Search Console now shows traffic from Google Lens and Circle to Search
A new “multimodal” search type in the Performance reports counts searches that start with an image: Lens, Circle to Search, image uploads and Chrome’s “Search this image”.
At a glance
- What
- Multimodal search reporting in Search Console
- Counts
- Lens, Circle to Search, image uploads, Chrome “Search this image”
- Where
- Search results and Generative AI features performance reports
- Queries
- Not shown; these searches start from an image
- Rollout
- Worldwide, from September 24, 2026
Why it matters
Product and brand images are a way into search now, and you can finally see whether yours bring visits.
Google has added web multimodal reporting to Search Console, in both the Search results performance report and the Generative AI features report. It covers searches where someone used an image: Google Lens, Circle to Search on Android, uploading an image to Google Search, and Chrome’s right-click “Search this image”.
Pick the new multimodal search type in the performance filter to see it. Because these searches mostly start from a picture, there’s no query text to show. It’s rolling out worldwide from September 24.
What to check
- Performance report: switch the search type to multimodal and see which pages it brings visits to.
Questions
What counts as a multimodal search in Search Console?
A search that uses an image: Google Lens, Circle to Search on Android, image uploads to Google Search, and Chrome’s “Search this image”.
Why is there no query data?
These searches mostly start from a picture, not typed words, so there’s no query text to report.
Sources
Google Search Central BlogSeptember 24, 2026
Announcing web multimodal Search performance reporting in Search ConsoleBacks up: What counts as multimodal, which reports show it, and the rollout
Search Engine JournalReportingSeptember 26, 2026
Google Spam Update, Image Search Data In GSC – SEO PulseBacks up: No query data for multimodal searches
Written in our own words from these sources. AI News is independent: the companies we cover don’t sponsor, review or endorse it. Spotted a mistake? See our editorial standards or email zev@esy.com.
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