If you publish on Instagram, TikTok, X or YouTube, Google now lets you track which Search queries and Discover placements send people directly to those posts — even if you don’t run a website. The new platform properties in Search Console consolidate search-driven discovery across those four platforms, so creators and publishers can fold social and short-form video visibility into search reporting.
What platform properties report
Platform properties add three reports inside Search Console:
- Performance: totals for clicks and impressions with filters and sorting to identify which posts and queries drive traffic. Data is exportable for further analysis.
- Insights: a summary of recent traffic trends, top-performing posts and how users discover the account via Google.
- Achievements: milestone tracking, for example when total clicks from Google Search pass a new threshold over a 28-day window.
How to connect a platform property
Open Search Console, go to the verification page or use the property selector and click “Add property.” Choose one of the supported platforms — Instagram, TikTok, X or YouTube — and follow the on-screen verification steps to authorize the connection. Google says platform properties will appear gradually over the coming weeks.
Why this matters for measurement
Social posts and short-form video can surface in Google Search and Discover, but until now that visibility was largely opaque unless a creator linked back to a website or tracked indirect referrals. Platform properties expose the search queries that lead directly to specific social posts and show which formats Google surfaces via Discover.
For editorial and analytics teams this is a lightweight way to include social-level search discovery in regular reporting. You can export query data to compare with site search analytics, use queries to refine captions or metadata, and monitor cross-platform trends without relying only on platform dashboards.
Operational caveats to validate
The rollout currently covers four platforms only, and Google’s announcement does not specify how these Search Console metrics map to platform-native engagement, how long data is retained, or how attribution is handled between Search and Discover. Measurement teams should validate how the exported metrics align with existing reporting frameworks and platform analytics once a property is available for their account.
Who should act and what to do next
Creators without a website, publishers managing multiple channels and agencies should plan to connect platform properties as they become available. Recommended first steps: authorize a property, export query-and-post reports, and compare those results against platform analytics and your site search reports. Use Search Console’s feedback link or the Google Search Central Community to report inconsistencies or ask for missing details.
Posted July 7, 2026 by Moshe Samet, Product Manager Lead, Search Console.
What to watch next: check that query mappings match platform URLs and timestamps in your analytics, confirm retention windows for exported data, and watch for Google updates clarifying metric definitions and attribution between Search and Discover.
