Google recently has updated its Search Console documentation, wherein it has included AI Mode in the Performance reports. This update means impressions, clicks and position metrics from AI Mode will count as the total you see in the Search Console Performance report right from today.
Further, it aims to provide transparency in how AI-driven search is impacting website performance.
Understanding Everything About AI Mode
AI Mode is an all-new form of Google’s AI search experience, built on Google’s AI overviews. Instead of giving a single direct answer, AI Mode breaks down the user’s queries into small topics, allowing simultaneous searches, wherein users can go into deeper searches. Alongside, shares a standout response will all the external links, image blocks and more.
Metrics Visible in the AI Mode
Here are the metrics you can see in the new AI Mode section:
- Click: In AI Mode, clicking on any external link will be considered as click in Search Console.
- Impression: It’s according to the standard impression rules. Meaning, if your page is seen in Google’s AI response.
- Position: In AI Mode is created using the same process as a Google search page. In AI Mode, carousel and picture blocks are typically computed following the elements’ usual position criteria.
Follow Up Questions:
If there’s any question asked by a user in the AI Mode, it’s counted as a new query, and then, impression, clicks, position and more for the new one are calculated separately.
Why Does it Matter?
Since months there has been a lot of confusion among the website owners and marketers regarding the visibility of AI generated traffic. With this new update, Google offers a clear view however with one limitation: Google has no other way to filter AI Mode separately.
All AI Mode traffic is mixed into standard “Web” traffic in Performance reports, making it difficult to analyze the impact in isolation.
Best Practices Still Apply
Google also confirmed that SEO best practices remain unchanged. There’s no change in the schema, markup, or files to be featured in AI Mode. AI Mode is all set to change the search experience. Ultimately, it’s here to help marketers understand how AI is impacting traffic in Search Console.
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