Topics: Search Console, Google Search News, Favicon, Core Update
Google's latest Search News episode, hosted by John Mueller from Google Switzerland, packed several Search Console launches and a few policy clarifications into about seven minutes. Most of it is small print for the average site, but a handful of items change what site owners can measure and what they may need to fix this week.
Search Console gets four additions
Platform properties are now available to everyone. Site owners can add their Instagram, TikTok and YouTube profiles to Search Console and see how that content performs in search, which gives brands that publish mostly on social a way to measure their search presence without owning a website property for it. Google also published a getting started guide for it.
The generative AI reports for Search and Discover have been rolled out to all sites, following the earlier phased release. Mueller said he enjoyed seeing people share screenshots of these reports and asked for more.
The new item with the most potential is the set of multimodal search reports. They cover visits that start from Google Lens, Circle to Search, image uploads and Chrome's search this image option. Mueller noted that this traffic was never included or counted in Search Console before, and he expects the numbers to vary a lot by site type. A fourth change is smaller but useful for international sites, since the performance report now lets you select multiple countries and device types at once.
Core update, EEA policy and the favicon issue
Google ran its usual spam updates and one core update, which it said is done several times a year and also applies to Discover. No ranking details were shared beyond that. Separately, the site reputation abuse policy was adjusted slightly for users in the European Economic Area, with the specifics left to the documentation.
The more actionable point is about favicons. After a brief issue with how favicons appear in search, Google updated its documentation on supported image types and stated that SVG favicons are currently not supported. A site that only offers an SVG icon is probably not showing a favicon in Search or Discover. The fix is to add a supported format such as PNG or ICO alongside it.
Google Trends added maps and regional breakdowns. Site Kit, the WordPress plugin from Google, can now set up conversion tracking with Google Analytics automatically for ecommerce sites, and Merchant Center launched AI performance insights reports. Search profiles, the feature that lets creators appear more prominently in search, are now open to creators in Canada and India. Our earlier piece covers how to create a Google Search Profile in India.
In Search itself, Google launched connected apps for AI Mode, which lets users reach services and apps without leaving the results. It is limited to the US and still early, and Mueller suggested publishers keep an eye on it in case it expands. For preferred sources, there is a new button that makes it easier for users to add a site, and every participating site is receiving an initial metrics report.
Community picks and events
Mueller highlighted a Monday morning Search Console routine shared on LinkedIn by Ankit Prajapati and an article by Dana Lucio on segmenting SEO data for multi-location brands. He also pointed to a piece arguing that creator content belongs in an AI search strategy, adding that business-run creator accounts should be added to Search Console as platform properties.
Search Central Live events have already run in Barcelona, Warsaw, London, Norwich, Seoul, Shenzhen and Tokyo. Mexico City, Bogota, Bangalore and Cape Town are still planned this year. The Google Search Central YouTube channel has also added thematic playlists and a new series called non-canonical cabinet.
For a quick check today, open your site in a search result preview or run a favicon test and confirm you are serving a PNG or ICO file, then add your social profiles as platform properties if they drive any of your brand traffic. If you already track AI visibility in the generative AI report, our earlier post on GSC and Bing AI search visibility explains what the data does and does not show.
FAQs
What are platform properties in Search Console?
They let you add Instagram, TikTok and YouTube profiles to Search Console and track how content on those platforms performs in Google Search. They sit alongside your normal website properties.
Which searches do the new multimodal reports include?
Searches made with Google Lens, Circle to Search, image uploads and Chrome's search this image feature. According to Mueller, this data has never been counted in Search Console before.
Does Google Search support SVG favicons?
No. Google's updated documentation says SVG favicons are not supported at the moment, so a site that only has an SVG icon may not show a favicon in search or Discover. Adding a supported image type fixes it.
Is the generative AI report available for every site?
Yes. Google says the reporting on generative AI features in Search and Discover has been rolled out to all sites.
Can I select more than one country in the performance report now?
Yes. The performance report accepts multiple countries and multiple device types in one view, which helps sites that serve several markets.
Are search profiles available in India?
Yes. Google said search profiles are now available to creators in Canada and India.
Do connected apps in AI Mode work outside the US?
Not yet. Google described the feature as early and limited to the US.
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