Updated 22 October 2026 · 8 minute read
Quick answer: In a Google AI search update on 15 October 2026, Google announced that AI Overviews and AI Mode will show more links to websites, placed higher inside the AI answer, and that it is testing a section at the top for the one or two official pages people need to finish a task. For a small business, the takeaway is simple: make sure your website is the clear, official, up-to-date page for what you do. This article explains what changed, why it matters for Malaysian SMEs and exactly what to check on your own website.
First, what are AI Overviews and AI Mode?
If you have searched on Google recently, you have probably seen it: instead of only a list of blue links, Google now often writes a short answer at the top of the page. That is an AI Overview. It pulls information from several websites and summarises it in a few paragraphs.
AI Mode goes one step further. It is a separate, conversational way to search where you can ask a longer question, then ask follow-up questions, a bit like chatting with an assistant. Both features show links to the websites the answer was built from.
For business owners this has been a worry. If Google answers the question directly, why would anyone click through to your website? The October update is Google’s response to that concern, and it changes how and where websites appear inside those AI answers.
What exactly changed in the Google AI search update on 15 October 2026?
In its announcement, “More ways to connect with the web from Search”, Google listed five updates:
- More inline links, placed higher. Inline links are links placed directly inside the sentences of an AI answer, next to the point they support. Google says it has substantially increased how often these appear, and is showing them higher up in responses more often. In practice, a reader sees your website mentioned right where the relevant information is, not hidden in a list at the bottom.
- A test for official pages. Some searches really only have one or two correct places to go, such as the page where you book an appointment, check a fee or apply for something. Google is testing a dedicated section at the top of the AI answer that shows those links, with a short note on why each one is useful.
- Article carousels in more countries and languages. The carousels that show timely articles inside AI search features are rolling out to more locations and languages. They also highlight sites a user has chosen as Preferred Sources.
- Clearer related links. Related articles shown at the end of some answers now get image thumbnails and a more clickable design.
- Creator profiles. Google started testing clickable creator and publisher names on video results in AI Mode, which lead to their Search profiles.
Google also shared one number: the number of people using its Preferred Sources feature has grown more than seven times since the start of the year. Google did not say which countries receive each change, so treat the official-pages section as a test, not something you can count on yet.
Why links inside the answer matter
When links sat in a separate list under the AI answer, many people read the summary and never scrolled further. A link placed inside the sentence that answers their question is different. It appears at the exact moment the reader wants more detail, such as the full price list, the booking form or the photos of your work.
There is also a trust effect. Even if a reader does not click straight away, seeing your business name cited as the source of an answer is a signal that you know your field. Many customers will search for you by name later, or remember you when they are ready to buy.
The “official page” test: why it could matter most for SMEs
For small businesses, the official-pages test is the most interesting part of the update. Think about the searches that bring you real customers:
- A patient searching how to book a scaling appointment at a specific dental clinic in Kuala Lumpur.
- A borrower checking whether a licensed money lender in Selangor is genuine and what documents are needed.
- A homeowner looking for a renovation contractor’s quotation process and service area.
In each case there is one correct place to go: the business’s own website. If your website has a clear page for that task, Google has something to point to. If it does not, Google may send the person to a directory, a marketplace listing, a social media post or a competitor that explains it better.
This is why a one-page website with everything squeezed together, or a Facebook page as your only presence, is a risk. There is no specific page that clearly answers “how do I book”, “how much does it cost” or “what areas do you cover”.
What this means for Malaysian SMEs
Malaysian customers search in English, Malay and Chinese, often on their phones, and usually want to contact the business on WhatsApp straight away. That shapes what a good page looks like:
- Answers come first. The price range, service area and what is included should be visible near the top, not hidden behind a “contact us for price” button.
- Language matches the search. If many of your customers search in Chinese or Malay, the pages for your main services should exist in that language too.
- The next step is obvious. A WhatsApp button with a prefilled message turns a reader who just landed from an AI answer into an enquiry in one tap.
A practical checklist for your website
- Give every service its own page. One page per service, with the price or price range, what is included, who it is for and how to enquire. A single “Services” page with a short list is much harder for Google to point to.
- Start each page with a short, direct answer. Two or three sentences that answer the main question in plain language. This is the part an AI answer is most likely to quote and link.
- Add an FAQ with real customer questions. Look at your WhatsApp chats. The questions people ask every week (“how long does it take?”, “do you cover Klang?”, “can I pay in instalments?”) are exactly what they also type into Google.
- Keep your business details consistent. Use the same business name, phone number and address on your website, your Google Business Profile and your social pages, so Google is confident your site is the official one.
- Show dates and real numbers. “Updated October 2026” and published prices help both readers and search systems trust that the information is current.
- Use structured data. Behind the scenes, structured data tells search engines what your business is, where it operates and which questions your FAQ answers. A good WordPress SEO plugin, set up properly, handles most of this.
- Make the site fast and mobile-friendly. Most clicks from Google in Malaysia come from phones. A slow or cramped page wastes the click you just earned.
- Show proof. Real photos of your work, client logos and reviews you are allowed to share make the page worth citing and worth trusting.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Putting key information inside images. Prices or opening hours inside a poster image are hard for search systems to read. Put the important details in normal text as well.
- Letting pages go out of date. An old promotion or last year’s price list makes Google and customers less likely to trust the page.
- Copying competitors’ text. Pages that say the same thing as ten other websites give Google no reason to choose yours.
- Chasing tricks. Stuffing keywords or creating dozens of thin pages does not help in AI search. Clear, useful pages do.
Will this bring you more traffic?
Honestly, nobody knows yet. More links in AI answers give a well-built website a better chance of being the one Google points to, but Google has not published traffic numbers and the official-pages section is still a test. The practical approach is to improve your pages now and watch your clicks and impressions in Google Search Console over the next few months.
What we do know is that the fundamentals have not changed. Websites that clearly explain what a business does, who it serves, how much it costs and how to get in touch were already doing well in normal search. This update simply makes those same qualities more visible inside AI answers.
How DCraft builds websites for AI search
Every website we build follows the checklist above: a separate page for each service with its price, a short quick-answer paragraph at the top, FAQs based on real customer questions, structured data for search engines and a WhatsApp button with a prefilled message. You can see the approach on our business website design page, or compare packages on our website prices page.
Have a question about your own website? Ask the designer on WhatsApp. You will get a straight answer, not a sales script.
Frequently asked questions
Will the Google update bring more visitors to my website?
Not automatically. Google is adding more links inside AI answers, which gives clear, well-structured websites a better chance of being linked, but Google has not published traffic figures. Track your clicks and impressions in Google Search Console to see the effect on your own site.
Does the official-website section apply in Malaysia?
Google describes it as a test and did not say which countries are included. Building a clear official page for each service is worth doing either way, because it also helps normal search results.
Do I need a special AI SEO service for AI Overviews and AI Mode?
No special tricks are needed. The same basics help in normal search and AI search: one clear page per service, real answers to customer questions, consistent business details and a fast, mobile-friendly website.
Should I write my website in English, Malay or Chinese?
Write in the language your customers use when they search. Many Malaysian SMEs start with English and add Malay or Chinese pages for their most important services.
Sources
Photo: Luca Sammarco on Pexels
