Google has updated its Search Console documentation to confirm that AI Mode data is now included in Performance reports, which may affect how traffic metrics are reported.
AI Mode Overview
AI Mode builds on AI Overviews by providing an interactive AI-powered response that includes links to web resources supporting the information or directing users to relevant webpages. It organizes the user's question into subtopics, searching each simultaneously and allowing users to explore deeper.
Metrics in AI Mode
- Click: Clicking an external link in AI Mode counts as a click.
- Impression: Standard impression rules apply.
- Position: Position is calculated similarly to a Google Search results page, with carousel and image blocks following standard position rules.
Follow-up Queries
If a user asks a follow-up question within AI Mode, it is treated as a new query, and all impression, position, and click data from the new response are counted separately under this new query.
