Google Search Console now shows traffic from Google Lens, Circle to Search and other image-based searches. On September 24, 2026 Google added a multimodal search type filter to the Performance report and to the Generative AI features report. For Canadian businesses whose products or work get photographed, it is a direct way to see whether customers find them by camera, and which photos and pages need work.
What changed in Search Console on September 24, 2026
Google launched "web multimodal" reporting in two Search Console reports and started a global rollout the same day, according to the Google Search Central Blog. Metrics appear for sites that already receive traffic from image-based searches.
- Performance report → Search type → Web (multimodal): web results "where an image was used as part of the search", per Google's help centre.
- Generative AI features report: the same data is added to the report for AI Overviews and AI Mode, launched on June 3, 2026 and available to all sites since August 31, 2026 (Google).
Which searches count as multimodal
A multimodal search is a Google query in which the person uses an image. Google lists four entry points:
| Entry point | What the customer does | Local-business example |
|---|---|---|
| Google Lens | Points the phone camera at an object or sign | Photographs a finished deck to find who builds them |
| Circle to Search (Android) | Circles part of the screen | Circles a dish in a friend's post to find the restaurant |
| Image upload to Google Search | Uploads a picture or screenshot | Looks for a Canadian store that stocks a product |
| Chrome "Search this image" | Right-clicks an image on a website | Checks where a product photo appears |
Who should open the report first
The report matters most for businesses whose offer is visual and local:
- Contractors and renovation companies: kitchens, decks, roofs, facades. See SEO for a construction company website.
- Restaurants and cafés: dishes, interiors, storefronts.
- Retail and online stores: product photos and packaging, the first thing we check during online store promotion.
Find out whether customers reach you by camera. We connect Search Console, read the multimodal data and hand you a list of photos and pages to fix, ranked by impact.
Order an SEO auditFill in the briefHow to check your multimodal traffic in 4 steps
- Open Search Console → Performance → Search results. If the site is missing, verify a domain property first.
- Click "Search type", select Web (multimodal) and choose the date range you want to analyse.
- Open the Pages tab to see the landing pages people reached after searching with an image. Then review the same data in the Generative AI features report.
- Export both views and compare them with your galleries and product pages. Pages with strong photos and zero multimodal impressions come first in the fix list.
What makes a photo findable by camera
Google's image SEO best practices describe what helps images get indexed and matched to the right page. We use them as an audit checklist:
| Check | Google's guidance | What we fix |
|---|---|---|
| Markup | Images are found in <img>; CSS background images are not indexed | Put key photos in real <img> tags |
| File names | Short and descriptive; extension matches the file type | IMG_0231.jpg → kitchen-renovation-ottawa.jpg |
| Alt text | The most important image attribute; avoid keyword stuffing | Describe item, material and place |
| Context | Images near relevant text on relevant pages | Captions and short gallery descriptions |
| Structured data | The image property is required for image badges and rich results | Structured data with the image property, for example Product on product pages |
Our practice: original photos of your own products and projects, with the same project photos on the site and in your Google Business Profile.
Make your photos bring customers. Marketing MIX in Ottawa sets up the report, audits your images and fixes the pages, using white-hat methods and monthly reporting.
Get an estimate+1 613 867 7767FAQ
What is multimodal search in Google Search Console?
A search type filter added on September 24, 2026. It shows clicks and impressions from searches that used an image: Google Lens, Circle to Search on Android, image uploads to Google Search and Chrome's "Search this image".
Does Google Lens traffic show up in Search Console?
Yes. Select Performance → Search type → Web (multimodal). The data also appears in the Generative AI features report.
Why is my multimodal report empty?
Google shows these metrics only for sites that receive traffic from image-based searches, and the rollout started on September 24, 2026. On a site full of product or project photos, an empty report is a reason to check indexing and image markup.
How do I optimize images for Google Lens?
Use real <img> tags, descriptive file names, accurate alt text, captions, structured data with images and original photos of your products or work.
