Google Search Console Adds Multimodal Reporting for Image-Led Search

Google added a multimodal search type filter to Search Console Performance reports, grouping traffic from Google Lens, Circle to Search, image uploads to Google Search, and Chrome's right-click image search. The company said the feature began rolling out globally on September 24, 2026, and is available in both the standard Search results report and the Generative AI features report. The filter gives site owners a combined view of image-initiated search activity rather than separate breakdowns by entry point.

Google Search Console has introduced a multimodal search type filter https://scalevise.com/resources/gemini/ in its Performance reports, giving website owners a new way to see how content surfaces when a Google search begins with an image rather than typed text. The reporting groups traffic from Google Lens, Circle to Search on Android, image uploads to Google Search, and Chrome's right-click image search. The addition matters because visual input can start a search journey differently from a conventional keyword query. Rather than treating image-led discovery as invisible or scattered across reporting, Search Console now provides a cross-channel view of this activity. Google said the feature began rolling out globally on September 24, 2026, and sites should begin to see data as traffic from these image-based searches arrives. According to Google's official announcement of web multimodal Search performance reporting https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2026/09/web-multimodal-in-sc , the filter is available in both the standard Search results Performance report and the Generative AI features report. This makes the update relevant to publishers, ecommerce sites, local businesses, and any team that uses Search Console to understand how people find their pages. The filter covers searches where a user initiates Google Search with visual input. It is not a report for every image on a site, nor does it turn image-search activity into a separate analytics product. It is a new search-type view inside existing Search Console Performance reporting. Google identifies four included entry points: This grouping is important for interpretation. The announced filter combines these image-initiated pathways under the multimodal search type, offering an aggregate view of visual search behavior rather than separate filters for each named entry point. | Performance report | Multimodal filter availability | What it covers | |---|---|---| | Search results | Available | Performance data from searches initiated with images through the included Google entry points | | Generative AI features | Available | Multimodal performance reporting within Google's Generative AI features report | Website owners can access the information by opening a relevant Performance report in Search Console and applying the multimodal search type filter . The interface location matters because this is an extension of the reporting workflow teams already use, not a new standalone dashboard. As with any new global rollout, the first useful task is simply to establish whether a property is receiving measurable traffic through the new filter. Google has said metrics will start appearing as traffic from these image-based queries reaches a site. A lack of immediate data should therefore not be treated as proof that images never contribute to discovery. The central change is measurement. Teams can now separate a combined set of image-initiated search interactions from other Search Console traffic and assess whether that channel is meaningful for their site. That can support a more focused review of pages that already receive multimodal visibility. For example, a team can compare the filtered view with its broader Search Console reporting, identify which content appears in the data, and decide whether visual assets deserve closer editorial or merchandising attention. The announcement does not prescribe a new optimization checklist, guarantee additional traffic, or provide a split between Lens, Circle to Search, uploaded images, and Chrome image search. It also does not establish that every image on a website is eligible to surface in these journeys. The practical value comes from observing the reported data before changing a workflow or allocating more resources to visual content. For businesses, that is a useful distinction. Image-led search may be especially relevant where people need to identify, compare, or learn about something visible, but Search Console data should guide decisions rather than assumptions about audience behavior. A sensible starting point is to treat multimodal reporting as a recurring measurement view, not a one-time novelty. Review it alongside the pages and content areas already central to a site's search strategy. If the filter reveals consistent activity, document the affected URLs and use that evidence when planning content updates or visual asset reviews. Keep the analysis narrow at first: This approach avoids overstating what a new reporting dimension can prove. It also gives marketing and web teams a shared evidence base for discussing visual search without conflating it with every form of image performance. Visual search reporting https://scalevise.com/resources/google-lens-25-billion-monthly-searches-visual-search/ creates a useful signal, but teams still need a clear picture of where their brand appears across changing search experiences. Scalevise can help turn that visibility into a practical measurement plan through its AI Visibility / GEO Checker https://scalevise.com/ai-visibility-geo-checker , helping you identify opportunities and prioritize the pages that matter. Start an AI Visibility scan to understand your current search presence https://scalevise.com/resources/geo/ . What is the Google Search Console multimodal filter? It is a new search type filter in Search Console Performance reports that shows data from searches initiated with images. Which image-based Google search features are included? Google includes Google Lens, Circle to Search on Android, image uploads to Google Search, and Chrome's right-click “Search this image” feature. Where can website owners use the multimodal filter? The filter is available in both the standard Search results Performance report and the Generative AI features report in Google Search Console. Does the filter show separate data for Lens and Circle to Search? Google describes the feature as a combined multimodal search type filter covering the listed image-initiated entry points. The announcement does not describe separate filters for each entry point. When will multimodal performance data appear in Search Console? Google said the feature began rolling out globally on September 24, 2026. Data should begin appearing as a site receives traffic from covered image-based queries. Google's multimodal filter gives Search Console users a defined way to measure a growing category of image-initiated search activity. Its immediate value is visibility: website owners can determine whether Google Lens, Circle to Search, image uploads, and Chrome image search contribute measurable discovery for their content. The most useful next step is to monitor the new filter over time and let the reported data, rather than assumptions, shape any response.