Google has begun rolling out a change to how links in organic search results work behind the scenes. Instead of sending searchers directly from a Google result to the destination website, some organic listings now use a Google-hosted passthrough URL before sending the user to the final page.

The change does not alter where searchers ultimately land. However, it can affect how SEO platforms, rank tracking tools, and other third-party services collect and analyze Google search results.

For businesses that rely on SEO reporting to monitor rankings, visibility, and competitors, understanding this change can help separate actual search performance changes from temporary issues with third-party data collection.

What Are Google’s New Passthrough URLs?

Previously, when someone viewed a Google search result, the link generally pointed directly to the website being shown in the results. A user could hover over the result and see the destination URL.

With the new passthrough system, some results now use a Google URL containing a /go to path. When the searcher clicks the result, Google processes the request before redirecting the user to the destination website.

From the searcher’s perspective, the experience remains largely the same. They still reach the same webpage they would have reached before.

The bigger impact is behind the scenes.

Third-party platforms that collect Google search results at scale may now need to follow these redirects to identify the actual destination of each result. That can make automated data collection more technically difficult and potentially less efficient.

Why This Matters for SEO Data

Many SEO platforms collect search result information through automated systems. Changes to Google’s search result structure can make that data harder to collect consistently.

As a result, businesses may notice differences between third-party rank tracking reports and other non-Google SEO reporting platforms.

A temporary drop or unusual fluctuation in a rank-tracking tool does not necessarily mean a website’s actual visibility has changed.

What Firms Should Do This Month

The best response is to avoid making major SEO decisions based on a single data source.

Instead, marketing teams should:

• Compare multiple sources. Look at Search Console, analytics, and rank-tracking platforms together.
• Watch for unusual reporting changes. Sudden inconsistencies may reflect data-collection changes rather than actual ranking shifts.
• Ask SEO providers about their tracking methods. Your agency should understand how Google’s technical changes affect its reporting.
• Focus on broader performance trends. Organic traffic, impressions, clicks, conversions, and leads can provide more useful context than individual ranking fluctuations.

Taking this approach can help firms distinguish genuine changes in search performance from reporting discrepancies caused by changes to how Google’s results are collected and tracked.

The Bigger SEO Picture

Google continues to make changes that affect how search results are accessed, measured, and reported. For businesses, this makes it increasingly important to distinguish between a change in SEO performance and a change in how performance is measured.

Reliable SEO reporting requires context. When different platforms show conflicting information, businesses should investigate the source of the discrepancy before changing their strategy.

Stay Ahead of Google’s Search Changes

SEO is constantly evolving, and technical changes to Google’s search environment can affect everything from ranking data to reporting accuracy.

At BluShark Digital, we help businesses navigate changes in search, strengthen their organic visibility, and build SEO strategies based on meaningful performance data.

Contact BluShark Digital today to learn how we can help your business adapt to Google’s evolving search landscape and turn SEO data into actionable growth.