Google AI Overviews Avoid Linking to Sites Affected by Helpful Content Update

Google's AI Overviews feature has reportedly stopped linking to sites impacted by the Helpful Content Update (HCU), even if those sites rank well in regular search results. This shift affects the visibility of sites impacted by core updates, and experts speculate a filter might exclude certain websites from AI-generated overviews. This change could impact AI SEO services, as sites recovering from HCU may struggle to appear in AI-related search outputs. SEO specialist Lily Ray observed that searches directly querying these sites yield mentions but lack direct links, potentially influencing organic traffic recovery strategies.