Google Search Console multimodal search reporting gives website owners a clearer view of how people discover their content through images, Google Lens and other visual-search experiences rather than text alone.
The new reporting covers searches involving Google Lens, Circle to Search on Android, images uploaded to Google Search and Chrome’s “Search this image” experience. Google says the integration began rolling out globally on September 24, 2026.
What is multimodal search?
Multimodal search lets people use an image as part of a search instead of relying only on typed words. A customer might photograph a product, circle an object on a phone screen or upload an image to find visually related information.
What changed with Google Search Console multimodal search?
Google added a multimodal search type filter to performance reporting. Qualifying data can appear in the Performance report for Search results and in reporting for generative AI features. This gives site owners a way to separate image-led discovery from conventional text-led web searches.
1. Check whether your site receives multimodal impressions
Open Search Console’s Performance reporting and look for the new multimodal search type. Google notes that metrics will appear when a site receives qualifying traffic, so an empty report does not necessarily indicate a technical problem.
2. Identify pages that work visually
Look at which URLs receive multimodal impressions and clicks. Product pages, tutorials, comparison content and visually distinctive examples may behave differently from text-heavy pages.
3. Improve image relevance, not just image quantity
Adding more images is not the objective. Use visuals that genuinely help explain the page. Descriptive filenames, useful alt text, appropriate dimensions and surrounding context can make images more accessible and easier to understand.
See Sahan’s image SEO guide for small businesses for the practical optimization workflow.
4. Connect multimodal visibility to search intent
Ask why someone would search with an image for your topic. A retailer may see product-identification behavior, while a service company could benefit from before-and-after examples, diagrams or recognizable real-world problems.
5. Compare devices and countries
Performance reports can help reveal where visual discovery is occurring. Device and country patterns can guide decisions about mobile usability, content localization and the types of visuals worth producing.
6. Do not confuse impressions with business outcomes
More visibility is useful only when it attracts relevant visitors. Compare multimodal traffic with engagement and meaningful conversions. Our Google Analytics and Search Console guide explains how to connect search visibility with broader measurement.
7. Build a visual content advantage
Businesses that create original product photography, diagrams, screenshots, charts or process visuals may have opportunities that generic stock imagery cannot provide. The best visual should solve a reader’s problem first; search visibility is a secondary benefit.
Why this matters for SEO in 2026
Search behavior is becoming less dependent on typed queries. Visual and AI-assisted discovery are increasingly part of the same search journey. The new Search Console reporting gives publishers evidence they can use instead of guessing how image-led search contributes to visibility.
Final takeaway
Do not redesign your website simply because a new report exists. Start by checking whether your site receives multimodal impressions, identify the pages involved, and improve the visual usefulness of content where the data supports it. The opportunity is not “more images”; it is better information delivered in the format customers use to search.
Source: Google Search Central, September 24, 2026.