Google Search Console’s reporting for AI Mode, AI Overviews, and traditional Google Search may change as these search experiences develop.
Google Search advocate John Mueller said the way Google measures impressions and positions for AI features is expected to “evolve over time.” He explained that tracking these metrics can involve edge cases, especially as search layouts and AI features continue to change.
Mueller said the goal of Search Console reporting is not to provide an absolute, fixed definition of position counting. Instead, Google wants the data to help site owners understand how their pages appear in Search.
His comments came after Kenichi Suzuki asked how Google calculates rankings for links shown inside AI Mode. The question was whether each cited link is counted separately as a traditional search position or whether the complete AI Mode response is treated as one position, similar to an AI Overview.
Mueller acknowledged that there are cases where position tracking can be difficult to define. He said Google may update its documentation if significant changes are made to how these metrics are calculated.
As Google changes AI Mode and AI Overviews, the way site owners interpret Search Console data may also need to change. Mueller noted that users may need to consider these changes when comparing position and impression data over time.
Google’s current Search Console documentation explains how performance data is reported across different search features, including AI Mode. However, Mueller’s comments indicate that these measurement methods are not necessarily permanent as Google continues developing its search interfaces.
For site owners and SEOs, this means changes in reported positions or impressions may need to be viewed in the context of updates to Google’s search experiences and reporting methods.
