the search results.

Mueller pointed to Google’s official help documents, which outline that AI Overviews are counted as one entity when it comes to position tracking. For instance, if the AI Overview appears first on the results page, all the links inside it will reflect a position of “1” in the Search Console reports. However, he also noted that the AIO does not always occupy the top spot, so the reported position can vary depending on where the block is displayed.

What’s particularly important to understand is that this position reporting method applies uniformly to all links in the AI Overview. Whether a link is immediately visible or hidden behind an expandable section of the box, it will still inherit the same reported position as the rest of the content within that overview.

This explanation has brought some clarity to how AI Overviews are interpreted in Search Console data, but it also raises questions among SEO professionals. Since all links in the AIO are grouped under a single position, it becomes difficult to analyse the individual performance of each URL. This lack of granularity could make it challenging to understand which content is driving engagement and clicks through the AI Overview feature.

For website owners and digital marketers, this development means that while appearing in an AI Overview could result in high visibility, the actual performance data may not be as detailed as hoped. As Google continues to roll out and refine AI-powered features in its search experience, tracking and evaluating SEO impact will likely require new tools or methods beyond traditional position reporting.

 

What Google’s Documentation Says

Google has provided further detail on how AI Overview metrics are handled in its Search Console Help documentation.

According to the guidance, an AI Overview is treated as a single result in the search listings. This means that all the links within the AI Overview are assigned the same position, regardless of where they appear within the box. So, whether a link is at the top or further down, it shares the same reported ranking.

In terms of user interactions, Google confirms that if someone clicks on an external link within the AI Overview, it is counted as a click in Search Console. This helps site owners track some level of engagement with their content when it’s featured in these AI-driven panels.

When it comes to impressions, Google notes that standard rules continue to apply. For a link to register an impression, it must be visible to the user — meaning the user must scroll or expand the AI Overview to bring the link into view.

Additionally, the documentation makes it clear that Search Console does not report data from Search Labs experiments. As these features are still under active development, any user testing or experimental appearances within Search Labs will not be reflected in Search Console metrics.

These updates aim to provide webmasters and SEO professionals with better clarity on how to interpret AI Overview performance within their analytics, though some limitations remain in terms of granularity.

 

The Missing Data Behind Google’s Click Claims

There continues to be a lively debate within the SEO industry surrounding how effective links are when they appear in Google’s AI Overviews.

Lily Ray, who serves as Vice President of SEO Strategy & Research at Amsive, recently reignited the conversation by questioning Google’s previous claims. She referred to an earlier statement from Google suggesting that websites featured in AI Overviews tend to receive a higher number of clicks. However, Ray expressed scepticism, saying:

“I would love to see a single GSC report that confirms this statement, because every study so far has shown the opposite.”

Her remarks echo the frustrations shared by many SEO professionals who are still waiting for concrete evidence to back up Google’s claims. Despite Google’s assurances, there has been little transparency or supporting data published to prove that AI Overviews actually increase traffic for the websites they include.

The lack of detailed analytics and position-level breakdowns makes it difficult for marketers and site owners to measure the true value of being featured in these summaries. This has led to ongoing doubt within the SEO community about whether AI Overviews genuinely benefit websites or simply divert clicks away from them.

As AI-generated content continues to be more integrated into search results, professionals across the industry are calling for greater accountability and clarity from Google. Without proper data, it remains challenging to determine whether these new search features are helping or hindering website visibility and engagement.

 

Looking Ahead

Although it’s now clearer how position data is tracked for links in AI Overviews, a key question still remains — do these placements generate more or less traffic than standard search results?

Google maintains that AI Overviews can boost visibility and engagement, yet many website owners and SEO experts have reported results that tell a different story.

One of the challenges lies in the way these links are measured. Since all links within an AI Overview are recorded under the same search position in Search Console, it’s nearly impossible to isolate which ones are actually driving the traffic.

This ongoing debate points to a growing demand for more detailed and transparent data. Without it, it’s hard to assess whether AI Overviews are genuinely beneficial compared to traditional search listings.