A major update to Google Search Console introduces AI-specific metrics. Site owners can now track clicks and impressions tied to AI features. Experts also debunked common SEO myths at the Milan event.
At Google Search Central Live Milan, SEO professionals received a first look at the latest updates to Google Search Console, with a strong focus on artificial intelligence integration. Stefano Fabiani, a well-known international SEO specialist, shared details from the event, highlighting the launch of the new "AI Reports (Beta)" section within Search Console.
This new feature allows site administrators to monitor impressions and clicks specifically generated by AI Overviews, AI Mode, and the "Discover" function. Notably, the update introduces a dedicated AI settings panel, giving webmasters explicit control to include or exclude their sites from AI-driven features. The inclusion of "clicks" as a tracked metric for AI-generated content marks a significant shift, offering publishers deeper insight into how AI is impacting their search performance.
In addition to product updates, Google representatives addressed persistent technical SEO myths. Drawing directly from official documentation, they clarified that Google’s algorithms do not reward sites for formal HTML validation, as their parsers are designed to handle specification errors. Furthermore, the practice of artificially splitting paragraphs to optimize for AI is ineffective; content structure should prioritize human readability and experience.
These clarifications echo broader trends in search, where technical tweaks are less likely to influence rankings than previously believed. For those interested in how click behavior is evolving, recent research on zero-click searches and regional differences can be found in this analysis of click rates across major markets.
