How UK SME's Can Use Search Console's AI Reports

Google has fundamentally shifted how people search online with the rapid expansion of AI Overviews and AI Mode. For business owners and marketing managers here in Newark, Mansfield, and across the UK, this evolution brings a critical question: is AI helping or hurting your website traffic and lead generation?

At Xposure Creative, we use a proven, scientific approach to digital marketing. We don’t guess; we use data to drive tangible outcomes. That’s why we’re eager to break down Google’s latest global rollout, completed on August 31, 2026, which introduces AI performance reports and generative AI controls within Google Search Console.

What Are the New AI Performance Reports?

Understanding your visibility is the first step in our scientific approach to marketing. Previously, it was difficult to tell how much visibility your site was getting specifically from Google’s AI-generated answers. Now, the new generative AI performance reports provide dedicated views of your impressions within features like AI Overviews, AI Mode, and generative AI features in Discover.

Here is what the new reporting includes:

Impressions: You can check how often URLs from your site appeared in generative AI features in Search and Discover.
Pages: You can see exactly which URLs appeared in AI features.
Countries: You can understand your site’s visibility by country.
Devices: You can identify the specific devices people are using when seeing your website in Search results.
Dates: You can monitor your performance over time with hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly granularity.

These reports currently do not include click data. Google has said it is continuing to work with website owners to understand which insights will best inform strategies, and it will introduce additional metrics over time.

The “Opt-Out” Control: A UK-Driven Initiative

Alongside the reporting, Google has introduced a new “Search generative AI control” toggle in Search Console. Interestingly, Google initially rolled out this feature to a subset of UK website owners due to pressure from the UK government and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The CMA required Google to let publishers opt out of allowing their content to be used to fine-tune AI models.

As of August 31, 2026, Google rolled out this control to all websites worldwide.

What Does the Generative AI Control Do?

This new tool lets you manage your site’s inclusion in AI Overviews, AI Mode, and Discover’s generative AI features. Website owners can now decide if they want their site to appear in and help ground responses in these features.

If you choose to exclude your site:

Your site’s content will not be visible to users in Search generative AI features.
Your content will not be linked to in these features or used to ground AI responses.
You won’t receive any traffic or impressions from these generative AI features.
Crucially, this control isn’t used as a ranking signal for other parts of Search, so it shouldn’t negatively impact your site on core web search.

The Local Angle: Why East Midlands SMEs Need to Audit Now

For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Newark, Mansfield, and the wider East Midlands, local search visibility is the lifeblood of your business. If Google’s AI is synthesising responses to local search queries (e.g., “best digital marketing near me”), you need to know whether it’s a stepping stone to your website or a roadblock.

Using Xposure’s results-driven methodology, we advise all our clients to audit their Search Console data. By analysing the new impression data, we can scientifically determine whether Google’s AI is successfully highlighting your content or whether AI-synthesized responses are disrupting your local visibility.

To Block or Not to Block? A Strategic Partnership

Should you use the toggle to block your content from Google’s AI? Early industry studies showed that one-third of SEOs said they would block Google from showing their content in AI search features. However, don’t base this decision on trends or fear; base it on hard data.

As your long-term strategic partner, Xposure Creative can help you navigate this complex landscape. If the reports show your impressions in AI Overviews are high but standard web traffic is plummeting, a targeted strategy is scientifically warranted. If AI is introducing your brand to a wider audience, staying opted in may be the key to more leads and sales.

Turn Data Into Tangible Outcomes

The digital landscape is constantly shifting, but your lead generation doesn’t have to suffer. With the right data and a proven scientific approach, AI in search can be managed and mastered to your advantage.

If you are a business owner or marketing manager unsure of how these new Google Search Console features impact your bottom line, reach out to the experts at Xposure today. Let’s build a strategy that delivers real, tangible results.