Changes to Google Search deserve different responses depending on what changed: a result's appearance, the way performance is reported, or a rule about visitor experience. This reference brings together announcements from 2023 through 2026 to help site owners interpret those differences when reviewing technical SEO, content, and link building.
A Simpler Results Page
Google's October 21, 2024 announcement set November 21, 2024 as the start of the sitelinks search box removal. The removal applied globally, across languages and countries. Google said it would not affect rankings or the separate sitelinks visual element. A missing search box therefore should not, by itself, be treated as evidence that rankings changed.
On June 12, 2025, Google announced the withdrawal of seven structured data features: Book Actions, Course Info, Claim Review, Estimated Salary, Learning Video, Special Announcement, and Vehicle Listing. Starting September 9, the latter six were removed from Search Console rich result reporting, the Rich Result Test, and applicable Search appearance filters. Google said this simplification would not change page rankings or uses of the markup outside Google Search.
In a November 5, 2025 announcement, Google described further withdrawals of lesser-used result features and said support for the relevant structured data types in Search Console and its API would be removed starting January 2026. For an audit, identify the particular feature before deciding whether an absent display needs an implementation change.
What Happened to FAQ and How-to Results
Google's 2023 FAQ and How-to guidance limited FAQ rich results from FAQPage structured data to well-known, authoritative government and health websites. Other sites would no longer receive those results regularly. Google also said there was no need to proactively remove the FAQ markup. As of September 13, 2023, How-to rich results were no longer shown on desktop, and that result type was deprecated.
Keep the distinction between helpful page content and a supported search enhancement clear. A question-and-answer section can still serve readers even when the expected FAQ display does not appear. Review markup decisions in light of the feature's support, and avoid presenting a retired display as a reason to prioritize an otherwise unnecessary task.
New Ways to Read Search Console Data
Google introduced the branded queries filter on November 20, 2025, and announced availability for all eligible sites on March 11, 2026. The Search results Performance report separates branded queries, including brand names and associated products, from non-branded queries. Each view offers impressions, clicks, average position, and click-through rate. Use the split to ask whether a change involves people seeking the brand or people finding content through other queries.
The custom annotations feature, announced November 17, 2025, lets owners place dated notes of up to 120 characters on performance charts. Everyone with property access can see them. Record a campaign launch or content change in neutral terms, without sensitive details. An annotation supplies chronology for a review; it does not establish why traffic moved.
Since December 10, 2025, weekly and monthly chart views provide alternatives to daily aggregation. Google says these views smooth daily changes and make comparisons cleaner when weekdays do not align. Choose consistent date ranges, query groups, and chart granularity before interpreting a trend.
A Spam Policy for Back Button Hijacking
In its April 13, 2026 policy announcement, Google made back button hijacking an explicit violation of the malicious practices section of its spam policies. The announced enforcement date was June 15, 2026. The practice interferes with browser navigation so visitors cannot immediately return to the page they came from; they may encounter unfamiliar pages, unsolicited recommendations, or ads instead. Pages using it may face manual spam actions or automated demotions.
Include leaving a page in a navigation review. Test whether Back respects the visitor's route, and examine components that interfere with browser history. The desired behavior is straightforward: let the visitor return where they intended.
Fewer Clicks When Summaries Appear
A July 22, 2025 Pew Research Center analysis examined browsing data from 900 U.S. adults in March 2025. Traditional result links received clicks in 8% of visits with an AI summary, compared with 15% without one. Links within summaries received clicks in 1% of visits with a summary. Summaries appeared in 18% of the searches studied. Browsing sessions ended on 26% of pages with summaries, compared with 16% without them.
These figures describe observed behavior in that sample and month. Use them as context for reading traffic, rather than a forecast for every topic or page. When reviewing a decline, consider the evidence available for that page before attributing it to summaries. Include referrals and useful references in a content review alongside search visits.
What This Means for Link Building
Write campaign reviews that distinguish a display change, a reporting change, a navigation problem, and an audience response. Ask a concrete question for each: Is the visual feature supported? Are the same query groups being compared? Can visitors leave normally? Is useful content reaching readers? Choose the next task according to the evidence. Keep campaign dates, observed links, and referral visits together so that explanations remain traceable without promising a ranking outcome.