SEO Recap covering September 13, 2026: Google admits Search Console AI reporting falls short

Built by Stephanie Chung·2 min read·2 stories

Daily summary of what matters in SEO, GEO, AEO, and AI search generated with Claude Code (beware of hallucinations)

AI in Search / AI Overviews

John Mueller agreed with a Reddit critique that Search Console's Gen-AI performance report is built on legacy impression and position concepts that do not fit AI search, saying Google does not yet have a better solution.
The report, announced in June 2026 and fully global on August 31, 2026, focuses on impressions across AI Overviews and AI Mode, and its data is already filtered into the regular search performance report, so the 2 should not be added together.
Key reporting flaws site owners should know:
- An impression counts when the AI Overview renders even if the user never scrolled to see the link, overstating visibility
- Links hidden behind "Show More" go uncounted until expanded, understating real exposure
- Every link inside an AI Overview is assigned the position of the AIO block, not the link's own slot
Mueller asked SEOs for ideas on what useful position tracking would look like, acknowledging the old position 1-10 model no longer maps to how search works.

Google confirmed Search Central Live returns to India for the first time since 2023, held in Bengaluru on October 30, 2026.
The in-person only event (no streaming or recording) features Googlers covering crawling, indexing, structured data, and search quality, plus live Q&A, with no marketing talks.
Tickets are free but seats are limited and assigned by application. Register before October 15, 2026, with selections confirmed between October 3 and October 24.

Published on September 14, 2026