Some users have spotted Google testing new tracking URLs in search results. The change could affect analytics and third-party tracking tools. Early reports suggest a limited rollout.
Digital publishers and SEO professionals are watching closely as Google tests a new tracking URL format in its search results. Instead of linking directly to destination sites, some users have noticed that Google is routing clicks through a google.com/goto passthrough URL. This adjustment could have significant implications for tracking, analytics, and the accuracy of third-party SEO tools.
The change was first highlighted by Brodie Clark at SERPAlerts, who posted about the new URL pattern on X. Other observers, including Mark and Alex Greenland, have also reported seeing the google.com/goto redirect in action. According to these reports, the result link URLs are rewritten to google.com/goto?url=[custom encoding], and upon clicking, users are redirected to the intended destination. However, not all users can replicate the behavior, suggesting that Google may be running a limited test or a gradual rollout.
Some in the SEO community have pointed out that this is not the first time Google has experimented with server-side redirects for analytics purposes. Derek Perkins noted that similar techniques were used in the past when JavaScript was disabled, with Google wrapping links in server-side redirects to capture analytics data. The new approach appears to be a modern iteration of that method, potentially designed to address issues like AI and SEO scraping.
For searchers, the change could make it harder to preview the actual destination URL before clicking, raising concerns about transparency and trust. So far, only a handful of users have reported seeing the new tracking URLs, and widespread adoption has not been confirmed. Forum discussions on X continue as the community monitors for broader rollout.
Publishers who rely on Google Search for traffic may want to keep an eye on these developments, especially given the impact that changes to tracking and analytics can have on audience measurement and revenue strategies. In a related example of how shifts in Google’s approach can affect publishers, Hello! Magazine recently rebuilt its audience after a sharp decline in Google referrals by unifying data and focusing on cross-channel performance.
