KELOWNA, BC – October 14, 2026 – PRESSADVANTAGE –

Local Marketing Plus SEO is advising trades and service businesses in Canada and the United States to examine newly available Google Search Console reporting for AI-assisted and image-based searches. The agency is recommending a focused review of website visibility, original project photographs and lead tracking following two Google reporting announcements this year.

On September 24, 2026, Google announced web multimodal Search performance reporting in Search Console. Its new multimodal search type filter covers searches using Google Lens, Circle to Search on Android, image uploads to Google Search and Chrome’s “Search this image” feature. Google said the data would appear in Search results performance reports and generative AI feature reports, with a global rollout beginning that day. Sites will see relevant metrics when they receive activity from these searches.

For trades and service businesses, the additional reporting offers an opportunity to evaluate whether their websites provide the information customers need when searching with photographs or AI-assisted tools. An automotive repair shop, for example, could review which service pages receive visibility from multimodal searches, then assess whether those pages include original photographs, accurate service descriptions and relevant local information. Local Marketing Plus SEO recommends comparing these findings with existing Search Console performance trends and website enquiry data before deciding which content improvements to prioritize.

The update follows Google’s June 3 introduction of Search Generative AI performance reports, which Google said were available to websites worldwide by August 31. These dedicated Search and Discover views report impressions associated with generative AI features, including AI Overviews and AI Mode in Search. Available dimensions include pages, countries and dates, with device information available for Search. Unlike standard Search Console performance reporting, the dedicated generative AI views emphasize impressions; they do not independently establish how many enquiries or sales an AI appearance generated.

For a pool installation business, for example, the multimodal filter may help identify search activity involving images. The business can review relevant landing pages, assess whether its own completed-project photographs accurately illustrate pool types and installation conditions, and compare website visits with subsequent enquiries. This is an example of how the data could be used, not a claim of measured results for a particular client.

“A business can have useful service pages and strong photographs without knowing how those assets are being discovered,” said Jo Ann McLellan, owner of Local Marketing Plus SEO. “These reports provide additional evidence to review, but impressions are not the same as phone calls or booked jobs. We recommend using Google’s new Search Console reporting features alongside existing search performance data and actual customer enquiries to better understand how online visibility contributes to business results.”

The agency recommends that service businesses confirm which new reports and filters appear in their Search Console properties, review pages receiving impressions from relevant search experiences, and check whether those pages answer common customer questions with accurate local details and authentic imagery. It also recommends comparing the findings with established organic search metrics and measurable enquiries rather than assuming that visibility alone represents business growth.

Local Marketing Plus SEO previously advised businesses to monitor rankings and website performance during Google’s September 2026 spam update. The agency’s latest guidance builds on that advice by encouraging service businesses to examine additional search visibility data as Google’s reporting tools evolve.

Local Marketing Plus SEO notes that the new reports complement, rather than replace, existing measures such as clicks, queries, indexing status and website conversions. The agency advises business owners to record a baseline and review trends over time before changing their content or marketing priorities.

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For more information about Local Marketing Plus SEO, contact the company here:

Local Marketing Plus SEO
Jo Ann McLellan
1-800 330-5883
joann@localmarketingplus.ca
347 Leon Ave Ste 210, Kelowna, BC V1Y 8C7

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