.png){kind=small}
On November 17, Google's Search Console team unveiled an annotation feature allowing webmasters to attach contextual notes to performance data visualizations, addressing a persistent challenge in tracking the impact of optimization work.
The feature allows users to document anything they want for future reference.
Daniel Waisberg and Tsahi Edri from the Search Console division confirmed that entries remain visible to all users holding property access, requiring teams to avoid including confidential information in their records.
Implementation Details
The system integrates directly into existing performance visualization tools, eliminating the need for separate dashboards or external documentation platforms.
Each notation appears as a marker on the timeline, creating a historical record of optimization activities alongside organic traffic data.
Creating a new annotation:
- Navigate to the Performance report section
- Right-click directly on the chart at your desired date point
- Choose the specific date through the picker interface
- Enter your notation text (maximum 120 characters)
- Confirm by clicking Add
Each property supports a maximum of 200 annotations.
Deleting existing annotations:
- Click any annotation marker to display its content
- Choose the DELETE option from the pop-up
- Confirm or cancel the deletion on the subsequent prompt
Modifications to existing entries are not supported. The system automatically removes notation records after 500 days from their creation date.
Strategic Value
SEO professionals and webmasters using this feature can gain several advantages:
- Campaign attribution - Correlate specific optimization efforts with traffic changes across multiple initiatives
- Client reporting - Agencies can maintain standardized documentation across different properties
- Historical context - Build a searchable timeline of all site modifications and external events
- Team coordination - Share visible markers that keep entire teams aligned on what changed and when
This addition signals Google's push to expand Search Console beyond basic reporting into a comprehensive SEO workflow platform, though whether annotations mark the beginning of deeper integrations or remain a standalone convenience feature remains to be seen.
.png)
.svg)
.png)
.png)
