Search Console AI Report: How Bloggers Can Read It

Key Takeaway: You cannot see which keywords people used in a multimodal search, and you cannot see AI clicks. What you can see is which pages are being shown, from which countries and devices, and how that changes over time. Export the numbers on a schedule, because that history is the useful part.

What changed in Search Console?

Two things matter for bloggers.

1. A Generative AI features report. Google gave AI features their own report in June 2026 and extended it to every site on August 31. It shows how your content appears in AI Overviews and AI Mode.
2. A multimodal search type. On September 24, 2026, Google began rolling out a "Web: multimodal" filter globally. It covers web results reached with an image, such as Google Lens, Circle to Search on Android, image uploads to Google Search and Chrome's "Search this image."

Google says multimodal traffic was not counted anywhere in these reports before, so it may be new data for your site.

What each report can and cannot show

The key idea is simple: a link shown inside an AI feature proves your page was displayed, not that someone visited it. Treat AI impressions as a visibility signal, not as traffic.

Step 1: Find the multimodal filter

1. Open Google Search Console and select your property.
2. Go to Performance and open the Search results report.
3. Click the Search type filter at the top.
4. Under Web, choose Multimodal instead of Text-based.

Switch to the Pages tab. The Queries tab is not available for this search type, so Pages is the dimension that works.

Step 2: Open the Generative AI features report

Look for the Generative AI features report in your Search Console reports. The exact menu position can differ by account while features roll out, so follow what you see in your own Search Console. The report shows impressions from AI Overviews and AI Mode, and it follows the same date and page filters you already know.

Google says the multimodal split also appears here, but it reduces to impressions by page, country, device and date.

Step 3: Export the numbers on a schedule

Google's Search Analytics API reference does not yet list a multimodal search type, so you cannot automate this pull. Use the Export button instead.

1. Apply the filter you want (multimodal, or the Generative AI report).
2. Choose a clear date range, such as the last 28 days.
3. Click Export and save the file with today's date in the name.
4. Repeat on the same day every month, using an equal date range.

Comparing equal periods is what turns a pile of impressions into a trend you can act on.

How to use the data on a blog

• Find your visible pages. Sort by impressions in the Pages tab and note which posts appear in AI features or image-led searches.
• Look for mismatches. A page with strong AI impressions but weak normal clicks may need a clearer title or opening answer.
• Check your images. If a post gets multimodal exposure, make sure its images are original, sharp and described with accurate alt text and filenames. Google has not published a ranking formula for multimodal results, so treat this as general good practice, not a guarantee.
• Do not chase numbers. Small blogs may see little or no multimodal data at first, and that is normal.

If you want more background on getting cited in AI answers, see our guide on how to track AI Overview citations. For the basics of the Performance report, read how to use Google Search Console to grow your blog traffic. If you are weighing whether to opt out of AI features, see our post on the Search Console AI opt-out toggle.

Pro Tip: Save your first export even if the numbers look tiny. In three months, that early file is the baseline that shows whether your AI and image visibility is growing.

10-minute Search Console AI checklist

1. Open Performance > Search results.
2. Set the search type to Web: multimodal and open the Pages tab.
3. Export the last 28 days and save the file with the date.
4. Open the Generative AI features report.
5. Export the same date range.
6. Note your top three pages in each report.
7. Review those three pages for clear titles, original images and accurate alt text.
8. Set a reminder to repeat the export next month.

Frequently asked questions

Google says you will see multimodal metrics only if your site is receiving traffic from those searches. An empty filter is not necessarily a bug.

No. Google says multimodal searches mostly use images, so specific text query data is not available, and the Queries tab is not offered for this search type.

No. It reports impressions for AI Overviews and AI Mode, not clicks.

Not for multimodal right now. Google's API reference does not list it as a search type, so use the Export button.

Final thoughts

These new Search Console views will not tell you everything, but they show something you could not see before: when your pages are displayed in AI features and in image-led searches. Check them once a month, export the data, and look for trends instead of single numbers.

Sources and limits: This guide was reviewed on October 10, 2026 against Google's Search Console announcements as reported by Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Roundtable and PPC Land. Search Console menus, labels and rollout timing can change, and not every site sees every report at the same time, so confirm the details in your own account and in Google's Search Console help pages. The tips on images and alt text are general good practice and not official ranking guidance.

Hardeep Singh

Hardeep Singh is the founder and editor of Panstag, an independent technology publication covering AI, software, SEO, and digital trends. He focuses on verified updates, practical solutions, and insights that help readers navigate the evolving digital world. About Author.