As Google’s AI-powered search experiences continue to grow, one question that has persisted over the past few years is how to measure visibility in AI-generated search results. While third-party platforms offer some solutions, Google is finally starting to provide some answers. The company is rolling out new reporting within Google Search Console that’ll show website owners how their content and site are performing within AI Mode and AI Overviews.
Until now, visibility within AI-generated responses has been difficult to track. Brands could see overall organic performance, but determining whether content appeared in AI-generated experiences required some digging using third-party tools. This new Google Search Console report makes it easier for us to see how our clients’ sites are performing and what we can do to improve.
What the New Report Shows
The new report focuses on visibility rather than the traffic graphs and stats we often see in Search Console. We’ll now be able to view:
- Impressions – How often content from a website appears in AI-generated experiences across Google Search and Discover
- Dates – Performance trends over time, including hourly, daily, weekly and monthly views
- Devices – Whether appearances are happening on desktop, mobile or other devices
- Countries – Where visibility is occurring geographically
- Pages – Which URLs are appearing within AI responses
One thing worth noting is that this report won’t include click data, including how many users click through to a website after seeing it cited in an AI Overview or AI Mode response. That means businesses will get some insight into presence, but not a complete overview of traffic and engagement. This is Google avoiding the elephant in the room, as it’s widely documented that CTRs are falling for queries triggering AI Overviews – rather than highlight this behaviour any further, they’ve chosen to omit the data completely.
Why This New Report Makes an Impact
The way people search is changing. Users are receiving answers directly within AI-generated experiences rather than clicking through multiple search results. As a result, traditional rankings are no longer the only thing we’re focused on. A website could rank well organically but have little presence within AI-generated answers. On the other hand, content that doesn’t hold a top organic position may still be surfaced within AI responses if Google considers it useful, relevant or authoritative enough. This new report gives businesses insight into how Google uses and interprets their content. It’s another indication that search performance can no longer be judged solely on rankings, and we must adapt our strategies, objectives and reporting to ensure our clients remain ahead of their competitors
For brands investing in SEO and GEO, this information should help identify:
- Which content performs well in AI search experiences
- Topics that are gaining visibility through AI Overviews
- Opportunities to improve content that isn’t being surfaced
- Trends in AI visibility over time
A New Option to Opt Out
Along with the reporting update, Google has also announced another significant feature. Some website owners can now opt out of having their content surfaced in Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode. This feature is currently being implemented with a subset of UK websites in response to new requirements from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The regulator’s latest conduct rules require Google to give publishers more control over how their content is used in AI search experiences, including the ability to opt out of being surfaced in AI responses.
Google has said that opting out of appearing in AI experiences won’t affect traditional search rankings. However, content that isn’t available to AI systems won’t receive traffic and impressions from AI responses. While the option is needed for compliance, we wouldn’t recommend opting out of AI Overviews and AI Mode without serious consideration. For most clients, more visibility for their product or brand can only be positive, even if it’s become harder to track the impact.
The Final Word
As AI Overviews and AI Mode become more prominent in search results, understanding how your content performs in these experiences is more important than ever. Google’s new report won’t replace traditional SEO metrics, but it does give us new insight into a part of search that’s been somewhat harder to track until now.
If you’re looking at how AI search could impact your visibility or organic performance, our team is always happy to discuss the opportunities and challenges ahead. Feel free to get in touch!