Google is expanding Search Console with new data for tracking performance from multimodal Search.
On September 24, 2026, Google announced a new multimodal search performance reporting feature in Search Console. The update allows website owners to see how their pages perform when users search through visual experiences such as Google Lens, Circle to Search, and image uploads.
The rollout is happening globally and also extends multimodal reporting to Google’s Generative AI performance report.
New multimodal search type filter in GSC:
Screenshot: Crawl Vision’s Google Search Console showing the new Multimodal Search option.
What Is Multimodal Search Data?
Multimodal Search refers to searches where users interact with Google using more than traditional text input.
Google’s new reporting includes data from:
- Google Lens
- Circle to Search on Android
- Image uploads to Google Search
- Chrome’s “Search this image”
Previously, website owners had limited visibility into how these visual Search experiences contributed to their website performance.
With the new reporting, Google is giving site owners a way to separate this activity from other Search performance data.
Why Google Added Multimodal Search Data to Search Console
Search is no longer limited to users typing keywords into a search box.
People can now take a picture, upload an image, circle something on their screen, or search an existing image to find information. Google is making more of these experiences part of Search.
The new reporting gives website owners more insight into how their content performs across these changing Search behaviors.
Google says the data can help site owners better understand their performance and optimize their visual content.
The update also brings multimodal Search into the Generative AI features report, connecting visual Search reporting with Google’s broader reporting around AI-powered Search experiences.
How to Track Multimodal Search Data in Search Console
Website owners can access the new data directly through Search Console.
- Open Google Search Console
Select the website property you want to analyze. - Open the Performance report
Go to the relevant Search performance report. - Select Multimodal
Open the Search type filter and select Multimodal to isolate the new Search data. - Review your performance
Analyze available metrics such as clicks and impressions to see how your site is performing through multimodal Search. - Check Generative AI features
The multimodal filter is also available in the Generative AI features report. - Export the data
Use the Export option to download the data for further analysis.
What the Update Means for SEO
The biggest change is not a new ranking factor. It is new visibility into how people discover websites through visual Search.
This could be particularly useful for websites where images play an important role in discovery, including ecommerce, travel, food, fashion, and local businesses.
SEO teams can now compare multimodal Search performance with their existing Search data. This may reveal pages receiving visibility through visual interactions that would otherwise be difficult to identify.
However, Google has not announced a separate multimodal ranking system with this update. The change is focused on measurement and reporting, rather than introducing a new ranking factor.
Rollout
Google announced the update on September 24, 2026, and said the new multimodal Search reporting is rolling out globally.
The data will appear for websites that receive traffic from the supported multimodal Search experiences. Google has also made the data available for export from Search Console.
For website owners, there is no immediate technical change to make. The more important step is to start watching the new data as it becomes available.
The bigger takeaway is that Search Console is expanding beyond traditional text-based Search reporting. As Google Search becomes more visual and multimodal, website owners are getting more ways to understand where their visibility comes from.
