Published 18 October 2026. This guide distinguishes newly announced platform developments from practical advice and illustrative scenarios. Features can roll out gradually and should be checked in the relevant account.
What Google announced on September 24
Google Search Central announced the addition of a web multimodal search type filter within Search Console performance reports, including the report for Search results and the report for generative AI features. Google described visual search routes such as Lens, Circle to Search, image upload and Chrome’s Search this image. Availability is rolling out, and individual sites may not see meaningful data if they do not receive those searches.
Find the right report
Open a verified property in Search Console. Look in Performance reports for a multimodal search type filter, if it is available to your account. Set a date range with enough data for comparison, then inspect pages, queries, countries and devices where supported. Export data for further analysis. This website’s static browser tools cannot access your private Search Console data automatically; work from exports that you control.
Interpret the difference between impressions and commercial value
A visual-search impression may indicate that an image or its source was surfaced. A click may lead to a landing page, but neither implies a qualified enquiry. Track whether the page explains the visual, offers related information and provides a sensible next step. High visibility with weak engagement may indicate a mismatch between the image’s appeal and the destination’s answer.
Image SEO audit in five steps
- Use crawlable HTML image elements for important assets rather than relying exclusively on CSS backgrounds.
- Choose short descriptive image names, useful context and alt text that serves visitors.
- Specify dimensions and select appropriately compressed formats.
- Link image-heavy guides to relevant services and tools rather than leaving them isolated.
- Review image-specific search performance and improve the landing page, not just the file.
Example: turning an ad example into a useful landing page
Suppose a creative portfolio shows a square appliance sale graphic. A useful companion page can explain the product brief, composition, offer hierarchy, square-versus-vertical trade-offs and a clear invitation to request creative work. The illustrative image does not establish real campaign results. Our advertising creative examples show this type of explanation, while the batch image inspector provides actual pixel dimensions.
Limits and next steps
The new filter should not be confused with standalone Google Images reporting, and access varies by site and rollout. Assess trends over sufficient time; do not interpret any change as proof of causal improvement. For help with image performance and site structure, explore image creation and website audits.