Search Console Now Counts Photo Searches Separately

Does This Matter for a Local Service Business?

Probably more than you expect. Think about how often your customers already show you a picture before they call. A homeowner texts a photo of a cracked tile. A driver snaps a dashboard warning light. A shopper screenshots a product from social media. Visual search is the same behavior, except the customer sends the picture to Google instead of to you.

For most San Antonio service companies the multimodal number will be small at first. That is fine. What matters is the trend and which pages show up, because those pages are your best photo search candidates. If a page about water heater repair appears, you now know your images and page content are matching what people photograph.

This also connects to the larger shift we covered in our guide to how Google AI search changes the way customers find you. Search is becoming less about typed phrases and more about Google understanding pictures, places and context. Our AI search optimization work treats images as searchable content, not decoration.

How Do I Check My Photo Search Data?

You can do this in about five minutes. Follow the steps below, in order.

If the Multimodal view is empty, that is useful too. It means Google has not yet sent you measurable photo search traffic, and the pages worth improving are the ones that already rank for text searches. Pages that cannot be crawled or load slowly will struggle in any kind of search, which is why a technical SEO audit is the first thing we recommend when numbers look strange.

What Should I Do About It This Week?

Treat the Search Console multimodal report as a free hint about which of your images and pages Google trusts. These are the moves we make for clients:

• Use real photos of your own work. A genuine photo of your crew, your product or your finished job is more distinctive than a stock image that a hundred competitors also use.
• Name files and write alt text for people. Replace “IMG_4471.jpg” with a clear description such as “replacing a water heater in a San Antonio garage.” Describe what is truly in the image.
• Put the image next to the words that explain it. A photo of a service sitting beside a clear paragraph about that service gives Google context.
• Keep images sharp but fast. A large, blurry or slow image helps no one. Compress files without destroying quality.
• Check your Business Profile photos too. Local searches often start with a picture. Our San Antonio SEO team reviews website images and listing photos together so they tell one consistent story.

Photo searches do not replace regular searches. They add a second doorway into your business, and the businesses that keep that doorway clean get found by customers who never typed a word. If you also noticed fewer clicks even while rankings held, our guide to zero click search fixes explains what else could be going on.

Common Mistakes We See Right Now

• Assuming a traffic drop is a penalty. A new report category can shift the numbers without any change in how customers find you. Compare dates before reacting.
• Ignoring the Multimodal option because the number is small. A small count still shows which pages and images Google connects to photo searches.
• Looking for query text that does not exist. Google says text query data is not available for this traffic, so stop hunting for it.
• Stuffing alt text with keywords. Alt text should describe the picture honestly. Keyword lists do not help and can look spammy.
• Using the same stock photo as everyone else. Distinctive, original images are easier for Google to tie to your business.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is multimodal search in Google Search Console?
   Multimodal search in Search Console is the new view for web searches that begin with an image, photo or screenshot instead of typed words. Google announced it on September 24, 2026, and it appears as a Multimodal option under the Web search type in the Performance report.

2. Where do I find the Search Console multimodal report?
   Open the Performance report, choose Search results, click the Search type filter, select Web, and then switch between Text-based and Multimodal. The Search Console multimodal option only shows data if your site received traffic from these searches.

3. Why can’t I see the search terms for multimodal traffic?
   Google says text query data is not available for this traffic because the search began with an image rather than words. You can still see how many impressions and clicks you received, which is why knowing your customers’ habits helps interpret the numbers.

4. Did Google’s change make my Search Console traffic drop?
   Not necessarily. Google’s John Mueller said the multimodal data was not previously in the counts, so the report now contains new data. Some site owners reported drops around the same time and Google has not explained why, so compare dates and also check whether the September spam update affected you. Our ranking volatility guide shows how to tell the difference.

5. How can a local business get more photo search traffic?
   Use original, high quality photos on service pages, give each file a clear name and honest alt text, and place every image beside the text that explains it. Those habits help Google understand what your pictures show, which is the foundation of every Search Console multimodal result.

Google is slowly teaching its reports to count how people really search, with cameras as well as keyboards. The businesses that look at the new numbers, keep their images honest and sharp, and avoid panicking over one chart are the ones that will be easy to find in both kinds of search.