Google Search is becoming more visual. On September 24, 2026, Google added a new multimodal-search filter to Search Console so site owners can measure when their web content appears after image-based searches.
The new reporting covers searches initiated through experiences such as Google Lens, Circle to Search on Android, image uploads to Google Search, and Chrome’s “Search this image” flow. For publishers, this creates a new question: Is your visual content actually being discovered through image-led search?
1. Open the Search performance report
In Search Console, open the Performance report for Search results. Google says the multimodal data is available through a new search-type filter. The same concept is also reflected in reporting for generative AI features.
2. Apply the multimodal search-type filter
Use the multimodal filter to isolate traffic and visibility tied to image-led search behavior. This separates those interactions from ordinary text search so you can analyze them on their own.
3. Compare pages, countries, devices, and dates
Google’s performance reports support filtering and comparison across dimensions such as page, country, device, and date. For a new site, start with simple comparisons: which pages appear at all, in which countries, and whether visibility changes after you add or improve original visual material.
4. Do not confuse impressions with proof of quality
An impression tells you that a URL appeared in a relevant search experience. It does not prove that the page is authoritative, that the visual itself caused the appearance, or that the user trusted the result. Treat impressions as an observation signal, then compare them with clicks, page quality, and the underlying content.
5. Use the data to improve useful visual evidence
For evidence-first publishing, the goal is not to add decorative images just to chase a metric. Prioritize visuals that genuinely help a reader verify or understand a claim: original diagrams, process maps, annotated screenshots where rights permit, comparison tables, or checklist graphics.
Google’s guidance for generative AI search still emphasizes the same fundamentals as ordinary Search: clear technical structure, crawlable pages, unique and useful content, and a good page experience. It specifically warns against relying on supposed “AI ranking hacks” instead of strong content and sound SEO fundamentals.
A compact multimodal visibility checklist
- Filter: Is the multimodal search-type filter available in your Search Console property?
- Pages: Which URLs receive multimodal impressions?
- Country: Where are those impressions coming from?
- Device: Are mobile devices driving most of the visibility?
- Change: Did visibility move after a meaningful visual-content update?
- Quality: Does the visual add real evidence or understanding rather than decoration?
- Outcome: Are impressions translating into useful visits or stronger AI/search visibility?
The key rule: optimize for useful visual evidence first, then use multimodal reporting to learn whether users are actually discovering it.
Sources
- Google Search Central — Announcing web multimodal Search performance reporting in Search Console
- Google Search Central — Introducing Search Generative AI performance reports in Search Console
- Google Search Central — Optimizing your website for generative AI features on Google Search
- Google Search Console Help — Advanced filtering and comparison
Fact-check date: September 27, 2026.
