TL;DR Summary:
Bottom Citation Test: Google is testing AI Overview citations at the bottom of desktop answers instead of in the right sidebar, which changes how users find source links and could affect click-through traffic.Less Friction, More Scroll: The new layout keeps inline hover links, but source cards only appear after opening “show all,” so citations are less visible upfront than in the current sidebar design.Repeated Experiment: This is at least the third time Google has tried a bottom-placement variation, suggesting the company is still testing what drives the best user behavior and traffic outcomes.Publisher Stakes: If this format rolls out widely, publishers will need to watch whether moving citations lower on the page helps or hurts referrals from AI Overviews.Why did Google move AI Overview citations to the bottom of the page instead of the side? Google is running a new test that places Google AI Overviews citations at the bottom of the answer on desktop, removing the right-side citation bar entirely. This matters now because it changes how you find and click through to the sources behind an AI-generated answer, and it could affect how websites get traffic from these results.
What The New Google AI Overviews Citations At Bottom Test Looks Like
SEO consultant Glenn Gabe spotted the test and shared screenshots on X on September 28, 2026. In his version, the right-side citation bar disappears completely. Instead, you see a stacked citation area at the bottom of the AI Overview answer. A “show all” button expands this area into a fuller list of source links. Inline links within the answer text still work the way they normally do, letting you hover over them to preview the source.
How This Compares To Earlier Tests
This is not Google’s first attempt at this layout. Google tested a similar change in September 2025, then again in March 2026. Barry Schwartz reported this as at least the third round of testing for Google AI Overviews citations at the bottom placement. The repeated testing suggests Google has not settled on a final design and continues to weigh how citation placement affects user behavior.
The Catch With Citation Cards In This Version
Gabe pointed out a real limitation. Unless you click “show more,” the bottom layout shows no citation cards at all. You only see small link icons inside the AI response text. Compare that to the standard right-side version, which shows full citation cards immediately, even before you expand anything. So in this test, you need an extra click to see any citation cards at all, while the current right-side format shows them upfront.
Why Google AI Overviews Citations At Bottom Could Matter For Publishers
Gabe said he likes the new layout, noting that the bottom-placed links “look much more enticing down there.” He described the setup as a mix of the familiar inline hover links plus a larger, more visible citation section below the answer. For publishers, visibility of your link matters directly for click-through traffic. If Google rolls this out broadly, sites that rely on AI Overview citations for traffic need to know whether bottom placement helps or hurts their click rates compared to the current sidebar. This is exactly the kind of shift that makes monitoring tools worth having, since a platform like Nuwtonic SEO can track how often your pages get cited in AI Overviews and how placement changes like this one correspond to real changes in your click-through traffic.
What Happens Next With This Google AI Overviews Test
Google has not confirmed any plans to roll this layout out to all users. Barry Schwartz suggested a middle option: showing citation cards in both the right sidebar and at the bottom. That remains speculation, not a confirmed plan from Google. Until Google says otherwise, this stays a limited test, not a permanent change.
Watch for whether Google expands this test beyond the small group of users who currently see it. Pay attention to your own AI Overview traffic patterns if you run a website, since citation placement can shift how often people click through to your content. Google has tested this bottom-placement idea twice before without a permanent rollout, so treat this as one more data point rather than a confirmed direction. If you’re trying to stay ahead of shifts like this, a tool such as Nuwtonic SEO can help by tracking your AI citation visibility and flagging gaps before they impact your traffic.
