Google Search Console Now Tracks Social Media Content: What Businesses Need to Know
Google Search Console has long been a valuable tool for understanding how your website performs in Google Search. Now, Google is expanding what businesses can learn from it.
Google recently released new guidance explaining how businesses and creators can use Search Console to analyze the performance of content from platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X.
For companies investing time and money into social media, this update provides a better look at how that content is being discovered through Google.
Social Media and Google Search Are More Connected
Social media and SEO used to feel like separate strategies. You posted an Instagram Reel hoping Instagram users would see it, while your website and SEO efforts focused on Google.
That line continues to fade.
Social and video content can appear throughout Google Search, and Search Console can now give businesses more insight into how people find that content.
By adding and verifying supported social and video accounts as platform properties, businesses can see information such as:
- Traffic and click trends
- Top-performing posts and videos
- Search terms people use to find content
- Where audiences are located
- Performance by device and date
Instead of relying only on likes, views, and comments, businesses can see how social content is performing from a search perspective.
Find Out What People Are Actually Searching For
One of the most useful parts of this update is access to search query data.
For example, an HVAC contractor might post a short video about a noisy air conditioner and discover that people are finding it through searches like “AC making rattling noise.”
That’s more than an interesting metric. It’s a content idea.
The contractor could create a follow-up video, write a blog on the same topic, or answer other questions related to AC noises. Rather than guessing what potential customers want to know, the business can use actual search behavior to guide future content.
See What’s Gaining Attention
Google Search Console also offers a 24-hour performance view, which can help businesses spot when a post or video starts gaining traction through Google.
If a piece of content suddenly receives more impressions or clicks, you can act while the topic is still relevant. That might mean creating a follow-up post, sharing the content on another platform, or expanding the subject into a blog or longer video.
Search Console can also help compare different formats, such as YouTube Shorts versus traditional videos or Instagram Reels versus standard posts.
Over time, that data can show you which types of content are actually getting discovered through Google.
Don’t Forget About Older Content
Social posts can feel temporary, but Google Search may give them a longer lifespan.
An older tutorial, FAQ, project video, or educational post could start receiving traffic when interest in the topic increases.
A plumber’s video about preventing frozen pipes, for example, could suddenly gain visibility when temperatures drop. Instead of starting from scratch, the company could reshare the video, update it, or create related content.
The lesson is simple: useful content can keep working long after it was originally posted.
What This Means for Contractors and Service Businesses
This update reinforces a bigger shift in digital marketing: SEO, social media, and video are becoming increasingly connected.
Potential customers don’t discover businesses in one place anymore. Someone might find your YouTube video through Google, watch an Instagram Reel, visit your website, check your reviews, and then contact you.
For contractors and service businesses, that makes useful, educational content even more valuable.
A roofer can explain why shingles curl. A plumber can demonstrate what causes low water pressure. A commercial painter can compare different coating systems. A landscaper can explain when certain plants should be trimmed.
These aren’t just social posts. They’re answers to questions potential customers may already be searching for.
Use the Data to Build a Smarter Content Strategy
If your company is actively creating social or video content, consider adding and verifying eligible accounts in Google Search Console.
Then look beyond total traffic. Pay attention to which posts get clicks, which searches lead people to your content, and which formats perform best.
Most importantly, use those insights across your marketing.
A search term performing well on YouTube could become your next blog. A successful Instagram Reel could turn into a longer video. A popular website article could become a series of short social posts.
The goal isn’t to constantly create more content. It’s to get more value from the content you’re already producing.
Search Visibility Goes Beyond Your Website
Your website remains the foundation of your digital presence, but it isn’t the only way potential customers can discover your company through Google.
Social posts, videos, business profiles, reviews, and website content can all play a role.
Google’s expanded Search Console insights give businesses another way to understand that bigger picture and make smarter decisions about what they create next.
At AltaVista Strategic Partners, we help businesses connect SEO, content, social media, and web strategy so each part of their digital marketing supports the others.
Want to improve how your business shows up online? Contact AltaVista Strategic Partners to learn how we can help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Google Search Console track social media content?
Yes. Google Search Console can provide search performance data for supported social and video platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and X. This can help businesses understand how their content is being discovered through Google.
What social media metrics can I see in Google Search Console?
Depending on the platform and report, you can see information such as clicks, traffic trends, top-performing content, search queries, audience location, devices, and performance over time.
Does social media content appear in Google Search?
Yes. Google can surface eligible social posts and videos in Search results and other Google surfaces. This makes social content another potential way for customers to discover your business online.
How can contractors use this Search Console data?
Contractors can use the data to see which topics, questions, videos, and posts are attracting attention through Google. Those insights can then guide future blogs, videos, FAQs, and social posts based on what potential customers are actually searching for.
Does social media replace traditional SEO?
No. Your website and traditional SEO remain important. Social and video content can complement your SEO strategy by creating additional opportunities for your business and expertise to appear when potential customers search online.
Aaron Hockel is a Partner and the VP of Digital Marketing at AltaVista Strategic Partners. A University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) alumnus, Aaron expertly crafts digital marketing strategies that drive success for clients, leveraging his deep industry knowledge and innovative approach.
