How to Track Image Searches in Google Search Console with Multimodal Data

Google

Oct 23

Google Search Console now has a search type called multimodal, which tracks clicks and impressions from searches that start with an image rather than typed words, including Google Lens, Circle to Search, and Chrome’s Search This Image feature. It is found under Performance, then Search Type, then Web, where it can be selected alongside the existing text-based search data.

What Is Multimodal Search in Google Search Console?

Multimodal is Google’s term for searches that begin with an image, sometimes paired with text, instead of a typed query. Google says this category includes searches made with Google Lens, Circle to Search on Android, images uploaded directly to Google Search, and the Search This Image option available when you right-click a picture in Chrome.

Before this search type existed, there was no way to see whether a website’s pages appeared in these image-based searches. A customer could see a product in person or in a photo, search for it visually without knowing the brand or product name, and land on a business’s website, all without that business ever knowing it happened. Multimodal data in Search Console closes that visibility gap.

Why Does Multimodal Search Data Matter for Small Businesses?

This matters most for businesses that sell physical products or operate in visual fields such as photography, art, or design. Someone can see a product they like, take a photo, and search with Lens without ever typing the business or product name into Google, and the page can still appear in the results based purely on the image.

For these businesses, multimodal data reveals a previously invisible slice of traffic: pages found through image-based discovery, a different pathway than typing a specific search term. Knowing this helps a business understand how much of its visibility comes from people recognizing a product visually rather than searching for it by name.

How Do You Find Multimodal Search Data in Google Search Console?

You can access multimodal data through the same Performance report most site owners already use to track search traffic.

Step-by-Step: Viewing Multimodal Data

Go to search.google.com and open Search Console. If more than one property is connected, make sure the correct business website is selected.
On the left-hand menu, click Performance.
Under Search Type, look for the Web filter. If multimodal data is available for the site, Search Console will show a signal that it is there.
Click into Search Type and select Multimodal, then click Apply.

Once applied, the report shows clicks and impressions from searches that started with an image. The Pages tab shows which specific pages are being found this way. The Countries and Devices tabs provide further breakdowns of where that traffic is coming from and what kind of device was used.

Can You Compare or Export Multimodal Search Data?

Yes to both. Search Console lets you compare multimodal and text-based search performance side by side. Use the comparison filter, keep the same date range selected for both search types, and click Apply. This shows which pages perform well when people search with typed words versus when they search starting from an image, which helps you spot pages that are strong in one search type but underperforming in the other.

Any multimodal data shown in the report can also be downloaded using the Export button, the same way other Search Console performance data is exported, which makes it possible to track multimodal performance over time outside the Search Console interface.

What Are the Limitations of Multimodal Data in Search Console?

There are several important limitations to understand before relying on this data.

First, Google does not show the actual image someone searched with, and it does not show a search query either. The Queries tab is not available for multimodal data, since these searches are based on images rather than typed words. The report does show which pages appeared in results and how many impressions and clicks those pages received.

Second, Google groups Lens searches, Circle to Search uploads, and Chrome’s image search together into one combined multimodal category. These cannot currently be separated out individually.

Third, this feature is still rolling out globally, and it only appears for a site if that site is already receiving traffic from these types of searches. A site that is not yet seeing this data should check back periodically rather than assume the feature is broken.

Fourth, Google has not disclosed how far back this data goes. Because of this, treat the day a site owner first checks the report as a starting baseline, then check again a few weeks later to see how the data develops over time.

What Should You Do After Finding Your Multimodal Search Data?

Once a business can see which pages appear in image search, the next step is to review those specific pages. This means checking whether product photos are clear and whether the page clearly states what the product is.

Google has not published official guidance on how to improve ranking for multimodal search specifically. For now, the most practical use of this data is identifying which pages already succeed in image-based search, so you can understand the pattern and potentially apply it to other product pages on the site.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is multimodal search in Google Search Console?

Multimodal is a search type that tracks searches starting with an image rather than typed text, including Google Lens, Circle to Search, uploaded images, and Chrome’s Search This Image feature.

Where do I find multimodal data in Search Console?

It is located under Performance, then Search Type, then Web, where Multimodal can be selected as a filter and applied to the report.

Can I see the actual image someone searched with?

No. Google does not show the specific image used in the search, and it does not show a text query, since these searches are primarily image-based.

Can I separate Google Lens searches from Circle to Search or Chrome image searches?

No. Google currently groups all of these image-based search methods together under the single multimodal category.

Why don’t I see any multimodal data for my website?

Multimodal reporting is still rolling out globally, and it only appears once a site is already receiving traffic from image-based searches. If nothing shows up yet, it is worth checking back periodically.

How far back does multimodal search data go?

Google has not specified how far back this data extends, so the first day a site owner views the report should be treated as a baseline for future comparison.