# Search Console Multimodal Search and Platform Properties

> Use the Web: multimodal search type and platform properties for YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and X in Search Console, plus what they show.

Source: https://mentionx.ai/learn/search-console/search-console-multimodal-platform-properties  
Author: Dipuck Jones, founder of MentionX  
Updated: 4 November 2026  
Level: Practitioner

**Search Console now reports two newer kinds of visibility: web searches that start with an image (multimodal), and your content on social and video platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and X.** Both reflect how people search in 2026.

*Checked 4 November 2026 (CET) against Search Console Help and Google Search Central documentation. Search Console reports and rollouts change often, and some features only appear for eligible properties, so confirm in your own property. "Our view" marks MentionX opinion. Ledgerline is a fictional company used for illustration.*

> **Key takeaways**
>
> - **Web: multimodal** is a search type for searches that start with images, like Lens and Circle to Search.
> - It's available in both the Performance and generative AI reports.
> - **Platform properties** report how your Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube content performs in Google Search.
> - Platform properties have Performance, Insights and Achievements reports.
> - Add them through the Add property flow.

## What is multimodal search reporting?

Google [announced web multimodal reporting](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2026/09/web-multimodal-in-sc) in September 2026. The Performance report splits Web into **Web: text-based** and **Web: multimodal**. Multimodal covers searches started with an image: Lens, Circle to Search, uploaded images and Chrome image search. It also appears in the generative AI report.

## What are platform properties?

Google [announced platform properties](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2026/07/search-console-social-video-platforms) in July 2026. You can add an Instagram, TikTok, X or YouTube account as a property and see how that content performs in Google Search, with Performance, Insights and Achievements reports. See [Add a property](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/34592).

*Our view:* for B2B brands, YouTube is usually the platform property worth adding first; tutorials and demos rank for many "how to" searches.

> **Pro move:** give your social team view access to platform properties. It shows them which posts get found through Search, which native analytics doesn't separate.

## Reading multimodal data

| Question | View |
|---|---|
| Do image-led searches reach our product pages? | Performance > Web: multimodal > Pages |
| Do AI answers to image searches use our pages? | Generative AI report > Web: multimodal |
| Is multimodal growing for us? | Weekly chart, text-based vs multimodal comparison |

## What platform properties tell you

| Question | Where |
|---|---|
| How does our YouTube channel perform in Google Search? | YouTube platform property > Performance |
| Which social posts appear in Search? | Instagram, TikTok or X property > Performance |
| Quick summary for the social team | Platform property > Insights |

## Troubleshooting

| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No multimodal search type | Too little data or rollout | Check later |
| Can't add a platform property | Account or rollout limits | Follow the Add property flow; check the help page |
| Platform numbers differ from native analytics | Search Console counts Google Search only | Use both |

## A multimodal audit for product and visual content

1. **Filter Performance to Web: multimodal**, Pages tab, last 3 months.
2. **List the top 20 pages.** Note their primary image.
3. **Check each image:** is it original, high resolution, clearly showing the product or concept? Is the surrounding text describing it accurately?
4. **Compare with Web: text-based** for the same pages. Pages with strong multimodal share are good candidates for more visual content.
5. **Look for gaps:** important product pages absent from multimodal may have generic stock imagery.
6. **Check the generative AI report with Web: multimodal** to see whether image-led AI answers use your pages.

Google's documentation for images recommends descriptive alt text, surrounding text and high-quality images; those are the levers you control.

## Platform properties, practical setup

| Step | Notes |
|---|---|
| Decide which accounts | Official brand accounts first; YouTube for B2B tutorials |
| Add via Add property | Follow the platform's connection flow |
| Give access | Add the social team as users |
| Review Insights monthly | Which posts and videos appear in Google Search |
| Compare with native analytics | Search Console only counts Google Search |

## How marketers use platform data

- **Repurpose winners.** A video that ranks in Google Search for a how-to query should be embedded on the matching guide.
- **Find search-friendly formats.** If tutorials appear in Search and announcements don't, plan accordingly.
- **Spot brand impersonation.** Unexpected accounts ranking for your brand on social platforms appear in Google results; report them on the platform.
- **Coordinate titles.** Descriptive video titles and descriptions help both YouTube search and Google Search.

## Edge cases

- **Shared accounts across regions.** One global YouTube channel serves all countries; use the Countries tab to split.
- **Small accounts** may show very little data.
- **Rollout differences.** Features for platform properties may differ by platform; Google's announcement and help pages list what's available.
- **Multimodal on non-visual sites.** B2B software sites may see little multimodal data. That's fine; check quarterly.

## Questions practitioners ask

**Does alt text matter for multimodal search?** Google's image guidance recommends descriptive alt text and relevant surrounding text, which helps Google understand images.

**Will platform property data match YouTube Analytics?** No. YouTube Analytics counts views on YouTube; Search Console counts appearances and clicks in Google Search.

**Should we add personal accounts of executives?** Only official brand accounts that your team manages and is authorised to connect.

## Ledgerline walkthrough: product imagery

1. The Web: multimodal Pages list showed the invoice approval page but not the newer purchase order page.
2. The purchase order page used a generic stock photo. Design replaced it with an annotated product screenshot and a descriptive caption.
3. The SEO lead annotated the change and added the page to the monthly multimodal check.

## Troubleshooting multimodal and platform data

| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A page with images never appears | Images not crawlable, poor context, or low demand | Check images load in URL Inspection; add captions and context |
| Platform property can't be added | Account not eligible or not managed by you | Check Google's eligibility notes and account ownership |
| Video data looks low | Video not indexed or no watch page | Check the Video indexing report |

## Image checklist for key pages

- Original images or screenshots, not generic stock.
- Descriptive file names and alt text.
- Captions or nearby text explaining the image.
- Images in standard formats, not blocked by robots.txt.

## Where this fits in the monthly routine

Quarterly is enough for most B2B sites: review which pages appear in multimodal results, refresh images on key pages that don't, and check connected platform properties still have the right owners.

## Terms used in this lesson

- **Multimodal search:** searches that combine text, images or video.
- **Platform property:** a connected profile on another platform, such as a video channel.
- **Watch page:** a page whose main purpose is a single video.

## Quick checks before you move on

- Key pages use original images with descriptive alt text and captions.
- Official platform properties are connected and owned by named people.
- You know which key pages appear in multimodal results and which don't.

## Worked example: Ledgerline's YouTube property

*Ledgerline is a fictional accounts-payable software company. Details and numbers are illustrative.*

Ledgerline added its YouTube channel as a platform property. Insights showed two invoice-processing tutorials getting most Search visibility. The content team embedded those videos in the related guides and planned more short tutorials.

### Walkthrough

1. Open **Performance > Search results** and click the **Search type** filter.
2. Choose **Web: multimodal** and read clicks and impressions.
3. Use **Compare** to compare Web: text-based and Web: multimodal.
4. Open the Pages tab to see which pages get multimodal traffic.
5. To add a platform property, open the property selector and click **Add property**, then choose the platform.
6. Once added, open its Performance and Insights reports.

## Try it yourself

Compare text-based and multimodal Web search for 3 months. List the top 10 multimodal pages and check that their images are high quality and descriptive. If your brand has a YouTube channel, add it as a platform property.

## Quick quiz

**1. What counts as multimodal search?**

*Answer:* Searches starting with images, such as Lens, Circle to Search, uploaded images and Chrome image search.

**2. Which platforms can be added?**

*Answer:* Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube.

**3. What reports do platform properties have?**

*Answer:* Performance, Insights and Achievements.

**4. Is multimodal in the generative AI report too?**

*Answer:* Yes.

## What should you check before the next lesson?

- You compared text-based and multimodal Web search.
- You checked your top multimodal pages' images.
- You added at least one platform property, or decided not to.

Next: [Linking Search Console to GA4](https://mentionx.ai/learn/search-console/search-console-ga4-linking). Or return to the [Search Console for Marketers track](https://mentionx.ai/learn/search-console/search-console-for-marketers).

## Common questions

**Is Web: multimodal the same as Image search?** No. Image is the Google Images tab. Web: multimodal is web results from searches started with an image.

**Do platform properties need verification?** They are added through the Add property flow, which handles connecting the account.

**Why care about social content in Search Console?** Social posts and videos appear in Google results and AI answers, so their search performance is part of your visibility.

## Sources

- Google Search Central, [Announcing web multimodal Search performance reporting in Search Console](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2026/09/web-multimodal-in-sc)
- Google Search Central, [See how content from social and video platforms performs in Search Console](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2026/07/search-console-social-video-platforms)
- Search Console Help, [Add a website or platform property to Search Console](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/34592)
- Search Console Help, [Performance report (Search results): Overview and basic setup](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7576553)
- All accessed 4 Nov 2026.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Web: multimodal the same as Image search?

No. Image is the Google Images tab. Web: multimodal is web results from searches started with an image.

### Do platform properties need verification?

They are added through the Add property flow, which handles connecting the account.

### Why care about social content in Search Console?

Social posts and videos appear in Google results and AI answers, so their search performance is part of your visibility.

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Written and reviewed by Dipuck Jones for MentionX Learn. The HTML version of this page: https://mentionx.ai/learn/search-console/search-console-multimodal-platform-properties