How Every SEO Platform is Handling Google's New GoTo Link Encryption

The blog post discusses Google’s testing of URL encryption in search results, causing concern for SEO practitioners and agencies. The post provides updates on how various SEO platforms are addressing this issue. Ahrefs’ response is unknown, while Data for SEO has fixed the problem. SEMrush’s status remains unknown, and SE Ranking confirms no issues. Rocketship, seoClarity, and other platforms have not reported on the issue. The post highlights the different actions and statuses of various SEO platforms in response to Google’s URL encryption test, offering insights into the impact on rank tracking and data collection methods.

Savvy SEOs spotted what appeared at first to be a test inside of Google’s search results where the search engine giant was encrypting URLs, effectively hiding them from web scrapers like rank tracking tools and AI systems like ChatGPT and SERP API. This of course is a major cause for concern for all SEO practitioners, agencies, and the platforms that supply them with data.

Here is up-to-date information on what we know about how each SEO platform is approaching the new and sudden encryption.

Ahrefs

Status: Unknown

The popular rank tracker had a note on their website saying they were looking into the issue but the note and at least one X post about it have been removed.

Their CMO posted a tweet on X essentially saying that Ahrefs is investigating the issue.

I'll have to get back to you on that one… 😉 pic.twitter.com/mAvMZx1Hq9

— Tim Soulo 🇺🇦 (@timsoulo) August 27, 2026

Data for SEO

Status: Fixed

The SEO API system says they have found a solution for the issue in an email to users including Google’s AI Overviews.

“Here’s an update on the situation with google.com/goto URLs in Google Search.

As previously reported, we continued returning direct destination URLs for organic results despite Google’s broader rollout of goto links.

On August 28, we released an additional update that enables us to return direct URLs across all affected SERP elements, including AI Overviews.

Google is gradually extending this change to more SERP features. We are closely monitoring the rollout and adapting our solution as needed.

A small number of unresolved google.com/goto URLs may occasionally appear, but such cases should be extremely rare.”

SEMrush

Status: Unknown

The Adobe-owned SEO platform has not said anything about this update yet.

SE Ranking

Status: Fixed

Mordy Oberstein the SEO spokesperson for SE Ranking says that SE Rankings to their ranking methodology has no issues caused by this update.

Hey all! I’ve checked with the @SERanking dev team earlier today and you should not be impacted by this change at all if you’re using SE Ranking to track your rankings, research competitors, etc. https://t.co/2tOmbC4osK

— Mordy Oberstein (@MordyOberstein) August 27, 2026

Rocketship

Status: No Issue

Rocketship is our proprietary Enterprise SEO platform. While we do not offer direct rank tracking, our team uses SE Ranking’s data for things like Performance Goals, which at the moment has no issues with the GoTo update.

seoClarity

Status: No Issue

seoClarity claims they have no problems caused by the GoTo update.

SeoClarity has a solution as well for the goto situation. So, seems like it's more about Google being able to track which companies are doing this versus blocking anything. Like @rustybrick could help in court. https://t.co/q5kXB5DjY1 pic.twitter.com/OPcJSF80xG

— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) August 28, 2026