Google adds AI Mode traffic data to Search Console reports
The update gives advertisers and SEO experts insight into content performance in Google’s AI search results
Google has added traffic from AI Mode to Search Console performance reports. Users' interactions with AI-generated answers now appear in the familiar click, impression, and position metrics.
The update was reflected in Google's help documents following the rollout of AI Mode to all U.S. users. According to Google, “AI Mode is now counting towards totals in Search Console.”
How clicks, impressions, and position are tracked in AI Mode
The key update is that when a user clicks a link inside an AI Mode answer, it counts as a click in Search Console. When a page appears within AI-generated results, it is treated as an impression. The link must either be visible or reasonably assumed to be visible on the screen.
The ranking of “position” is also recorded using the same rules that apply to traditional search results, including carousels and images. For example, if a site appears in a carousel block within AI Mode, the position is assigned based on where that carousel shows up and how Google ranks it. So, if a user sees a set of cards and a page is third, the position is counted as three.
How Google tracks follow-up queries and what counts
When someone asks a follow-up question in AI Mode, it is not treated as part of the first search. It is logged as a completely new query. That means any clicks, impressions, or position data generated from that follow-up interaction are attributed separately in Search Console.
So, if a user continues engaging with the AI assistant and a brand appears multiple times, each interaction is measured independently.
What’s not included in the data
Google also clarified that Search Console does not include performance data from Search Labs experiments. These features, which are still under development, remain separate. That includes any tests Google is running that might not be visible in the wider search experience.
Google updated two documentation pages to reflect this change. A new section explains how AI features, including AI Mode, work in Search.