Developing
Discover is two-thirds of Google referrals to 2,000 news sites, according to the figure reported.
In 60 seconds
- On September 18, 2026 Robby Stein, Google Search vice president of product, disclosed a Discover test called Dive deeper.
- Tapping it on a video card opens a Google-generated overview, then source cards with publisher attribution and an Explore more stories screen.
- The links out are small, with truncated headlines and thumbnails, per one analysis.
- Google has not disclosed markets, share of users, results or a publisher opt-out.
Impact Layer
- What changed
- Google is testing an extra step between a Discover card and the publisher's page.
- Why it matters
- Discover is a large traffic source for news sites, and an overview may satisfy readers before they click.
- Who is affected
- Publishers who rely on Discover, and SEO and audience teams planning for traffic changes.
- Martech stack area
- SEO & Search, Content
- Stack impact
- Watch Discover clicks and impressions in Search Console for video-led stories, and diversify referral sources.
- Business impact
- Moderate It is a test, not a rollout. Figures about Discover's share and one publisher's decline come from the coverage cited, not from Google.
- What to watch
- Whether Google expands it, adds an opt-out, or publishes data about clicks.
Robby Stein, vice president of product for Google Search, disclosed a test in Google Discover on September 18, 2026, on X. Relevant Audience reports that the announcement had minimal detail: no official blog post, help page or opt-out information.
How the test works
- People tap a “Dive deeper” button on video cards to open a longer Google-written summary.
- Source cards with publisher attribution follow, and a third screen offers “Explore more stories” with additional angles written by Google.
- The links out are small, with truncated headlines and tiny thumbnails, which reduces the incentive to click through.
Why publishers care
Per the coverage, Discover now accounts for two-thirds of Google referrals to 2,000 news sites, and one publisher reported a 55% year-over-year decline in Google referral volume in the first half of 2026. Affected markets, the share of users in the test, the AI model and any opt-out are unknown.
Our read
A summary in front of the article puts one more screen between a reader and a publisher, which is exactly how Google referrals have been shrinking elsewhere. Because this is a test, there is nothing to change yet. Watch Discover impressions and clicks for video-led stories in Search Console, and treat Discover as a source that can move quickly. Sites that depend on it for most of their visits have the most to lose.
Sources
- Relevant Audience: Google Discover Dive deeper button, what it means for publisher traffic (opens in a new tab)
Source of the test description, the date and the figures.
- Search Engine Roundtable: video recap, September 25, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Confirms the test is being discussed as taking traffic from publishers.