{"version":1,"type":"story","url":"https://digestai.news/story/google-says-search-console-cannot-track-ai-search-visibility-accuratel","json":"https://digestai.news/story/google-says-search-console-cannot-track-ai-search-visibility-accuratel.json","markdown":"https://digestai.news/story/google-says-search-console-cannot-track-ai-search-visibility-accuratel.md","slug":"google-says-search-console-cannot-track-ai-search-visibility-accuratel","headline":"Google says Search Console cannot track AI search visibility accurately","summary":"Organic click volumes have been falling for years, and marketers are feeling pressure to explain the shift toward AI‑driven results. Google Search Advocate John Mueller told Reddit that Search Console still treats an entire AI‑generated overview as a single block, meaning the platform cannot accurately track how AI search works. He noted that the tool assigns the same top‑position rank to every link inside an AI overview, even though some links appear lower or behind a “Show More” toggle.\n\nResearch cited by SEJ shows AI overviews appear on about 21% of searches and have cut clicks to standard organic results by roughly 38%. Seer Interactive reported a 61% drop in AI‑overview click‑through rates, while a field study found the inflated impression counts distort average‑position metrics. The article argues that the old “average position” number gives a false sense of consistency and recommends marketers treat AI visibility as a simple yes‑or‑no citation, then focus on actual site visits, inquiries, and conversions. Checking the live SERP layout or using automated screen‑inspection tools can provide clearer insight than Google’s flattened data.","keyPoints":["Google Search Console treats AI overview boxes as a single block, giving all contained links the same top position","AI overviews appear on about 21% of searches and have reduced clicks to standard organic results by roughly 38%","Researchers observed AI overview click‑through rates fell 61%, inflating impressions and distorting average‑position metrics"],"whyItMatters":"Traditional SEO metrics no longer reflect real user behavior in AI‑driven search, so marketers must adopt new measurement approaches to protect traffic and ROI.","category":{"slug":"marketing","name":"Marketing & Small Business","url":"https://digestai.news/category/marketing"},"entities":{"companies":["Google","Seer Interactive","Search Engine Journal"],"models":[],"people":["John Mueller"]},"firstPublishedAt":"2026-09-24T12:00:06Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-24T12:00:06Z","sourceCount":1,"hasPrimarySource":false,"sources":[{"outlet":"Search Engine Journal","title":"Search Console Uses Block Flattening For AIOs, Forget Position & Focus On Outcomes via @sejournal, @TaylorDanRW","url":"https://searchenginejournal.com/search-console-uses-block-flattening-for-aios-forget-position-focus-on-outcomes/589582","publishedAt":"2026-09-24T12:00:06Z","type":"press","primary":false,"lead":true}],"sourceNotes":null,"discussions":[],"thread":{"title":"Google AI Search Hits Publishers Hard","url":"https://digestai.news/thread/google-ai-search-cuts-clicks-to-publisher-sites-and-worsens-user-experience","storyCount":2},"cite":{"text":"Digest AI, \"Google says Search Console cannot track AI search visibility accurately\", 24 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/google-says-search-console-cannot-track-ai-search-visibility-accuratel","publisher":"Digest AI","title":"Google says Search Console cannot track AI search visibility accurately","datePublished":"2026-09-24T12:00:06Z","url":"https://digestai.news/story/google-says-search-console-cannot-track-ai-search-visibility-accuratel"},"generatedBy":"Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record.","license":"Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse"}